CBS wins overall and ties NBC in key demo

Fast National ratings for Friday, May 18, 2007.

CBS and NBC battled for the Friday night ratings crowns as viewers showed little interest in ABC's "National Bingo Night."

Overall, CBS averaged a 5.3 rating/10 share, narrowly beating the 5.2/10 for NBC. ABC was third with a 4.1/8, leaving FOX in fourth with a 3.2/6. The CW trailed with a 2.5/5.

NBC and CBS tied among adults 18-49, doing a 2.0 rating in the key demo. ABC wasn't far off with a 1.9 rating. FOX's 1.6 rating and the 1.3 rating for The CW weren't that far off.

In the 8 p.m. hour, NBC's "Dateline" posted the highest ratings, though ABC's second place "America's Funniest Home Videos" attracted the most viewers. CBS' "That's the Way It Is: Celebrating Cronkite at 90" special did a 4.0/8 for third. A "House" repeat on FOX was fourth, followed by The CW's "WWE Smackdown" with a 2.3/4.

CBS grabbed first in the 9 p.m. hour with the 5.5/10 for "A Dr. Phil Special: Caged?" The second hour of "Dateline NBC" was second, well ahead of the 3.7/7 for the premiere of "National Bingo Night" on ABC. FOX's "Bones" was in fourth with a 3.4/6, bettering The CW's wrestling.

A pair of finales went head-to-head at 10 p.m. CBS' "Numb3rs" had a 6.6/12, beating the 6.4/12 for NBC's "Law & Order." This went to ABC with "20/20."

Ratings information is taken from fast national data, which includes live and same-day DVR viewing. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change.