Here are the ratings for the Friday edition of Dateline. Lester Holt is the new principal anchor of this venerable news series. The Friday episodes of the 19th season of Dateline typically air at 9pm on the NBC network.

These are the TV show’s ratings for the 2011-12 season, the best way to tell if Dateline will be cancelled or renewed for a 21st season. Check out our NBC ratings report card to see how this show’s numbers compare with the others on the network.

These figures will be updated as the weeks progress so be sure to bookmark and return to this page:

Friday, 05/18/12
1.1 in the demo (-8% episode-to-episode change) with 4.64 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.27 in the demo with 4.98 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 14 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 05/11/12
1.2 in the demo (-8% episode-to-episode change) with 4.65 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.27 in the demo with 4.99 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 14 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 05/04/12
1.3 in the demo (+18% episode-to-episode change) with 4.96 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.27 in the demo with 5.00 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 14 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 04/27/12
1.1 in the demo (-21% episode-to-episode change) with 4.10 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.27 in the demo with 5.00 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 14 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 04/20/12
1.4 in the demo (+40% episode-to-episode change) with 5.81 million; first in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.28 in the demo with 5.03 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 14 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 04/13/12
1.0 in the demo (0% episode-to-episode change) with 5.06 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.28 in the demo with 5.00 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 14 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 04/06/12
1.0 in the demo (-17% episode-to-episode change) with 4.09 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.29 in the demo with 5.01 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 14 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 03/30/12
1.2 in the demo (+33% episode-to-episode change) with 4.57 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.30 in the demo with 5.05 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 13 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 03/23/12
0.9 in the demo (-10% episode-to-episode change) with 4.45 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.30 in the demo with 5.06 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 13 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 03/16/12
1.0 in the demo (-23% episode-to-episode change) with 4.64 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.32 in the demo with 5.09 million.
Demo average rank: #11 of 13 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 03/09/12
1.3 in the demo (+8% episode-to-episode change) with 5.03 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.33 in the demo with 5.11 million.
Demo average rank: #9 of 12 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 03/02/12
1.3 in the demo (0% episode-to-episode change) with 4.03 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.33 in the demo with 5.11 million.
Demo average rank: #10 of 12 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 2/24/12
1.3 in the demo (+18% episode-to-episode change) with 4.99 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.33 in the demo with 5.16 million.
Demo average rank: #9 of 11 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 2/17/12
1.1 in the demo (-27% episode-to-episode change) with 4.38 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.33 in the demo with 5.17 million.
Demo average rank: #8 of 11 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 02/10/12
1.5 in the demo (+36% episode-to-episode change) with 5.19 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.35 in the demo with 5.21 million.
Demo average rank: #8 of 11 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 02/03/12
1.1 in the demo (-8% episode-to-episode change) with 4.70 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.34 in the demo with 5.21 million.
Demo average rank: #8 of 10 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 01/27/12
1.2 in the demo (-15% episode-to-episode change) with 4.55 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.35 in the demo with 5.24 million.
Demo average rank: #7 of 9 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 01/20/12
1.4 in the demo (+8% episode-to-episode change) with 5.52 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.36 in the demo with 5.28 million.
Demo average rank: #7 of 9 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 01/13/12:
1.3 in the demo (-7% episode-to-episode change) with 5.24 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.36 in the demo with 5.26 million.
Demo average rank: #6 of 8 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 01/06/12
1.4 in the demo (+17% episode-to-episode change) with 5.0 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.36 in the demo with 5.26 million.
Demo average rank: #6 of 7 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 12/30/11
1.2 in the demo (+50% episode-to-episode change) with 5.29 million; first in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.36 in the demo with 5.28 million.
Demo average rank: #4 of 5 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 12/23/11:
0.8 in the demo (-39% week-to-week change) with 3.13 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.37 in the demo with 5.28 million.
Demo average rank: #4 of 5 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 12/16/11:
1.3 in the demo (-24% episode-to-episode change) with 6.11 million; first in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.42 in the demo with 5.46 million.
Demo average rank: #4 of 5 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 12/09/11
1.7 in the demo (+70% episode-to-episode change) with 5.80 million; first in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.43 in the demo with 5.40 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 4 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 12/02/11
1.0 in the demo (-38% episode-to-episode change) with 4.09 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.40 in the demo with 5.36 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 4 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 11/18/11
1.6 in the demo (+14% episode-to-episode change) with 5.74 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.44 in the demo with 5.50 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 4 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 11/11/11
1.4 in the demo (+17% episode-to-episode change) with 4.93 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.43 in the demo with 5.47 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 4 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 11/04/11
1.2 in the demo (-8% episode-to-episode change) with 4.16 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.43 in the demo with 5.55 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 4 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 10/28/11
1.3 in the demo (+30% episode-to-episode change) with 5.21 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.47 in the demo with 5.78 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 3 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 10/21/11
1.0 in the demo (-33% episode-to-episode change) with 4.11 million; third in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.5 in the demo with 5.89 million.
Demo rank: #3 of 3 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 10/14/11
1.5 in the demo (+7% episode-to-episode change) with 5.76 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.6 in the demo with 6.34 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 3 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 10/7/11
1.4 in the demo (-13% episode-to-episode change) with 6.07 million; second in the timeslot.
Season average: 1.7 in the demo with 6.53 million.
Demo average rank: #3 of 3 non-scripted TV shows on the network (Fall 2011 – Spring 2012).

Friday, 09/30/11
It was a significant fall for week two with a 1.6 rating (-20% episode-to-episode change) and 6.29 million. The news show was in second place for the two hours, beaten in both cases by CBS crime dramas.
Season average: 1.8 demo with 6.77 million.

Friday, 09/23/11:
NBC kicked off the season with a two-hour installment and was up 25% in the 18-49 demographic, compared to last year’s 1.6 rating with 7.29 million viewers. It won its 9pm timeslot but tied with Blue Bloods on CBS at 10pm. The show is a fairly consistent performer for the network and continues to outperform many of NBC’s scripted shows.

Reference point: The Friday episodes of the 2010-11 season averaged a 1.4 rating in the 18-49 demographic and 6.08 million viewers.

Note: These ratings are collected by the Nielsen company and are the final national numbers. These are different from the fast affiliate numbers which are just estimates of the actual ratings and are reported on by most other outlets. The final nationals are typically released within 24 hours of the programming or, in the case of weekends and holidays, a couple days later.

What do you think? Do you like the Dateline TV series? Do you think it should be cancelled or be renewed for a 21st season?

Image courtesy NBC.