NEW YORK - Nielsen Media Research says the ``Late Show With David Letterman'' beat the ``Tonight Show'' last week - the first time in more than three years.
Letterman scored a weeklong average of 3.46 million viewers, edging out the 3.32 million viewers who watched NBC's ``Tonight Show,'' hosted by Conan O'Brien.
It was Letterman's first win during a full week of all-new broadcasts since December 2005, when Oprah Winfrey was his guest on the CBS late-night show. Letterman was perhaps given a ratings boost from lingering controversy over a wisecrack that targeted the family of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin.
O'Brien took over ``Tonight'' from longtime host Jay Leno earlier this month.
