ABC Airs 6 of the Top 20 Broadcast Shows in Key Demos

During the week of February 25, 2013, ABC aired 6 of the Top 20 broadcast shows in Adults 18-49, including the No. 1 broadcast with MODERN FAMILY, which tied Fox's IDOL-WED for the first time ever: Modern Family - No. 1, The Bachelor - No. 7, CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP - No. 16 (premiering at a series-high rating), Castle - No. 17, while Suburgatory and Once Upon a Time tied at No. 20. During the week, ABC outdelivered NBC by strong margins in viewers (+49% - 6.1 million vs. 4.1 million) & A18-49 (+33% - 1.6/5 vs. 1.2/4), leading for the 5th week in a row and 6th time in 7 weeks.

Monday

For the 2nd Monday in a row, ABC ranked No. 1 in both Total Viewers (9.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.7/7). The Net earned its most-watched Monday with regular programming since November (11/19/12) and its 2nd-highest Adult 18-49 number this season.

The Bachelor (8:00-10:01 p.m.)

Nearly tying last week's season highs for its 2nd best numbers this season, The Bachelor made ABC the most-watched network in its 2-hour time period and once again dominated NBC's The Biggest Loser 14 in Total Viewers (+59% - 9.2 million vs. 5.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (+32% - 2.9/8 vs. 2.2/6). Continuing to improve its numbers year to year, The Bachelor grew from the same night last year by 1.1 million viewers and by 12% in Adults 18-49 (8.1 million and 2.6/7 on 2/27/12).

On average The Bachelor is up over last season in both viewers (+2%) and young adults (+3%).

Castle (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's Castle won the 10 o'clock hour for the 2nd straight week in Total Viewers (10.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.3/6), and finished as Monday's most-watched TV show. With the second part of a 2-part episode, Castle marked its most-watched telecast since October (10/29/12) and matched last week's season high in Adults 18-49. The ABC drama was also up over its year-ago telecast (9.1 million and 2.1/6 on 2/27/12) in both Total Viewers (+19%) and Adults 18-49 (+10%). Castle is delivering the series' most-watched season ever.

Tuesday

ABC ranked No. 2 to CBS on Tuesday in viewers (5.8 million) and young adults (1.7/5-tie).

For the 2nd Tuesday in a row, ABC was up over the year-ago night (also an all-original lineup = 5.6 million and 1.6/4) in Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+6%).

CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Opening at series highs against CBS' top-rated NCIS, ABC's season premiere of CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP (2.4/7) led by wide margins in Adults 18-49 over FOX (+60% - RAISING HOPE/RAISING HOPE = 1.5/4) and NBC (+85% - OFF THEIR ROCKERS/OFF THEIR ROCKERS) during the 8 o'clock hour. The ABC unscripted series won The Hour in Women 18-34, beating runner-up NCIS by 9%.

Boosting The Hour week to week in Adults 18-49 (+50%), CELEBRITY WIFE SWAP posted ABC's top series number in the time period in more than 1 year - 2/7/12.

The show grew from last season's Tuesday premiere (on 1/3/12) by 18% in Total Viewers (7.1 million vs. 6.0 million) and by 14% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 2.1/5) to deliver its best numbers ever on both counts.

The Taste (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Moving to its new 9:00 p.m. time period, ABC's The Taste came into The Hour and beat out NBC's comedies (GO ON/THE NEW NORMAL) by 1.2 million viewers (4.1 million vs. 2.9 million) and 27% in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4 vs. 1.1/3).

The Taste improved its new time period by 21% in Total Viewers and by 8% in Adults 18-49 over the Net's averages this season with regular programming (3.4 million and 1.3/3).

Body Of Proof (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

At 10:00 p.m. opposite CBS' series debut of GOLDEN BOY, ABC's Body Of Proof more than doubled the audience of NBC's SMASH (+113% - 6.4 million vs. 3.0 million) and outdelivered the NBC drama by 33% in Adults 18-49 (1.2/3 vs. 0.9/3).

Although facing increased competition from the CBS debut, Body Of Proof retained 100% of its week-ago premiere in Adults 18-49 and was up in Adults 18-34 (+14%) & Women 18-34 (+22%).

Wednesday

ABC's Modern Family finished as Wednesday's No. 1 TV show in Adults 18-49 (3.9/11-tie), tying Fox's American Idol in rating for the first time ever, while holding the advantage in actual number of young adults (5.0 million vs. 4.9 million). The Net was up week to week on Wednesday (+5% - 2.2/6 vs. 2.1/6) to match a 5-week high on the night - since 1/23/13.

The Middle (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

Opposite the opening half-hours of IDOL and CBS' Survivor at 8:00 p.m., ABC's The Middle outdelivered NBC's Whitney by 4.6 million viewers (8.0 million vs. 3.4 million) and nearly a full rating point in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 vs. 1.2/4). The ABC comedy beat out Survivor for the 3rd week in a row in Adults 18-34 (+17%) and Women 18-34 (+21%).

The Neighbors (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Like its lead-in at 8:30 p.m., ABC's The Neighbors dominated its comedy competition, defeating NBC's season finale of Guys With Kids by 3.0 million viewers (6.0 million vs. 3.0 million) and by 55% in Adults 18-49 (1.7/5 vs. 1.1/3).

Modern Family (9:00-9:31 p.m.)

More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+129%), ABC's Modern Family ranked No. 1 in its half-hour (3.9/11-tie) with a 50% advantage over its nearest scripted competition (CBS' Criminal Minds = 2.6/7).

Suburgatory (9:31 -10:00 p.m.)

At 9:30 p.m., ABC's Suburgatory defeated NBC's LAW & ORDER in the half-hour among Total Viewers (+5% - 6.1 million vs. 5.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (+29% - 2.2/6 vs. 1.7/5).

The sophomore ABC sitcom grew week to week in viewers (+7%) and young adults (+10%) to its largest audience since January 9, 2013, and its biggest this season against IDOL. In addition, it hit its best Adult 18-49 number since January 23rd. Improving its slot year to year for the 3rd straight week, Suburgatory drew more viewers for ABC to the half-hour this year (+3%).

Nashville (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Returning after the prior week's preemption for an Oscars special, ABC's Nashville came back to rank as the No. 1 scripted show in the 10 o'clock hour with Adults 18-34 (1.4/4) and, for its 6th straight broadcast, in Women 18-34 (2.1/6).

Jumping 71% over its L+SD rating in the most recent week of L+7 data (w/o 2/4/13), ABC's Nashville stood as the biggest percentage gainer of any freshman series during the week, building to a 2.9 Adult 18-49 rating in the final playback numbers.

Friday

With strong numbers across the night, ABC was Friday's most-watched network (6.2 million) overall and beat its network rivals in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5). Shark Tank was Friday's No. 1 TV show with young adults. In addition, 20/20 stood as Friday's top-rated newsmagazine in Adults 18-49 (tied) and Adults 25-54 (3rd week in a row).

LAST MAN STANDING/MALIBU COUNTRY (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., Last Man Standing spiked 15% over the prior week (1.5/6 vs. 1.3/4) to match its highest rating since November - since 11/30/12. At 8:30 p.m. with strong lead-in retention, Malibu Country surged week to week by 22% in Total Viewers (6.2 million vs. 5.1 million) and by 27% in Adults 18-49 (1.4/5 vs. 1.1/3) to draw its largest overall audience and match its best young adult number since November - since 11/30/12.

Shark Tank (9:00-10:01 p.m.)

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's Shark Tank Built on its lead (+36%) in Adults 18-49 to rank No. 1 in its hour, beating NBC's DATELINE by 27% (1.9/6 vs. 1.5/5). The ABC unscripted series was also the most-watched TV show (6.7 million) in its time period. Continuing to deliver its best season ever, Shark Tank increased over the same night last year by 1.0 million viewers and by 19% in Adults 18-49 (5.7 million and 1.6/5 on 3/2/12).

20/20 (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine, ABC's 20/20 won the 10 o'clock hour by wide margins in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. Head to head from 10:00 - 11:00 p.m., 20/20 once again held strong advantages over NBC's Rock Center with BrIan Williams in Total Viewers (+24% - 5.2 million vs. 4.2 million), Adults 25-54 (+43% - 2.0/5 vs. 1.4/4) and Adults 18-49 (+40% - 1.4/5 vs. 1.0/3). 20/20 reported on South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius and the alleged murder of his model girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp.

Sunday

With AFHV, Once Upon a Time and the debut of RED WIDOW, ABC (7.1 million) earned its biggest Sunday audience with regular programming since early November - since 11/4/12.

America's Funniest Home Videos (7:00-8:00 p.m.)

At 7:00 p.m., ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos won The Hour by 6% over its nearest competition (1.7/5 vs. 1.6/5 for 60 MINUTES) and was up 13% in Adults 18-49 over its most recent telecast two weeks ago.

Once Upon a Time (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Returning after a preemption for THE OSCARS the prior week, Once Upon a Time Built on its lead-in (+29%) to rank as the No. 2 series in the 8 o'clock hour in viewers (7.4 million) and young adults (2.2/6), leading the slot to finish as Sunday's top-rated broadcast series in key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

Red Widow (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

Head to head from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's debut of Red Widow drew 37% more viewers than NBC's CELEBRITY APPRENTICE premiere (7.1 million vs. 5.2 million). Red Widow pulled in ABC's largest series audience in the 2-hour slot since season-premiere Sunday 5 months ago - since 9/30/12.

WEEK NO. 23: ADULTS 18-49 TOTAL VIEWERS

No.1 FOX 2.2 No.1 CBS 9,110,000

No.2 CBS 1.9 No.2 FOX 6,610,000

No.3 ABC 1.6 No.3 ABC 6,050,000

No.4 NBC 1.2 No.4 NBC 4,120,000

No.5 CW 0.5 No.5 CW 1,240,000

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