ABC Grows Year-to-Year in Viewers for 9th Consecutive Week

During the week of 7/12/10, ABC's primetime numbers built on the previous week's performance for the 2nd week in a row in Total Viewers (5.0 million vs. 4.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.5/5 vs. 1.4/4). Additionally, the Net was up over the same week last year (w/o 7/13/09) by 19% in Total Viewers (5.0 million vs. 4.2 million) and 15% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5 vs. 1.3/4). In fact the Network turned in its 9th consecutive week of year-to year gains with both viewers and young adults. ABC finished No. 2 for the week in Adults 18-49, while ranking No. 1 among Women 18-49 (1.8/6-tie) and Women 25-54 (2.2/6-tie).

· Compared to the same point last year, ABC's summer results are up by 24% in Total Viewers (6.2 million vs. 5.0 million) and by 18% in Adults 18-49 (2.0/7 vs. 1.7/5). In fact ABC is generating its most-watched summer in 9 years - since 2001.

Rankings: ABC owned 3 of the week's Top 15 primetime TV programs in Adults 18-49: "The Bachelorette" - No. 5, "Wipeout-TUES" - No. 8 and "Wipeout-THURS" - No. 11. The Net also claimed 4 of the Top 20 most-watched shows of the week: "The Bachelorette" - No. 5, "Wipeout-THURS" - No. 10, "Wipeout-TUES" - No. 12 and "20/20" - No. 19. ABC's "The Bachelorette" stood as the week's No. 1 show with Women 18-49 and Women 25-54 for the 3rd week running. ABC News' held the Top 2 newsmagazines of the week with Friday's "Primetime: What Would You Do?" and "20/20" in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. In fact among Adults 18-49, ABC News delivered TV's highest-rated newsmagazine for the 5th week in a row and for the 6th time in the last 7 weeks.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 37% currently, from 32% at the same point in 2009. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Monday

ABC stood as the most-watched network overall for the 4th straight week and ranked No. 1 in Adults 18-49 for the 6th Monday in a row. The Network topped its nearest broadcast competition (CBS) by 27% in Total Viewers (8.1 million vs. 6.4 million) and by 44% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/8 vs. 1.8/5).

· Building its overall Monday audience year to year for the 7th week running, ABC was up from the same night last year in viewers and young adults (6.9 million and 2.4/7 on 7/13/09).

"The Bachelorette" (8:00-10:02 p.m.)

ABC's "The Bachelorette" ranked a strong No. 1 in its time period for the 6th week running, beating its closest Network competition (CBS) in the time period by 3.3 million viewers (9.6 million vs. 6.3 million) and by 55% in Adults 18-49 (3.1/9 vs. 2.0/6). The veteran ABC unscripted series won all 4 of its half-hours in viewers and young adults.

· "The Bachelorette" registered as Monday's No. 1 TV show in Adults 18-49 for the 5th week in a row, and for the 7th consecutive week stood the evening's dominant No. 1 television program across all key Women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· On average, "The Bachelorette" is up over its performance at the same point last year by 1.5 million (9.4 million vs. 7.9 million) viewers and by 11% in Adults 18-49 (3.1/9 vs. 2.8/8).

"True Beauty" (10:02-11:00 p.m.)

Against its CBS and NBC competition, ABC's "True Beauty" led the 10 o'clock hour among Adults 18-49 (1.6/5), while taking the top spot for the 5th week in a row with key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

· On average, "True Beauty" is improving its time period this summer for ABC by 11% in Total Viewers (5.2 million vs. 4.7 million) over the same point last year.

Tuesday

Despite airing opposite Fox's coverage of the "2010 MLB All-Star Game," ABC's Tuesday lineup held 100% retention week to week among Adults 18-49 (1.8/5), while building on its week-ago performance across all key Women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· ABC was up over the same night last year (7/14/09) by 1.3 million viewers (5.3 million vs. 4.0 million) and by 38% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.3/4).

"Wipeout-TUES" (8:00-9:01 p.m.)

Opposite the All-Star Game, ABC's "Wipeout" scored the series' best-ever repeat numbers in both Total Viewers (7.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.7/9). "Wipeout" finished second to Fox in the hour in the key young adult demo, while ranking No. 1 among Women 18-49 (3.1/10) and Women 25-54 (3.5/10).

"Downfall" (9:01-10:01 p.m.)

Against well-established competition in the hour on NBC ("America's Got Talent") and CBS ("NCIS: Los Angeles"), as well as Fox's coverage of the All-Star Game, "Downfall" was up over the previous week in both Total Viewers (3.7 million vs. 3.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.3/4 vs. 1.2/3).

· "Downfall" improved ABC's deliveries on the same night last year by 1.4 million viewers and by 44% in Adults 18-49 (2.3 million and 0.9/3).

"Primetime: Family Secrets" (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

In the 10 o'clock hour, ABC News' "Primetime: Family Secrets" improved on its week-ago season premiere by 18% in Total Viewers (4.5 vs. 3.8 million) and 8% in Adults 18-49 (1.3/4 vs. 1.2/4).

Thursday

ABC's summer Thursday lineup ranked No. 1 on the night against its broadcast rivals in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6), defeating CBS by 6% (1.7/6), Fox by 13% (1.6/5) and NBC by 80% (1.0/5).

· Registering strong year-to-year improvement on Thursday, ABC increased its performance from the same night last summer (7/16/09) by 3.0 Total Viewers (6.3 million vs. 3.3 million) and by 100% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6 vs. 0.9/3). In fact the Network saw its 6th consecutive Thursday of year-to-year primetime gains.

"Wipeout-THURS" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Wipeout" won the 8 o'clock hour in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, beating its unscripted competition in the time period, CBS' "Big Brother 12," by 10% in viewers (7.8 million vs. 7.1 million) and by 4% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/9 vs. 2.4/9). In fact, with "Wipeout," ABC topped the Thursday edition of CBS' "Big Brother" among Adults 18-49 for the first time in nearly 10 years - since 8/17/00. In addition, the ABC unscripted series also held the No. 1 position in the hour for the 4th straight week in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 (3.0/10) and key Men (M18-49/M25-54).

· "Wipeout" qualified as Thursday's No. 1 program in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

"Rookie Blue" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

TV's No. 1 new series of the summer, ABC's "Rookie Blue" ran a strong second at 9:00 p.m. among the broadcast networks in Total Viewers (6.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.7/6).

· "Rookie Blue" continued to register big year-to-year increases for ABC in the hour, more than doubling the Net's performance among Total Viewers (+3.7 million - 6.4 million vs. 2.7 million) and in Adults 18-49 (+113% - 1.7/6 vs. 0.8/3) over its performance on the year-ago night.

"Boston Med" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC News' "Boston Med" took second place in the 10 o'clock hour against its CBS and NBC competition with Total Viewers (4.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.3/4).

· Versus the year-ago night, "Boston Med" boosted the 10 o'clock hour for ABC by 1.8 million viewers and by 44% in Adults 18-49 (2.9 million and 0.9/3).

Friday

For the 2nd week in a row, ABC ranked No. 1 against its network rivals on Friday in Adults 18-49 (1.3/5), defeating CBS, NBC and Fox by 44% (0.9/4-tie). In addition, ABC won the night among Total Viewers (5.3 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.7/6).

"Primetime: What Would You Do?" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Building sharply on its lead-in (+2.1 mil/+50% in AD18-49), ABC News' "Primetime: What Would You Do?" topped the 9 o'clock hour in Total Viewers (5.6 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.9/6).

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

ABC News' "20/20" ranked No. 1 in the 10 o'clock hour in Total Viewers (6.8 million), Adults 18-49 (1.5/5) and Adults 25-54 (2.1/6), turning in the newsmagazine's best performance of the summer in all three Nielsen measures. "20/20" featured Jim Avila's exclusive report on Linda Dolloff, a yoga instructor charged with staging a home invasion and beat her husband to near death.

· "20/20" stood as Friday's No. 1 program in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54, qualifying as the night's top program in the key Adults 25-54 news demo for the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks.

Sunday

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

ABC's repeat telecast of "America's Funniest Home Videos" hit summer highs in both Total Viewers (5.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.5/6) for the 2nd week in a row. In addition, the video-clip show topped the 7 o'clock hour in the key young adult demographic for the 3rd consecutive week.

· With the replay "AFV," ABC was up in the hour over the year-ago night by 14% in Total Viewers (5.7 million vs. 5.0 million) and by 15% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/6 vs. 1.3/5).

Source: The Nielsen Company (National Live+Same Day Program Ratings), week of 7/12/10, unless stated otherwise. Summer = 5/31-7/18/10 vs. 5/25-7/19/09.

 

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