ABC Wins Tuesday Ratings With 2010 NBA Championship Coverage

Airing Game 3 of the 2010 NBA Finals (Celtics-Lakers), ABC won Tuesday night in Total Viewers (10.8 million) and across all key Adult demos: AD18-34 (4.5/15), AD18-49 (4.4/13) and AD25-54 (4.4/12). ABC outdelivered its nearest competition during primetime by 1.6 million viewers (10.8 million vs. 9.2 million - CBS) and by 13% in Adults 18-49 (4.4/13 vs. 3.9/11 - Fox), snapping Fox's 21-week young adult winning streak on the night. It was ABC's 3rd straight primetime win with coverage of the 2010 NBA Finals.

· Among viewers and young adults, ABC's marked its strongest summer Tuesday performance in almost 2 years - since 6/17/08, with its broadcast of the series-clinching Game 6 of the 2008 NBA Championship Series (Celtics-Lakers).

· The Network posted its second-strongest-ever primetime results with a Game 3 of the NBA Finals in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. ABC began carriage of the NBA Finals starting in 2003.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live Game Night 3" (Various Time Periods)

For the 3rd straight telecast, "JKL Game Night" increased its overall audience year to year. On average, ABC's 2010 "JKL Game Night" specials are up by 9% in Total Viewers (3.7 million vs. 3.3 million), over the first three telecasts last year, drawing its biggest audience in its 3 years on the air. The "Game Night" specials continue to generate broad exposure for "JKL," up by wide margins in viewers (+125%) and young adults (+120%) over its late-night season averages (2009-10 TV Season = 1.6 million and 0.5/3).

"NBA Finals on ABC - GM 3" (9:04 - 11:55 p.m., ET)

The "NBA Finals on ABC - GM 3" topped stiff competition during primetime, including Fox's season finale of "Glee" and NBC's "America's Got Talent," to finish as Tuesday's No. 1 TV program in Total Viewers (16.0 million) and across each of the key adult demographics: A18-34 (7.0/22), A18-49 (6.7/19) and A25-54 (6.6/18). It was the 3rd broadcast in a row for the 2010 NBA Finals to qualify as the evening's highest-rated television program in viewers and key adults. The LA Lakers beat the Boston Celtics by a score of 91-84, to lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

· In viewers and young adults, it was the biggest Game 3 for the NBA Championship Series in 6 years and the second-highest-ever on ABC - since Game 3 of the 2004 series on 6/10/04. In addition, it was the highest-rated-ever Game 3 on ABC among Men 18-34, Men 18-49 and Teens 12-17.

· Based on 3-game averages, the 2010 NBA Championship Series continues to pull the strongest results in 6 years (since 2004), its 2nd-highest-ever numbers on ABC in both Total Viewers (15.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (6.3/18). Compared to the first three games of 2009 (Lakers-Magic), The Finals is building year to year by 1.5 million viewers and by 11% in Adults 18-49 (13.8 million and 5.7/16).

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 36% currently, from 31% 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.

Source: The Nielsen Company (National, Live + Same Day Program Ratings), 6/8/10.

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