ABC's '20/20' Is Up to a 5-Month High in Viewers and Posts Season Highs in Key Adults

During the week of July 4, 2016, ABC finished second place in Adults 18-49 (0.8/3) with 6 of the Top 20 TV shows in Adults 18-49: "The $100,000 Pyramid" and "Celebrity Family Feud" tied at No. 7, "Match Game" - No. 13, while "Uncle Buck," "20/20" and "To Tell the Truth" tied at No. 17. In addition, "Celebrity Family Feud" and "The $100,000 Pyramid" each finished among the Top 10 most watched TV shows. ABC's "20/20" was the week's No. 1 newsmagazine for the 3rd consecutive week with key Adults (AD18-49/AD25-54).

Tuesday With repeat comedies from 8:00-9:00 p.m., leading into the season finale of "Uncle Buck" and "To Tell The Truth," ABC finished No. 2 on Tuesday night in Adults 18-49 (0.9/3).

"Uncle Buck" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 3.2 million and 1.0/4 in AD18-49): Spiking 67% over its repeat comedy lead-in among Adults 18-49, the season finale of "Uncle Buck" moved ABC up to second place in the 9:00 p.m. hour behind NBC's "America's Got Talent," beating CBS' "Zoo" by 25% (1.0/4 vs. 0.8/3).

On average during its 4-week run, "Uncle Buck" greatly improved its hour for ABC from the comparable weeks last year with original programming (1st hour of "Extreme Weight Loss"), boosting it by an impressive 81% in Total Viewers (3.8 million vs. 2.1 million) and doubling the slot in Adults 18-49 (+100% - 1.2/4 vs. 0.6/2).

"To Tell The Truth" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.4 million and 1.0/4 in AD18-49):
At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "To Tell The Truth" ranked No. 1 in the hour in Adults 18-49 (1.0/4), tying NBC's "Talent"-driven "Maya & Marty." The ABC game show grew to a 3-week high in Total Viewers (+7% - 4.4 million vs. 4.1 million) and held even with Adults 18-49 (1.0/4).

"To Tell The Truth" grew its hour for ABC from the year-ago night (2nd hour of "Extreme Weight Loss" on 7/7/15 = 2.2 million and 0.6/2) by 100% in Total Viewers and by 67% in Adults 18-49.

Thursday Featuring "BattleBots," "Greatest Hits" and a repeat "Match Game," ABC took second on Thursday night for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49 (0.9/4).

"BattleBots" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 3.4 million and 0.9/4 in AD18-49): From 8:00-9:00 p.m., ABC's "BattleBots" held even in Adults 18-49 (0.9/4) and grew week to week by 17% in Adults 18-34 to a season high. The broad-appealing unscripted show made ABC the No. 1 broadcast net in the hour with Adults 18-34 (tie), Men 18-34, Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11 (tie).

"BattleBots" continued to improve its hour year to year, topping original programming on the same night last year by 13% in Adults 18-49 ("Astronaut Wives Club" on 7/9/15 = 0.8/3).

"Greatest Hits" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 3.5 million and 0.9/4 in AD18-49):
At 9:00 p.m. against CBS' "Big Brother," ABC's "Greatest Hits" ranked second in the hour among Adults 18-49 (0.9/4), tying NBC's "Spartan: Ultimate Team Challenge" and nearly doubling Fox's "Home Free" (+80% = 0.5/2). The new show grew from its debut by 20% in Adults 18-34 and by 60% in Women 18-34.

"Greatest Hits" was also up from original programming in the hour on the year-ago night by 13% in Adults 18-49 ("Mistresses" on 7/9/15 = 0.8/3).

"Match Game-R" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 3.1 million and 0.8/3 in AD18-49):
At 10:00 p.m., a repeat of Sunday's "Match Game" telecast dominated NBC's first-run "Aquarius" by 100% (0.8/3 vs. 0.4/2).

Friday "20/20" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.9 million and 1.0/4 in AD18-49): At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "20/20" posted double-digits gains over the prior week in Total Viewers (+28% - 5.9 million vs. 4.6 million), Adults 18-49 (+11% - 1.0/4 vs. 0.9/4) and Adults 25-54 (+25% - 1.5/5 vs. 1.2/4), drawing its largest audience in 5 months (since 2/12/16) and posting season highs in both Adult demos. "20/20" featured Diane Sawyer's exclusive television interview with Jaycee Dugard five years after their first sit-down, following Jaycee's miraculous rescue from captivity.

"20/20" was Friday's most watched TV show, outdrawing its nearest competition (NBC's "Olympics Trials" at 9:00 p.m.) by 7% in Total Viewers (5.9 million vs. 5.5 million).

Saturday "20/20: In an Instant" (9:00-11:00 p.m. - 3.5 million and 0.6/2 in AD18-49):
ABC's "20/20: In an Instant" grew week to week by 9% in Total Viewers (3.5 million vs. 3.2 million), 20% in Adults 18-49 (0.6/2 vs. 0.5/2) and 29% in Adults 25-54 (0.9/3 vs. 0.7/3) to deliver its 2nd-best numbers this summer.

"In an Instant" was Saturday's most watched TV show (3.5 million), edging out NBC's "Olympics Trial" (3.4 million).

Sunday Opposite an "Olympic Trials"-led NBC, ABC took second place on Sunday in Total Viewers (6.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.2/5). With its Sunday Fun & Games line-up, ABC posted gains over the same night last year (5.2 million and 1.2/4 on 7/12/15) of 17% in Total Viewers and by 8% in Adults 18-49.

"Celebrity Family Feud" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 7.4 million and 1.5/6 in AD18-49):
At 8:00 p.m., "Celebrity Family Feud" was the most watched show in the hour (7.4 million), outdrawing NBC's Olympics coverage by 12% (6.6 million) and CBS' "Big Brother 18" by 30% (5.7 million).

"Celebrity Family Feud" shot up week to week by 17% in Total Viewers (7.4 million vs. 6.3 million) and 36% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/6 vs. 1.1/6) and tied season highs in Teens 12-17 (+20%) and Kids 2-11 (+60%).

"The $100,000 Pyramid" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 7.1 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49):
ABC's "The $100,000 Pyramid" grew over the prior week by 8% in Total Viewers (7.1 million vs. 6.6 million) and 25% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5 vs. 1.2/5).

"Pyramid" was up from original programming in the 9:00 p.m. hour on the year-ago night by 3.0 million Total Viewers and by 25% in Adults 18-49 ("BattleBots" on 7/12/15 = 4.1 million and 1.2/4).

"Match Game" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.7 million and 1.2/5 in AD18-49):
ABC's "Match Game" was up week to week by 9% in Adults 18-49 (1.2/5 vs. 1.1/5) and posted double-digit gains in Adults 18-34 (+17%), Women 18-34 (+33%) and Men 18-34 (+40%).

WEEK NO. 42: ADULTS 18-49 TOTAL VIEWERS
No.1 NBC 1.4 No.1 NBC 5,940,000
No.2 ABC 0.8 No.2 CBS 4,540,000
No.3 CBS 0.8 No.3 ABC 3,810,000
No.4 FOX 0.5 No.4 FOX 1,940,000
No.5 CW 0.2 No.5 CW 830,000

Source: The Nielsen Company, National Live+ Same Day Program Ratings for week of 7/4/16.

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