ABC's NY MED Debut Wins Time Slot

Building sharply on its lead-in in Total Viewers (+2.3 million) and Adults 25-54 (+31%), the series debut of ABC's NY MED shot up to rank No. 1 in its 10 o'clock time period. Standing as the most-watched program (5.4 million) at 10:00 p.m., the new ABC series outdrew CBS' "48 Hours Mystery" by 8% (5.0 million) and NBC's "Love in the Wild" by 23% (4.4 million). In addition, "NY Med" (1.7/4) beat its CBS (1.5/4) and NBC (1.6/4) competition in the key news demo by 13% and 6% in the hour, respectively.

"NY Med" greatly improved over original series programming in the time slot on the year-ago night ("Combat Hospital" on 7/12/11) by 46% in Total Viewers, 42% in Adults 25-54 and 50% in Adults 18-49.

What do grandmothers, addicts and celebrities have in common? All of them seek care at Columbia and Weill Cornell Medical Centers the crown jewels of the prestigious New York-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City. For a full year ABC cameras had unprecedented access to document the mayhem and The Miracles that occur daily in these world class facilities. Adding a Brooklyn dimension, Lutheran Medical Center also participated. "NY Med" follows the irascible, compassionate and, at times, cocky attending surgeons who try to change the trajectory of lives by relying on sheer medical brilliance and a healthy dose of old fashioned good luck. The eight-part series takes a candid look at how cutting edge medicine often makes the difference, although even the best surgeons can find themselves flirting with disaster. The raucous ER staff trades jibes with strong-willed New Yorkers in moments that can be poignantly heartbreaking or off-the-hook hilarious. These doctors spend far more time with each other than with their families, developing complicated and intertwined personal relationships. "NY Med" premieres TUESDAY, JULY 10 at 10:00 PM/ET (10:00-11:00 pm) on the ABC Television Network.

“Terry Wrong and his team have brilliantly captured the incredible drama of life and death inside one of the world’s great hospitals. Real and riveting, ‘NY Med’ is sure to enlighten, engage and inspire viewers this summer,” said ABC News President Ben Sherwood.

"Medicine is a universal subject. At some point in our lives we or those we love will become patients for one reason or another," said executive producer Terry Wrong. "This series takes you behind the curtain to learn about those we depend on to fix us and how sometimes they just can’t.”

Some of the doctors of "NY Med" travel difficult and uncertain paths to reach the pinnacle of medical excellence. Dr. Anthony Watkins, an African-American from the Deep South, overcame limited means and an absentee father to become one of the most heralded new talents in transplant surgery. He’s acutely aware of his minority status and feels the burden to be a role model for other young African-Americans.

Among the surgeons of “NY Med” is the well-known Dr. Mehmet Oz who proves that he remains a world-class heart surgeon despite his successful parallel career as a talk show host. He offers his lucky patients a one-stop shop of surgery, lifestyle counseling and compassion.

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