ABC's SCANDAL Dominates Time Slot Drama Competition

With a 2nd airing this season of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" leading into "Scandal" and "How to Get Away with Murder" against NFL THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL on CBS, ABC was the clear entertainment choice on Thursday for the 6th-straight week with viewers and young adults. Among Adults 18-49, ABC (1.9/6) outdelivered first-run drama lineups on FOX by 58% (1.2/4) and NBC by 73% (1.1/4). ABC's repeat "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (1.7/6), "Scandal" (2.3/7) and "HTGAWM" (1.8/6) were Thursday's Top 3 entertainment programs in Adults 18-49.

It was ABC's 3rd-straight year to rank as the entertainment leader on the opening night of the November Sweep in Adults 18-49. Please Note: On the year-ago evening, ABC did not air against Thursday Night Football on CBS on the opening night of the sweep.

"It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 6.6 million and 1.7/6 in AD18-49):
From 8:00-9:00 p.m. in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC's 2nd repeat of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" (6.6 million and 1.7/6) beat out originals of Fox's "Bones" (6.4 million and 1.3/5) and NBC's "Heroes Reborn" (3.9 million and 1.0/4).

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 7.8 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49):
Shooting up from its lead-in at 9:00 p.m., "Scandal" (2.3/7) outdelivered NBC's "The Blacklist" by 53% (1.5/5) and Fox's "Sleepy Hollow" by 109% (1.1/3) in Adults 18-49. "Scandal" was also the most watched entertainment program on Thursday (7.8 million).

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.3 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):
At 10:00 p.m., for the 6th week in a row, ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" defeated NBC's "The Player" by strong triple-digit percentages in Adults 18-49 (+157% - 1.8/6 vs. 0.7/2).

A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 48% in U.S. TV Homes. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which are increasingly not reflected in the overnight Live + Same Day numbers. As a result, the Live + 7 Day ratings are the most accurate measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Projections Rationale:
Lifts vs. L+SD are based on 2015-16 season averages for originals (excluding the premiere).
Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).
New Series: Based on similar series.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 10/29/15.

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