ABC's Tuesday Ratings Grow

With its Tuesday line-up of DWTS the Results Show, Lost and V, ABC continued to deliver strong year-to-year improvement, as the Net was up over the same Tuesday last year for the 6th time in 7 weeks. ABC's numbers grew substantially over the same Tuesday a year ago (5/12/09), also a night of all-original programming, jumping by 1.8 million viewers (9.5 million vs. 7.7 million) and by 58% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/8 vs. 1.9/5). ABC was also up week-to-week for the 2nd Tuesday in a row with viewers and young adults, tying its top Adult 18-49 number in 6 weeks - since 3/30/10.

DWTS the Results Show (8-9pm)

Once again boosting its new earlier 8 o'clock time slot for ABC against Fox's American Idol, ABC's DWTS the Results Show outdrew NBC's time-period veteran The Biggest Loser by 4.9 million viewers (12.4 million vs. 7.5 million). Actress Niecy Nash was the 7th celebrity dancer to leave the competition this season. Among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, DWTS the Results Show continues to deliver ABC's best numbers in the time period against American Idol in 7 years - since 2003. The ABC dancing results show was up week to week in viewers and young adults, pulling its highest Adult 18-49 number in 4 weeks - since 4/13/10.

Lost (9-10pm)

Opposite stiff all-original demographic competition at 9pm on Fox (Idol-fueled Glee), NBC (second hour of a 2-hour The Biggest Loser) and CBS (NCIS: LA), ABC's Lost built on its lead-in by 60% in Adults 18-49 (4.0/10). Finishing #2 in Adults 18-49, Lost outperformed The Biggest Loser by 11% (3.6/9) and NCIS: LA by 21% (3.3/8) in the hour. Topping Glee for the 2nd straight week, Lost ranked #1 in the hour and as the top-rated scripted show of the night in key Men (M18-34/M18-49). Building its overall audience for its 3rd straight original broadcast, Lost generated its most-watched telecast since the beginning of February (3rd largest audience this season) and equaled its top Adult 18-49 number since March - since 2/9 and 3/30/10, respectively.

V (10-11pm)

Posting its best numbers with Men in 5 weeks, ABC's V won the 10 o'clock hour across all key Men demographics (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54). In fact V has finished #1 against its CBS and NBC drama competition in the hour with Men 18-49 for the 7 weeks running. V continued to produce strong time year-to-year time period improvement for ABC. Compared to the year-ago night with original drama programming, V boosted the hour by 60% (2.4/6 vs. 1.5/4) and once again made ABC the only network to grow in the 10pm hour year to year. CBS (-11%) and NBC (-52%) were both down in the hour from the year-ago night. V was up for the 2nd week in a row with viewers and young adults, while posting its highest ratings across the key Men demos since the beginning of April - since 4/6/10.

Quick Take for Tuesday, May 11, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is Up on Tuesday Year to Year for the 6th Time in 7 Weeks, While Posting its Highest Adult 18-49 Rating on the Night in 6 Weeks

"DWTS the Results Show" Marks its Best Adult 18-49 Number in 4 Weeks

Continuing to Grow, "Lost" Draws its Biggest Audience in 3 Months

"V" Wins the 10pm Hour in Key Men with its Best Results in 5 Weeks, and Once Again Makes ABC the Only Major Net Up Year to Year in the Slot in Adults 18-49

Tuesday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

With its Tuesday lineup of "DWTS the Results Show," "Lost" and "V," ABC continued to deliver strong year-to-year improvement, as the Net was up over the same Tuesday last year for the 6th time in 7 weeks. ABC's numbers grew substantially over the same Tuesday a year ago (5/12/09), also a night of all-original programming, jumping by 1.8 million viewers (9.5 million vs. 7.7 million) and by 58% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/8 vs. 1.9/5).

· ABC was also up week to week for the 2nd Tuesday in a row with viewers and young adults, tying its top Adult 18-49 number in 6 weeks - since 3/30/10.

"DWTS the Results Show" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Once again boosting its new earlier 8 o'clock time slot for ABC against Fox's "American Idol," ABC's "DWTS the Results Show" outdrew NBC's time-period veteran, "The Biggest Loser," by 4.9 million viewers (12.4 million vs. 7.5 million). Actress Niecy Nash was the 7th celebrity dancer to leave the competition this season. Among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, "DWTS the Results Show" continues to deliver ABC's best numbers in the time period against American Idol in 7 years - since 2003.

· The ABC dancing results show was up week to week in viewers and young adults, pulling its highest Adult 18-49 number (2.5/7) in 4 weeks - since 4/13/10.

"Lost" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Opposite stiff all-original demographic competition at 9:00 p.m. on Fox (Idol-fueled "Glee"), NBC (second hour of a 2-hour "The Biggest Loser") and CBS ("NCIS: LA"), ABC's "Lost" built on its lead-in by 60% in Adults 18-49 (4.0/10). Finishing a strong No. 2 in Adults 18-49 to "Glee," "Lost" outperformed "The Biggest Loser" by 11% (3.6/9) and "NCIS: LA" by 21% (3.3/8) in the hour. Topping "Glee" for the 2nd straight week, Lost ranked No. 1 in the hour and as the top-rated scripted show of the night in key Men (M18-34/M18-49).

· Building its overall audience for its 3rd straight original broadcast, "Lost" generated its most-watched telecast (10.2 million) since the beginning of February (3rd largest audience this season) and equaled its top Adult 18-49 number (4.0/10) since March - since 2/9 and 3/30/10, respectively.

"V-TUE" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Posting its best numbers with Men in 5 weeks, ABC's "V" won the 10 o'clock hour across all key Men demographics (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54). In fact "V" has finished No. 1 against its CBS ("The Good Wife") and NBC ("Parenthood") drama competition in the hour with Men 18-49 for 7 weeks running.

· "V" continued to produce strong year-to-year time-period improvement for ABC. Compared to the year-ago night with original drama programming ("Cupid"), "V" boosted the hour by 60% (2.4/6 vs. 1.5/4) and once again made ABC the only network to grow in the 10:00 p.m. hour year to year. CBS (-11%) and NBC (-52%) were both down in the hour from the year-ago night.

· "V" was up for the 2nd week in a row with viewers (+11% - 6.0 million vs. 5.4 million) and young adults (+14% - 2.4/6 vs. 2.1/6), while posting its highest ratings across the key Men demos since the beginning of April - since 4/6/10.

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), 5/11/10.

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