FLASHFORWARD Draws Biggest Audience In 4 Weeks

Growing by double-digits week to week among Total Viewers (12%) and Adults 18-49 (+14%), ABC's FlashForward drew its biggest overall audience in 4 weeks - since 3/25/10.

Surging from its lead-in among viewers (+1.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (+44%) against all original veteran time-slot competition on CBS (CSI), NBC (The Office/30 Rock) and Fox (Fringe), a special 9 o'clock airing of Private Practice made ABC the second-most-watched network in the hour to CBS and #1 in the highly-competitive slot among Women 18-49.

In the 10pm hour, a repeat airing of Grey's Anatomy against originals of CBS' The Mentalist and NBC's Marriage Ref boosted ABC in the hour week to week by +19% in Total Viewers and by +18% in Adults 18-49. In fact the replay Grey's drew a larger overall audience than NBC's original Ref.

Quick Take for Thursday, April 22, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Generating Week-to-Week Gains in Each Hour of the Evening In Viewers and Young Adults, ABC Posts its Best Thursday in 3 Weeks

"FlashForward" Jumps by Double-Digit Percentages Week to Week, Drawing the ABC Freshman Series' Biggest Overall Audience in 4 Weeks

A Special 9pm "Private Practice" is the Second-Most-Watched Show to "CSI" In the Highly-Competitive Time Slot Against Original Established Competition

A Special Repeat "Grey's Anatomy" Boosts the 10pm Hour Week to Week, Attracting a Larger Overall Audience than NBC's Original "Marriage Ref"

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

Posting week-to-week gains in each hour of the evening with "FlashForward," a special 9 o'clock airing of "Private Practice" followed by a special repeat of "Grey's," ABC marked its best Thursday since the beginning of April with viewers (5.8 million) and young adults (1.7/5)  since 4/1/10.

"FlashForward" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Growing by double-digit percentages week to week among Total Viewers (+12% - 5.6 million vs. 5.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+14% - 1.6/5 vs. 1.4/5), ABC's "FlashForward" drew its biggest overall audience in 4 weeks  since 3/25/10.

"Private Practice" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Surging from its lead-in among viewers (+1.8 million  7.4 million vs. 5.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (+44% - 2.3/6 vs. 1.6/5) against all original veteran time-slot competition on CBS ("CSI"), NBC ("The Office"/"30 Rock") and Fox ("Fringe"), a special 9 o'clock airing of "Private Practice" made ABC the second-most-watched network in the hour to CBS and No. 1 in the highly-competitive slot among Women 18-49 (3.5/9).

"Grey's Anatomy" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

A special repeat airing of "Grey's Anatomy" in the 10:00pm hour, against originals of CBS' "The Mentalist" and NBC's "Marriage Ref," boosted ABC in the hour week to week by +19% in Total Viewers (4.4 million vs. 3.7 million) and by +18% in Adults 18-49 (1.3/4 vs. 1.1/3). In fact the replay "Grey's" drew a larger overall audience than NBC's original "Ref."

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: Nielsen Media Research (Fast Affiliate, Live + Same Ratings), 4/22/10.

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