RATINGS: 20/20 Delivers Longest Winning Streak Over NBC In 10 Years

From 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "20/20" rose for the 2nd straight week with Total Viewers (+26% - 4.9 million vs. 3.9 million), Adults 18-49 (+14% - 0.8/4 vs. 0.7/4) and Adults 25-54 (+9% - 1.2/5 vs. 1.1/4), attracting its 2nd largest audience this season and tying its season highs with key Adults (AD18-49/AD25-54). "20/20" presented a 2-hour documentary on Diane Downs, a mother who shot her three young children possibly due to her infatuation with a married man.

ABC's "20/20" delivered its 12th week in a row as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine (leading on each telecast in its new 2-hour format). The ABC newsmagazine dominated NBC's "Dateline" (10:00-11:00 p.m.) by strong double-digit margins in Total Viewers (+36% - 4.9 million vs. 3.6 million), Adults 18-49 (+40% - 0.8/4 vs. 0.5/3) and Adults 25-54 (+50% - 1.2/5 vs. 0.8/3). In fact, "20/20" drew a larger overall audience than "Dateline" for their 11th straight matchup on the night, maintaining its longest winning streak over the NBC newsmagazine in 10 years - since a streak in January-April 2009 (1/2-4/10/09).

Season to date, "20/20" is up from the same point last year with Total Viewers (+25% - 5.0 million vs. 4.0 million), Adults 18-49 (+13% - 0.9/4 vs. 0.8/4) and Adults 25-54 (+18% - 1.3/5 vs. 1.1/4), standing as Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine in all three measures.

In addition, "20/20" leads "Dateline-Fri" in all key target demos: Total Viewers (+11% - 5.0 million vs. 4.5 million), Adults 18-49 (+13% - 0.9/4 vs. 0.8/4) and Adults 25-54 (+8% - 1.3/5 vs. 1.2/5), leading the NBC newsmagazine in Total Viewers for the first time at this point of the season in 3 years and in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54 in 5 years - since the 2015-2016 and the 2013-2014 seasons, respectively.

The special on Diane Downs is part of "20/20" two-hour documentary programming featuring brand-new interviews with key players in some of the biggest newsmaker stories in recent American history. The original eight-week two-hour programming lineup has been extended to 15 weeks and will run through April 12. Since the two-hour documentaries premiered on Jan. 4, "20/20" has been Friday's No. 1 newsmagazine each week in all key demos: Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54.

Source: The Nielsen Company, National Live + Same Day Program Ratings for 3/22/19. Season to date: Most Current: 2018 -2019 Season (9/24/18 - 3/24/19) and 2017-2018 Season (9/25/18 - 3/25/18). Averages based on regular telecasts.

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