THE BACHELOR Season 20 Premiere Ranks as Monday's No. 1 Program

With the Season 20 opener of "The Bachelor" and "The Bachelor Live" premiere, ABC ran in a virtual tie for No. 1 on Monday with CBS' all-original schedule in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6 vs. 1.9/6 for "Supergirl"/"Scorpion"/"NCIS: LA"), while leading by double digits over premiere/debut competition on NBC (+38% - 1.3/4 for "Superstore"/"Telenovela"/"The Biggest Loser") and FOX (+50% - 1.2/4 for "Superhuman"). ABC's "The Bachelor" was Monday's No. 1 TV show with Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and across all key Women. The Net won the night by 70% in Adults 18-34 over its closest competition (1.7/6 vs. 1.0/4 - CBS).

"The Bachelor" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 7.5 million and 2.2/7 in AD18-49):
Ranking No. 1 in each half-hour from 8:00-10:00 p.m., the season opener of "The Bachelor" won its slot by 10% over its closest competition in Adults 18-49 (2.2/7 vs. 2.0/7 - CBS' "Supergirl"/"Scorpion"), with a season high for ABC in the 2-hour time period.

• "The Bachelor" held even with its year-ago opener (on 1/5/15) in Adults 18-49 (2.2/7) while growing with Adults 18-34 (+5%) and Women 18-34 (+7%).

"The Bachelor Live" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.2 million and 1.1/3 in AD18-49):
At 10:00 p.m., ABC's premiere of "The Bachelor Live" outdrew the final hour of NBC's "The Biggest Loser" premiere in Total Viewers (4.2 million vs. 3.8 million) and nearly tied it among Adults 18-49 (1.1/3 vs. 1.2/4). "The Bachelor Live" ranked No. 1 in the hour with Adults 18-34 (1.0/4-tie) and Women 18-34 (1.5/5), scoring season highs for ABC in the slot on both counts.

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

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.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 1/4/16.

Image courtesy of ABC

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