Quick Take for Monday, March 9, 2009 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's Premiere Monday Lineup of "DWTS" and "Castle" Dominates, Producing the Net's Largest Monday Audience in Close to 3 Years

ABC's 8th Season Opener for "Dancing with the Stars" Marks its Most-Watched Premiere Ever and the Net's Largest Audience in the Time Slot Since May 2000

"DWTS" Wins Each of its Half-Hours to Outpace its Closest Competition In the Time Period by 10.8 Million Viewers and by 40% Among Adults 18-49

"Castle" Opens Strong, Greatly Improving its Time Slot for ABC and Generating The Network's Most-Watched 10pm Drama Telecast on the Night in 9 Years

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

With the eighth season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" leading into the series debut of "Castle," ABC stood as the No. 1 TV network on Monday for the 2nd week in a row in Total Viewers (18.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (5.1/13), drawing its largest audience on the night in close to 3 years � since 5/15/06. The Network outperformed second-place Fox on the night by 7.2 million viewers and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (11.7 million & 4.2/11).

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

Despite airing opposite stiff all-original competition in its eighth season premiere, including CBS' 8:00-10:00 p.m. comedy block, NBC's "Heroes" and "Chuck" and Fox's "House" and "24," ABC's broad appealing "Dancing with the Stars" drew an average audience of 22.5 million viewers and a 5.9 rating, 15 share in Adults 18-49 to emerge as Monday's No. 1 TV program in viewers and young adults. In fact, "Dancing with the Stars" won each of its half-hours and soared to the top of its time period, outdrawing second-place Fox by 10.8 million viewers and by 40% in Adults 18-49 (11.7 million & 4.2/11).

� "DWTS" was up over its year-ago season opener by 1.3 million viewers and by 5% in Adults 18-49 (21.2 million & 5.6/15 on 3/17/08). In fact, "Dancing" turned in its most-watched season open ever and second-highest ever in Adults 18-49.

� Excluding only the 2001 Rose Bowl, "Dancing with the Stars" produced ABC's biggest audience in the time slot in nearly 9 years � since 5/1/00. Furthermore, excluding the "Academy Awards," the 8th season premiere represented ABC's most-watched telecast in over 1 year � since 11/27/07.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's series premiere of "Castle" drew 11.6 million viewers and a 3.3 rating, 9 share in Adults 18-49, placing second in the 10 o'clock hour to CBS' veteran "C.S.I.: Miami." The ABC drama outdelivered NBC's "Medium" (7.1 million & 2.5/6) by 4.5 million viewers and by 32% in Adults 18-49.

� Compared to the Net's average in the hour this season with series programming, "Castle" improved the time period for ABC by 2.9 million viewers and by 18% in Adults 18-49 (8.7 million and 2.8/7).

� Among Adults 18-49, "Castle" opened as ABC's highest-rated regular Monday 10:00 p.m. series telecast in almost 16 months � since 11/19/07. In addition, the new ABC program produced ABC's largest audience for any 10 o'clock drama telecast on the night in 9 years � since 3/12/01 with "Gideon's Crossing."

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 30% currently, from 23% at the same point in 2008. 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 Day Ratings), 3/9/09.