ABC Grows Against Game 1 of the World Series

Top line points on ABC's Wednesday numbers ahead of the regular press release.

Prime (8-11pm): Opposite Game 1 of the 2009 World Series, ABC was up week to week (best in 4 weeks) by 14% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/6 vs. 2.2/6) to stand as the #1 non-sports network on Wednesday. In fact, each of ABC's Wednesday series were up week to week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. With Modern Family and Cougar Town, ABC delivered the Top 2 series telecasts on Wednesday across the key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54).

The Middle (8:30pm): Coming out of a replay of It's the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, ABC's The Middle built on its lead-in by 10% (2.2/6 vs. 2.0/6) to finish as the #1 non-sports program in its half-hour. The Middle was up week to week by 10% in Adults 18-49, to post a best-since premiere rating.

Modern Family (9pm): Shooting up from its lead-in by 68% in Adults 18-49, ABC's Modern Family beat out its non-sports competitors at 9pm to qualify as the #1 TV series of the night (3.7/9). Modern Family was up week to week in Adults 18-49 (+9%), hitting its best number in 4 weeks � since 9/30/09. Despite competing against the World Series, Modern achieved series-high numbers in key Men (M18-34/M18-49)

Cougar Town (9:30pm): Like its lead-in, ABC's Cougar Town defeated its non-sports competition at 9:30pm and finished as the #2 TV series on Wednesday in Adults 18-49 (3.2/8). Cougar Town grew its Adult 18-49 numbers week to week (+3%). Cougar Town posted its highest Men 18-34 number since its series debut telecast (on 9/23/09).

Eastwick (10-11pm): ABC's Eastwick continued to beat NBC's Jay Leno in the 10pm hour, leading by 20% this week among Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.5/4). In addition, Eastwick built its Adult 18-49 audience by 13% over the prior week.

Quick Take for Wednesday, October 28, 2009 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

TV's No. 1 Non-Sports Net on Wednesday, ABC Scores its Highest Adult 18-49 Rating on the Night in 4 Weeks, Opposite the World Series

"Modern Family" and "Cougar Town" Are the Night's Top 2 Series in Key Adults

Achieving a Best-Since-Premiere Adult 18-49 Rating, "The Middle" Finishes As the No. 1 Non-Sports Program at 8:30pm in Viewers and Young Adults

Opposite the World Series, "Modern Family" Hits its Top Adult 18-49 Number In 4 Weeks and Marks Series Highs with Adults 18-34, Key Men, Teens and Kids

Building Week to Week Among Viewers and Young Adults, "Cougar Town" Tallies a Best-Since-Premiere Number in Men 18-34

At 10pm, ABC's "Eastwick" Beats "NBC's "Jay Leno" by 20% in Adults 18-49, Growing by 13% Over the Prior Week in the Key Young Adult Sales Demo

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

ABC finished as the No. 1 non-sports network on Wednesday night among Adults 18-49 (2.5/6).

� Despite going up against Game 1 of the 2009 World Series (NY Yankees-Philadelphia Phillies) on the night, ABC posted its highest-rated Wednesday in 4 weeks (since 9/30/09) among Adults 18-49, surging by 14% over the prior week (2.5/6 vs. 2.2/6). In fact each of ABC's Wednesday series increased week to week in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

� With "Modern Family" and "Cougar Town," ABC delivered the Top 2 series telecasts on Wednesday across the key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54).

"The Middle" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in at 8:30 p.m. (a replay of "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown"), ABC's "The Middle" finished as the No. 1 non-sports TV show in its half-hour among Total Viewers (6.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.2/6).

� "The Middle" was up week to week by 10% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 2.0/6), to post a best-since premiere number. The new comedy hit series-highs with Men 18-34, Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Shooting up from its lead-in by 68% in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Modern Family" beat out its non-sports competitors at 9:00pm to qualify as the No. 1 TV series of the night (3.7/9). The ABC series won its hour, beating the World Series, among key Women: W18-49 (4.2/10) and W25-54 (4.8/11).

� "Modern Family" was up week to week in Total Viewers (+6%) Adults 18-49 (+9%), hitting its best young adult number in 4 weeks � since 9/30/09. Although it faced the World Series, the freshman ABC comedy achieved series-high numbers in Adults 18-34, key Men (M18-34/M18-49), Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

� "Modern Family" is exhibiting big increases over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, jumping by 1.2 million viewers and by an additional 7-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

"Cougar Town" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

Following its lead, ABC's "Cougar Town" defeated its non-sports competition at 9:30 p.m. and finished as the No. 2 TV series on Wednesday in Adults 18-49 (3.2/8).

� "Cougar Town" gained week to week in viewers and young adults, while hitting a best-since-premiere number with Men 18-34.

� Like its lead-in, "Cougar Town" is producing gains over its first-reported numbers through DVR playback, increasing by 1.1 million viewers and by an additional 5-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

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

ABC's "Eastwick" continued to beat NBC's "Jay Leno" in the 10 o'clock hour, leading by 20% this week among Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.5/4).

� "Eastwick" built its Adult 18-49 audience by 13% over the prior week (1.8/5 vs. 1.6/4), tallying its best number in 3 weeks.

� "Eastwick" is seeing bumps from the first-reported numbers through DVR playback, surging by 1.0 million viewers and by an additional 4-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point from the initially reported Live + Same Day Numbers to the Live + 7 Day DVR finals.

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 33% currently, from 28% 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), 10/28/09.