ABC Wins 3rd Straight Thursday in AD18-49/Grey's is #1 TV Show

Some early points on ABC's Thursday, ahead of the regular press release.

ABC won its 3rd straight Thursday in Adults 18-49 (3.4/9), leading second place Fox by 10% (3.1/8), third-place CBS by 21% (2.8/8) and fourth-place NBC by 55% (2.2/6). ABC marked its most-watched (9.8 million) non-sports Thursday in 2 months � since 11/19/09.

The series debut of The Deep End boosted ABC's 8 o'clock numbers week to week by 1.7 million viewers (7.1 million vs. 5.4 million) and by 29% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.4/4), delivering the Net's strongest results with regular programming in the hour since the beginning of December � since 12/3/09.

Thursday's #1 TV show for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49, ABC's Grey's Anatomy (4.6/12) dominated its time slot and stood as the top-rated series on the night for its 11th consecutive original airing this season. Winning the 9 o'clock hour by wide margins over all original competition, Grey's (4.6/12) outdelivered NBC's The Office/30 Rock combo by 44% (3.2/8), CBS' CSI by 48% (3.1/8) and Fox's Fringe by 77% (2.6/7). Grey's was also once again Thursday's #1 show in Adults 18-34 (4.6/12).

Finishing #1 in the 10 o'clock hour for the 2nd straight Thursday, ABC's Private Practice beat out second-place CBS' original The Mentalist by 16% in Adults 18-49 (3.6/10 vs. 3.1/8). The ABC sophomore drama led the hour by an even wider margin of 70% in Adults 18-34 and beat the combined delivery of CBS and NBC in the slot for the 2nd week in a row (3.4/10 vs. 3.2/9 � CBS and NBC combined). In fact Private Practice registered as TV's #1 series telecast in its time slot with Adults 18-34 for its 11th straight original airing this season.

Quick Take for Thursday, January 21, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Leads its 3rd Straight Thursday in Adults 18-49 and Generates Its Biggest Overall Non-Sports Audience on the Night in 2 Months

"The Deep End" Boosts ABC's 8pm Numbers Week to Week by Wide Margins, with Net's Top Time-Slot Results with Regular Programming Since the Start of December

Overshadowing its 9pm Competition in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" Registers as Thursday's No. 1 TV Series for the 11th Straight Original Telecast

Finishing No. 1 in the 10pm Hour for the 2nd Week in a Row, ABC's "Private Practice" Dominates its Time Slot Among Young Adults

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

ABC won its 3rd straight Thursday in Adults 18-49 (3.4/9), leading second-place Fox by 10% (3.1/8), third-place CBS by 21% (2.8/8) and fourth-place NBC by 55% (2.2/6).

� ABC marked its most-watched (9.8 million) non-sports Thursday in 2 months � since 11/19/09.

"The Deep End" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

The series debut of "The Deep End" boosted ABC's 8 o'clock numbers week to week by 1.7 million viewers (7.1 million vs. 5.4 million) and by 29% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.4/4), delivering the Net's strongest results with regular programming in the hour since the beginning of December � since 12/3/09.

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Thursday's No. 1 TV show for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" (4.6/12) dominated its time slot and stood as the top-rated series on the night for its 11th consecutive original airing this season. Winning the 9 o'clock hour by wide margins over all-original competition, Grey's (4.6/12) outdelivered NBC's "The Office"/"30 Rock" combo by 44% (3.2/8), CBS' "CSI" by 48% (3.1/8) and Fox's "Fringe" by 77% (2.6/7). "Grey's" was also once again Thursday's No. 1 show in Adults 18-34 (4.6/12).

"Private Practice" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Finishing No. 1 in the 10 o'clock hour for the 2nd straight Thursday, ABC's "Private Practice" beat out second-place CBS' original "The Mentalist" by 16% in Adults 18-49 (3.6/10 vs. 3.1/8). The ABC sophomore drama led the hour by an even wider margin of 70% in Adults 18-34 and beat the combined delivery of CBS and NBC in the slot for the 2nd week in a row (3.4/10 vs. 3.2/9 � CBS and NBC combined). In fact "Private Practice" registered as TV's No. 1 series telecast in its time slot with Adults 18-34 for its 11th straight original airing this season.

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 34% currently, from 29% 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: The Nielsen Company (Fast Affiliate, Live + Same Day Ratings), 1/21/10.