ABC's Tuesday Gains

Some early info on ABC's Tuesday, ahead of the regular press release.

Tuesday Night (8-11pm)

With its Tuesday line-up of DWTS the Results Show, Lost and V, ABC finished #2 on the night to Fox among Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 and key Men (M18-34/M18-49). Growing its overall audience for the 3rd consecutive week, ABC generated its most-watched Tuesday in 7 weeks - since 3/30/10.

DWTS the Results Show (8-9pm)

Continuing to deliver huge improvement for ABC in its new earlier 8 o'clock time period against Fox's American Idol (+5.4 million viewers and +39% in AD18-49 over the same night last year), ABC's DWTS the Results Show outdrew NBC's time-period veteran The Biggest Loser by 6.0 million viewers (13.1 million vs. 7.1 million). NFL star Chad Ochocinco was the 8th celebrity to leave the dance competition this season. Among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, DWTS the Results Show continues to deliver ABC's best numbers in the time period against American Idol in 7 years - since 2003. The ABC dancing results show was up for the 2nd week in a row, drawing its biggest audience in 4 weeks and equaling its best Adult 18-49 number in 5 weeks - since 4/20 and 4/13/10, respectively.

Lost (9-10pm)

Opposite stiff all-original demographic competition at 9pm on Fox (Idol-fueled Glee), NBC (second hour of a 2-hour The Biggest Loser) and CBS (NCIS: LA), ABC's Lost jumped from its lead-in by 64% in Adults 18-49 (4.1/10). Running a strong #2 in Adults 18-49 to Glee coming out of Idol, Lost beat out The Biggest Loser by 17% (3.5/9) and NCIS: LA by 32% (3.1/8) in the hour. Lost ranked as Tuesday's #1 scripted show for the 3rd straight week across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54), and topped Idol as the #1 TV series overall on the night with Men 18-34. Growing its overall audience for its 4th consecutive original airing, the penultimate telecast of Lost generated the series' biggest audience in over 3 months (3rd largest audience this season) and matched its highest Adult 18-49 number in more than 2 months - since 2/9 and 3/9/10, respectively.

V (10-11pm)

On its first-season finale, ABC's V stood as the #1 TV series in the 10 o'clock hour across all key Men demographics (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54). In fact V ranked #1 against its CBS and NBC drama competition in the hour with Men 18-49 for the 8th week in a row. V finished #2 in the hour among young adults (AD18-49/AD18-34). The ABC freshman drama grew its overall audience for the 3rd week in a row. On average during its run in the time period, V improved Tuesday's 10pm hour for ABC over the same nights last year by 13% in Total Viewers and by 53% in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Tuesday, May 18, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Ranks No. 2 to Fox on Tuesday Among Young Adults and Pulls its Largest Overall Audience on the Evening in 7 Weeks

"DWTS the Results Show" is Up with its Biggest Audience in 4 Weeks

Continuing to Grow, "Lost" Marks its Most-Watched Telecast in Over 3 Months

"V" Finishes its Freshman Season at No. 1 Across Key Men, Improving the 10pm Hour for ABC During its Run by 13% in Viewers and 53% in Adults 18-49

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

With its Tuesday lineup of "DWTS the Results Show," "Lost" and "V," ABC finished No. 2 on the night to Fox among Adults 18-49 (3.0/8) and Adults 18-34 (2.4/7) and key Men (M18-34/M18-49).

· Growing its overall audience for the 3rd consecutive week (9.8 million), ABC generated its most-watched Tuesday in 7 weeks - since 3/30/10.

"DWTS the Results Show" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Continuing to deliver huge improvement for ABC in its new earlier 8 o'clock time period against Fox's "American Idol" (+5.4 million viewers and +39% in AD18-49 over the same night last year on 5/19/09), ABC's "DWTS the Results Show" outdrew NBC's time period veteran, "The Biggest Loser," by 6.0 million viewers (13.1 million vs. 7.1 million). NFL star Chad Ochocinco was the 8th celebrity to leave the dance competition this season. Among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, "DWTS the Results Show" continues to deliver ABC's highest numbers in the time period against American Idol in 7 years - since 2003.

· The ABC dancing results show was up for the 2nd week in a row, drawing its biggest audience in 4 weeks and equaling its best Adult 18-49 number in 5 weeks - since 4/20 and 4/13/10, respectively.

"Lost" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Opposite stiff all-original demographic competition at 9:00 p.m. on Fox (Idol-fueled "Glee"), NBC (second hour of a 2-hour "The Biggest Loser") and CBS ("NCIS: LA"), ABC's "Lost" jumped from its lead-in by 64% in Adults 18-49 (4.1/10). Running a strong No 2 in the hour among Adults 18-49 to "Glee" coming out of "Idol," "Lost" beat out "The Biggest Loser" by 17% (3.5/9) and "NCIS: LA" by 32% (3.1/8). "Lost" registered as Tuesday's top scripted show for the 3rd straight week across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54), and topped "Idol" as the No. 1 TV series overall on the night with Men 18-34 (3.6/11 vs. 3.5/12).

· Growing its overall audience for its 4th consecutive original airing, the penultimate telecast of "Lost" generated the series' biggest audience in over 3 months (10.4 million = 3rd largest audience this season) and matched its highest Adult 18-49 number in more than 2 months - since 2/9 and 3/9/10, respectively.

"V-TUE" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

On its first-season finale, ABC's "V" stood as the No. 1 TV series in the 10 o'clock hour across all key Men demographics (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54). In fact "V" ranked No. 1 against its CBS and NBC drama competition in the hour with Men 18-49 for the 8th week in a row. "V" finished No. 2 in the hour among young adults: AD18-49 (2.3/6-tie) and AD18-34 (1.6/5-tie).

· The ABC freshman drama grew its overall audience (5.9 million) for the 3rd week in a row.

· On average during its 8-week run in the time period, "V" improved Tuesday's 10pm hour for ABC over the same nights last year by 13% in Total Viewers (7.0 million vs. 6.2 million) and by 53% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/8 vs. 1.9/5).

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 36% currently, from 31% 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), 5/18/10.