ABC Dominates Thursday as Grey's Finale Topples Competition

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

ABC finished a dominant #1 on the final Thursday of the 2010 May Sweep and 2009-10 TV Season among Adults 18-49 (4.1/12), beating CBS 58% (2.6/8), NBC by 71% (2.4/7) and Fox by 71% (2.4/7). In fact it was ABC's 4th consecutive year to win the final Thursday of the TV Season/May Sweep. The Net also took top honors on the evening with Adults 18-34, Adults 25-54 and across all key Women demos

· ABC built its overall audience on the night for the 5th consecutive week, marking its strongest performance on the night with regular programming in more than 7 months in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - 10/1/09.

Jumping over its lead-in by 231% at 9pm, ABC's season closer of Grey's Anatomy towered over its 2-hour time period and registered as Thursday's definitive #1 TV show in Adults 18-49. From 9-11pm, Grey's overshadowed season finale programming on the other nets among Adults 18-49 (5.3/15), outdelivering CBS by 66% (3.2/9 - CSI/The Mentalist), NBC by 104% (2.6/7 - The Office/30 Rock/Marriage Ref) and Fox by 165% (2.0/6 - Fringe 9-10pm). The ABC medical drama also won its 2-hour time slot among Total Viewers, outdrawing CBS' drama finales (15.0 million vs. 14.6 million - CSI)

· Building sharply throughout its 6th-season finale (+3.8 million viewers and +38% in AD18-49 from start to finish), Grey's Anatomy turned in the series' most-watched telecast in 7 months and highest-rated among Adults 18-49 in 6 months - since 10/22/09 and 11/12/09, respectively.

· Thursday's #1 show for the 2009-10 TV Season in Adults 18-49 (5.1/13), ABC's Grey's Anatomy qualified as the evening's highest-rated series for its 4th straight season.

· Grey's was once again TV's biggest actual gainer for the season via DVR playback, with originals of the series surging by 2.8 million viewers (13.3 million to 16.1 million) and by 1.4 Adult 18-49 rating points (+29% - 4.9 rating to 6.3 rating) from the next-day (Live + Same Day) to the finalized playback numbers (Live + 7 Day).

Quick Take for Thursday, May 20, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Dominating the Final Thursday of the Season and Sweep in Adults 18-49, ABC Marks its Strongest Thursday with Regular Programming in Well Over 7 Months

Thursday's No. 1 TV Show for the 4th Straight Season in Adults 18-49, "Grey's" Finale Towers Over its Slot, Leading CBS by 66%, NBC by 104% and Fox by 165%

On its Sixth-Season Closer, "Grey's" Generates the Series' Biggest Audience in 7 Months and Highest Adult 18-49 Number in 6 Months

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

ABC finished a dominant No. 1 on the final Thursday of the 2010 May Sweep and 2009-10 TV Season among Adults 18-49 (4.1/12), beating CBS by 58% (2.6/8), NBC by 71% (2.4/7) and Fox by 71% (2.4/7). In fact it was ABC's 4th consecutive year to win the final Thursday of the TV Season/May Sweep. The Net also took top honors on the evening with Adults 18-34, Adults 25-54 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· ABC built its overall audience on the night for the 5th consecutive week, marking its strongest Thursday with regular programming in more than 7 months among Total Viewers (11.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.1/12) - since 10/1/09.

"Grey's Anatomy" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

Jumping over its lead-in by 231% at 9:00 p.m., ABC's season closer of "Grey's Anatomy" towered over its 2-hour time period and registered as Thursday's definitive No. 1 TV show in Adults 18-49. From 9:00-11:00 p.m., "Grey's" overshadowed season finale programming on the other nets among Adults 18-49 (5.3/15), outdelivering CBS by 66% (3.2/9 - "CSI"/"The Mentalist"), NBC by 104% (2.6/7 - "The Office"/"30 Rock"/"Marriage Ref") and Fox by 165% (2.0/6 - "Fringe" from 9:00-10:00 p.m.). The ABC medical drama also won its 2-hour time slot among Total Viewers, outdrawing CBS' drama finales (15.0 million vs. 14.6 million - "CSI"/"The Mentalist").

· Building sharply throughout its 6th-season finale (+3.8 million viewers and +38% in AD18-49 from start to finish), "Grey's Anatomy" turned in the series' most-watched telecast in 7 months and highest-rated among Adults 18-49 in 6 months - since 10/22/09 and 11/12/09, respectively.

· Thursday's No. 1 show for the 2009-10 TV Season in Adults 18-49 (5.1/13), ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" qualified as the evening's highest-rated series for its 4th straight season.

· "Grey's" was once again TV's biggest actual gainer for the season via DVR playback, with originals of the series surging by 2.8 million viewers (13.3 million to 16.1 million) and by 1.4 Adult 18-49 rating points (+29% - 4.9 rating to 6.3 rating) from the next-day (Live + Same Day) to the finalized playback numbers (Live + 7 Day).

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), 5/20/10.