Wipeout Special Pulls ABC's Top Summer Slot Numbers in Nearly 2 Years

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

Opposite stiff competition from 8-10pm, from NBC's season opener of America's Got Talent and Fox's season opener of Hell's Kitchen into an original Glee, ABC's 2-hour special preview Wipeout: Blind Date (show's 3rd season premieres in three weeks, on Tuesday 6/22 from 8-9pm) more than doubled the Net's performance in the time period on the year-ago night (6/2/09) with original programming in Total Viewers (+4.3 million - 8.3 million vs. 4.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+150% - 3.0/9 vs. 1.2/4). Although facing substantial competition, the Wipeout special produced ABC's top non-sports summer numbers in the time slot in close to 2 years among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 7/8/08.

From 10-11pm, A Special Edition of 20/20: Superhumans qualified the most-watched TV show, drawing 10% more viewers than NBC's series debut of Losing it with Jillian (7.4 million vs. 6.7 million), despite NBC's decided lead-in advantage coming into the hour from America's Got Talent. 20/20 also finished #1 in the hour across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54) and was the top-rated broadcast with Teens and Kids. The special featured real people with superpowers they've developed by dedicating their lives to the basic human urge to overcome limitations.

· 20/20 significantly boosted the hour for ABC over the year-ago night, with an ABC News Special, by 3.8 million viewers (7.4 million vs. 3.6 million) and by 92% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7 vs. 1.2/3).

Quick Take for Tuesday, June 1, 2010 (National Live + Same Day Program Ratings)

Against Stiff Season-Premiere Competition, ABC's "Wipeout" Special Generates The Net's Top Non-Sport Summer Numbers in the Time Slot in Close to 2 Years

"Wipeout: Blind Date" Marks the ABC Unscripted Series' Top Numbers in 1 Year

"A Special Edition of 20/20: Superhumans" is the No. 1 TV Show at 10pm, Topping NBC's Debut of "Losing it with Jillian" and Posting Big Gains for ABC in the Hour

"Wipeout SP - 6/1" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

Opposite stiff competition from 8:00-10:00 p.m., from NBC's season opener of "America's Got Talent" and Fox's season opener of "Hell's Kitchen" into an original "Glee," ABC's 2-hour special "sneak-peek" preview "Wipeout: Blind Date" (show's 3rd season premieres in three weeks, on Tuesday 6/22 from 8:00-9:00 p.m.) more than doubled the Net's performance in the time period on the year-ago night (6/2/09) with original programming in Total Viewers (+4.3 million - 8.3 million vs. 4.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+150% - 3.0/9 vs. 1.2/4). The broad-appealing ABC unscripted series held the No. 2 position in its 2-hour time period with key Men (M18-49/M25-54) and registered as Tuesday's No. 1 broadcast program with Kids 2-11.

· Although facing substantial competition, the "Wipeout" special produced ABC's top non-sports summer numbers in the time slot in close to 2 years among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 7/8/08.

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, the special marked "Wipeout's" strongest telecast in 1 year - since 6/10/09 and 5/27/09, respectively.

"A Special Edition of 20/20: Superhumans" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., "A Special Edition of 20/20: Superhumans" qualified as the most-watched TV show, drawing 10% more viewers than NBC's series debut of "Losing it with Jillian" (7.4 million vs. 6.7 million), despite NBC's decided lead-in advantage coming into the hour from "America's Got Talent." "20/20" also finished No. 1 in the hour across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54) and was the top-rated broadcast with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11. The special featured real people with superpowers they've developed by dedicating their lives to the basic human urge to overcome limitations.

· "20/20" significantly boosted the hour for ABC over the year-ago night, with an "ABC News Special," by 3.8 million viewers (7.4 million vs. 3.6 million) and by 92% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7 vs. 1.2/3).

· "A Special Edition of 20/20: Superhumans" was the highest-rated telecast for any ABC newsmagazine since November 2009 in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7) and since December 2009 in Adults 25-54 (2.9/8) - since 11/6/09 and 12/29/09, respectively.

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), 6/1/10.