ABC Wins 2nd Straight Thursday with its New Summer Schedule

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

Primetime 8-11pm: Growing week to week, ABC's new Thursday lineup won the night for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49 (2.0/7), beating Fox by 18% (1.7/6), CBS by 54% (1.3/4) and NBC by 100% (1.0/3). In fact ABC has finished No. 1 on the evening for the 5th straight week and for the 6th time in the last 7 weeks.

· ABC continued to deliver strong year-to-year improvement on the night, surging over the same night last summer (7/2/09) by 4.4 million viewers (7.0 million vs. 2.6 million) and by 186% in Adults 18-49 (2.0/7 vs. 0.7/3). In fact the Network has been up year-over-year on Thursday for 4 consecutive weeks.

· The Net posted week-to-week gains with its new Thursday schedule, drawing the its highest summertime non-sports summer numbers on the evening in close to 4 years with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 8/17/06 and 8/24/06, respectively.

"Wipeout-THURS" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Wipeout" won its time period for the 2nd week in a row in both Total Viewers (8.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.7/10), standing as Thursday's No. 1 TV program on both Nielsen measures. It was the 2nd week in a row to stand as the top-rated show with young adults, beating Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance."

· Despite declining overall TV usage heading into the 4th of July holiday weekend, "Wipeout was up over its week-ago season premiere in the hour (7.9 million and 2.6/10 on 6/24/10) in both Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, "Wipeout" registered ABC's best non-sports numbers in the hour in more than 8 months - since 10/29/09, respectively.

"Rookie Blue" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Exhibiting strong retention of its week-ago series debut, ABC's freshman series "Rookie Blue" finished in virtual-tie for first place with CBS in the 9 o'clock hour among Total Viewers (6.8 million vs. 6.9 million) and ran a strong second to Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" among Adults 18-49 (1.8/6 vs. 2.0/7). The new ABC drama finished No. 1 in its time slot with Adults 25-54 (2.4/7) and Men 25-54 (2.0/6).

· "Rookie Blue" substantially boosted the hour year to year for ABC in Total Viewers (+4.6 million - 6.8 million vs. 2.2 million) and in Adults 18-49 (+200% - 1.8/6 vs. 0.6/2).

· In addition to holding nearly all of its overall premiere audience in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (94%/95%), "Rookie Blue" was up over its week-earlier debut among AD18-34, W18-34, M18-34 and W18-49.

"Boston Med" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Building on its week-ago season premiere in viewers (+6%) and young adults (+8%), ABC's "Boston Med" placed a strong second at in the 10 o'clock hour with Total Viewers (5.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.4/4). The new show ranked No. 1 in its hour with key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· Versus the year-ago night, "Boston Med" boosted the 10 o'clock hour for ABC by 3.2 million viewers and by 133% in Adults 18-49 (2.2 million and 0.6/2).

Quick Take for Thursday, July 1, 2010 (National Live + Same Day Program Ratings)

ABC Wins its 2nd Straight Thursday in Adults 18-49 with its New Summer Schedule

Up Over its Week-Ago Premiere, ABC's "Wipeout" is Thursday's No. 1 TV Show

Holding Nearly All of its Overall Debut Audience and Continuing to Deliver Huge Year-to-Year Time-Period Improvement, ABC's "Rookie Blue" Grows in Key Demos

"Boston Med" Builds on its Week-Ago Debut in Viewers and Young Adults, While Generating Substantial Gains for ABC in the Hour Over Last Summer

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

Growing week to week, ABC's new Thursday lineup won the night for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49 (2.0/7), beating Fox by 18% (1.7/6), CBS by 54% (1.3/4) and NBC by 100% (1.0/3). In fact ABC has finished No. 1 on the evening for the 5th straight week and for the 6th time in the last 7 weeks.

· ABC continued to deliver strong year-to-year improvement on the night, surging over the same night last summer (7/2/09) by 4.4 million viewers (7.0 million vs. 2.6 million) and by 186% in Adults 18-49 (2.0/7 vs. 0.7/3). In fact the Network has been up year-over-year on Thursday for 4 consecutive weeks.

· The Net posted week-to-week gains with its new Thursday schedule, drawing its highest summertime non-sports numbers on the evening in close to 4 years with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 8/17/06 and 8/24/06, respectively.

"Wipeout-THURS" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Wipeout" won its time period for the 2nd week in a row in both Total Viewers (8.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.7/10), standing as Thursday's No. 1 TV program on both Nielsen measures. It was the 2nd week in a row to stand as the top-rated show with young adults, beating Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance."

· Despite declining overall TV usage heading into the 4th of July holiday weekend, "Wipeout" was up over it's week-ago season premiere in the hour (7.9 million and 2.6/10 on 6/24/10) in both Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, "Wipeout" registered ABC's best non-sports numbers in the hour in more than 8 months - since 10/29/09, respectively.

"Rookie Blue" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Exhibiting strong retention of its week-ago series debut, ABC's freshman series "Rookie Blue" finished in virtual-tie for first place with CBS in the 9 o'clock hour among Total Viewers (6.8 million vs. 6.9 million) and ran a strong second to Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" among Adults 18-49 (1.8/6 vs. 2.0/7). The new ABC drama finished No. 1 in its time slot with Adults 25-54 (2.4/7) and Men 25-54 (2.0/6).

· "Rookie Blue" substantially boosted the hour year to year for ABC in Total Viewers (+4.6 million - 6.8 million vs. 2.2 million) and in Adults 18-49 (+200% - 1.8/6 vs. 0.6/2).

· In addition to holding nearly all of its overall premiere audience in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (94%/95%), "Rookie Blue" was up over its week-earlier debut among AD18-34, W18-34, M18-34 and W18-49.

"Boston Med" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Building on its week-ago season premiere in viewers (+6%) and young adults (+8%), ABC's "Boston Med" placed a strong second at in the 10 o'clock hour with Total Viewers (5.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.4/4). The new show ranked No. 1 in its hour with key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· Versus the year-ago night, "Boston Med" boosted the 10 o'clock hour for ABC by 3.2 million viewers and by 133% in Adults 18-49 (2.2 million and 0.6/2).

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 37% currently, from 32% 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), 7/1/10.