ABC Hits Wednesday Highs with its Best Results in 11 Months

ABC finished a solid second on Wednesday night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, while winning the night in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. Posting strong year-over-year gains in viewers (+38%) and young adults (+33%), ABC grew over the year-ago Wednesday for the 5th straight week. The Net tallied its top Wednesday this season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (tie), posting its best performance on the evening in 11 months - since 12/9/09.

ABC's 8-10pm comedy block continued to build year to year, surging by 2.6 million viewers and by 38% in Adults 18-49 from the same night a year ago.

Hitting season-highs for the 2nd week in a row, ABC's The Middle continued to run a competitive second at 8pm to CBS' Survivor: Nicaragua among viewers and young adults, holding wide advantages over programming on NBC and Fox. The Middle won its slot for the 2nd straight week with Women 18-34, beating out Survivor by 17%. In addition, the ABC sophomore rose sharply from its year-ago performance (when it aired at 8:30pm) and also improved the 8pm half-hour for ABC year to year. The Middle matched its highest-ever numbers in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (tying the previous week), while also hitting series-best numbers with AD25-54 and AD18-34.

Building its overall audience for the 2nd week in a row to deliver its most-watched telecast ever, Better with You earned a solid second place at 8:30pm with viewers and young adults. The ABC freshman comedy once again towered over its freshman competition in the half-hour, topping NBC's Undercovers by 34% in Total Viewers and by a best-ever margin of 92% in Adults 18-49. Better with You improved its half-hour for ABC from the same night last year in both Total Viewers (+32%) and Adults 18-49 (+32%). The new ABC comedy drew its biggest audience yet and tied a series-high in Adults 18-49. Better with You also notched series-highs with other key demos: AD25-54, W18-49, W18-34 and Teens 12-17.

Standing as Wednesday's #1 TV show for the 7th straight week this season, ABC's Modern Family posted a convincing victory in the 9pm half-hour, beating CBS' Criminal Minds by 23%. Modern Family bettered its year-ago performance for the 7th week running this season, jumping over the same night last year by 3.4 million viewers and by 37% in Adults 18-49.

ABC's Cougar Town won its 9:30pm half hour with Adults 18-34 for the 3rd time in 4 telecasts and delivered the #1 position with Women 18-34 for the 5th straight week. Cougar Town was up from its performance on the same night last year by 9% in Total Viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49.

ABC's In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville produced season highs for ABC in Wednesday's 10pm hour with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, drawing the Net's biggest overall audience in the time period since last December (12/9/09). Opposite original drama competition on CBS (The Defenders) and NBC (Law & Order: LA), ABC's Robin Roberts special earned second place in the time period with Adults 18-49 and Women 18-34.

Quick Take for Wednesday, November 3, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Marks its Strongest Wednesday Results in 11 Months

"The Middle" Hits Series Highs in Total Viewers and All Key Adult Demos

"Better with You" Hits Series Highs with Viewers, Young Adults and Teens

"Modern Family" is Wednesday's No. 1 TV Show for the 7th Week Running

Up Year to Year in Viewers and Young Adults, ABC's "Cougar Town" Continues to Win its Time Period with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34

ABC's "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville" Lead-up to Next Week's "CMA Awards" Pulls the Net's Biggest Audience in the Hour Since December

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

ABC finished a solid second on Wednesday night in Total Viewers (8.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/8), while winning the night in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. The Net tallied its top Wednesday this season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (tie), posting its best performance on the evening in 11 months - since 12/9/09.

· Posting strong year-over-year gains in viewers (+38%) and young adults (+33%), ABC grew over the year-ago Wednesday for the 5th straight week (6.0 million and 2.1/6 on 11/4/09).

· ABC's 8:00-10:00 p.m. comedy block continued to build year to year, surging by 2.6 million viewers (9.3 million vs. 6.7 million) and by 38% in Adults 18-49 (3.3/9 vs. 2.4/6) from the same night a year ago.

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

Hitting season highs for the 2nd week in a row, ABC's "The Middle" continued to run a competitive second at 8:00 p.m. to CBS' "Survivor: Nicaragua" among viewers (9.5 million) and young adults (2.9/9), holding wide advantages over programming on NBC and Fox. "The Middle" won its slot for the 2nd straight week with Women 18-34, beating out "Survivor" by 17% (2.8/9 vs. 2.4/8).

· The ABC sophomore rose sharply from its year-ago performance (when it aired at 8:30 p.m. = 6.0 million and 1.9/5) and greatly improved the 8:00 p.m. half-hour for ABC year to year (5.1 million and 1.3/4).

· "The Middle" matched its highest-ever numbers in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (tying the previous week), while also hitting series-best ratings with Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-34.

"Better with You" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Building its overall audience for the 3rd week in a row to deliver its most-watched telecast ever, "Better with You" earned a solid second place at 8:30 p.m. with viewers and young adults. The ABC freshman comedy once again towered over its freshman competition in the half-hour, topping NBC's "Undercovers" by 34% in Total Viewers (7.9 million vs. 5.9 million) and by a best-ever margin of 92% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/7 vs. 1.3/4).

· Like its lead-in, "Better with You" improved its half-hour for ABC from the same night last year in both Total Viewers (+32%) and Adults 18-49 (+32%).

· The new ABC comedy drew its biggest audience yet and tied a series high in Adults 18-49. "Better with You" also notched series highs with other key demos: AD25-54, W18-49, W18-34 and Teens 12-17.

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Standing as Wednesday's No. 1 TV show for the 7th straight week this season, ABC's "Modern Family" posted a convincing victory in the 9:00 p.m. half-hour, beating CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 23% (4.8/13 vs. 3.9/11).

· "Modern Family" bettered its year-ago performance for the 7th week running this season, jumping over the same night last year by 3.4 million viewers and by 37% in Adults 18-49 (8.8 million and 3.5/9).

"Cougar Town" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Cougar Town" won its 9:30 p.m. half-hour with Adults 18-34 for the 3rd time in 4 telecasts and delivered the No. 1 position with Women 18-34 for the 5th straight week.

· "Cougar Town" was up from its performance on the same night last year by 9% in Total Viewers (7.5 million vs. 6.9 million) and by 7% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/8 vs. 2.8/7).

"In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

As a lead-up to next Wednesday's broadcast of the "44th Annual CMA Awards," ABC's "In the Spotlight with Robin Roberts: All Access Nashville" produced season highs for ABC in Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour with Total Viewers (6.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.9/5), drawing the Net's biggest overall audience in the time period since last December (12/9/09).

· Opposite original drama competition on CBS ("The Defenders") and NBC ("Law & Order: LA"), ABC's Robin Roberts special earned second place in the time period with Adults 18-49 and Women 18-34.

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 38% currently, from 33% 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 Ratings), 11/3/10.