ABC Draws Largest Thursday Audience of the Season

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

ABC took second on Thursday night in Adults 18-49, topping NBC by 4% and Fox by 29%. ABC's line-up of back-to-back holiday specials followed by back-to-back Barbara Walters specials drew the Net's largest audience of the season.

ABC's rebroadcast of Shrek the Halls attracted the Net's second-highest numbers of the season in the half-hour among Adults 18-34 and Kids 2-11, while hitting a season-best performance among Teens 12-17.

ABC's encore of Disney Prep & Landing built on its lead-in by 9% in Total Viewers and by 17% in Adults 18-49. The animated special led its time period and stood as the #1 program among the broadcast networks with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

ABC's A Barbara Walters Special: Oprah, The Next Chapter ranked #1 in the 9 o'clock hour in Total Viewers (tie), Women 18-49 and Women 25-54. The Barbara Walters special with Oprah Winfrey, speaking candidly about the past 25 years of her personal and professional life, attracted the Net's largest audience in the hour in over 2 months - since season premiere Thursday on 9/23/10.

ABC's Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010 built on its lead-in and won the 10 o'clock hour across all key Adult demographics: A18-34/A18-49/A25-54. The ABC News special, highlighting some of the year's most prominent names in entertainment, sports and politics, stood as the #1 program of the night among Women 18-49 and Women 25-54. General David Petraeus was named the most fascinating person of 2010.

Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010 was up over the 2009 edition in both Total Viewers (12.2 million vs. 10.5 million) and in Adults 18-49 (3.2/9 vs. 3.1/9).

Quick Take for Thursday, December 9, 2010 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Tops NBC by 4% and Fox by 29% in Adults 18-49, While Drawing its Largest Thursday Audience of the Season

"Shrek the Halls" Replay Matched ABC's Second-Best Numbers of the Season from 8-830pm in Adults 18-34 and Kids 2-11, While Hitting a Season-High in Teens 12-17

ABC's Encore of "Disney Prep & Landing" Leads its Half-Hour and Stands as Thursday's No. 1 Broadcast Program Among Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11

"A Barbara Walters Special: Oprah, the Next Chapter" is No. 1 At 9pm in Total Viewers, Women 18-49 and Women 25-54

"Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010" Wins its Hour Across All Key Adult Demos and Is Up Year to Year in Viewers and Key Adult Demos

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

ABC took second on Thursday night in Adults 18-49 (2.7/8), topping NBC by 4% (2.6/7) and Fox by 29% (2.1/6). ABC's lineup of back-to-back holiday specials followed by back-to-back Barbara Walters specials drew the Net's largest audience (10.8 million) of the season.

"Shrek the Halls" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

ABC's rebroadcast of "Shrek the Halls" matched the Net's second-highest numbers of the season in the half-hour among Adults 18-34 (1.5/5) and Kids 2-11 (3.0/9), while hitting a season-best performance among Teens 12-17 (1.6/6).

"Disney Prep & Landing" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

ABC's encore of "Disney Prep & Landing" built on its lead-in by 9% in Total Viewers (7.5 million vs. 6.9 million) and by 17% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 vs. 1.8/6). The animated special led its time period and stood as the No. 1 program among the broadcast networks with Teens 12-17 (1.9/6) and Kids 2-11 (4.2/13).

"A Barbara Walters Special: Oprah, the Next Chapter" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

ABC's "A Barbara Walters Special: Oprah, the Next Chapter" ranked No. 1 in the 9 o'clock hour in Total Viewers (13.1 million-tie), Women 18-49 (4.2/11) and Women 25-54 (5.6/13). The Barbara Walters special with Oprah Winfrey, speaking candidly about the past 25 years of her personal and professional life, attracted the Net's largest audience in the hour in over 2 months - since season premiere Thursday on 9/23/10.

"Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010" built on its lead-in and won the 10 o'clock hour across all key Adult demographics: A18-34 - 2.3/7, Adults 18-49 - 3.2/9 and Adults 25-54 - 4.0/10. The ABC News special, highlighting some of the year's most prominent names in entertainment, sports and politics, stood as the No. 1 program of the night in Women 18-49 (4.5/13) and Women 25-54 (5.7/15). General David Petraeus was named the most fascinating person of 2010.

· "Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of 2010" was up over the 2009 edition in Total Viewers (12.2 million vs. 10.5 million), Adults 18-49 (3.2/9 vs. 3.1/9) and Adults 25-54 (4.0/10 vs. 3.9/10).

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 34% 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 Ratings, Live + Same Day Ratings), 12/9/10.