ABC is Monday's Non-Sports Leader - The Bachelor Stands as the #1 TV Series in AD18-49

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

Up against the highly-rated BCS National Title college football game on ESPN, ABC was the clear non-sports winner on Monday night, beating its nearest competition (CBS) by 1.0 million viewers and 30% in Adults 18-49.

From 8-10pm The Bachelor defeated its regular competition in the time period with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, standing as Monday's #1 TV series in the key young adult sales demo. The veteran ABC unscripted program also finished as the evening's highest-rated series with Adults 18-34 and all key Women demos (W18-34/W218-49/W25-54)�the night's #1 TV show for the 2nd week in a row with Women 18-34. The Bachelor was up over its week-ago season premiere among its core audience of Women 18-34 (+3%).

Building on its lead-in by 10% among Viewers, ABC's Castle took top honors against its regular competition in the 10 o'clock hour, outpacing runner-up CBS by 2.6 million viewers and by 40% in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Monday, January 10, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is the Clear Non-Sports Winner on Monday, Outpacing its Nearest Competition by 1.0 Million Viewers and by 30% in Adults 18-49

ABC's "The Bachelor" Stands as Monday's No. 1 TV Series in Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and Across All Key Women Demographics

Up Against the BCS Championships, "The Bachelor" Retains 97% of its Week-Ago Premiere in Adults 18-49, While Building on its Core Women 18-34 Audience

Building 10% on its Lead-in with Viewers, "Castle" is the Top Series In the 10pm Hour in Total Viewers and Young Adults

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

Up against the highly-rated BCS National Title college football game on ESPN, ABC was the clear non-sports winner on Monday night, beating its nearest competition (CBS) by 1.0 million viewers (8.7 million vs. 7.7 million) and 30% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/6 vs. 2.0/5).

"The Bachelor" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

From 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "The Bachelor" defeated its regular competition in the time period with Total Viewers (8.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/7), standing as Monday's No. 1 TV series in the key young adult sales demo. The veteran ABC unscripted program also finished as the evening's highest-rated series with Adults 18-34 and all key Women demos (W18-34/W218-49/W25-54)�the night's No. 1 TV show for the 2nd week in a row with Women 18-34.

· Despite facing the demographic draw of the football game on ESPN, "The Bachelor" retained nearly all of its week-ago season premiere Adult 18-49 audience (97% - 2.8/7 vs. 2.9/7), and was up over its season opener among its core audience of Women 18-34 (+3% - 3.8/10 vs. 3.7/10).

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead-in by 10% among Viewers, ABC's "Castle" took top honors against its regular competition in the 10 o'clock hour, outpacing runner-up CBS by 2.6 million viewers (9.2 million vs. 6.6 million) and by 40% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/5 vs. 1.5/4).

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 2010. 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), 1/10/11.