Hitting New Replay Highs, ABC's "Modern Family" is Wednesday's #1 Scripted TV Show

Some early info on ABC's Wednesday, ahead of the regular press release:

ABC's Wednesday line up, featuring a mix of 3 repeat and 2 original programs, was up week to week in Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+5%).

· The Net also grew its overall audience by 5% from the same night last year (2/3/10), which included nearly all original programming (1 repeat).

At 8pm for the 2nd week in a row, a repeat of ABC's The Middle defeated its original non-Idol competition in viewers and young adults, leading NBC's first-run Minute to Win It and CBS' first-run Live to Dance.

· The Middle matched its most-watched-ever repeat telecast on the night.

At 8:30pm, a special repeat of The Middle also finished #2 to Idol in viewers and young adults, against the second half hours of Minute to Win It and Live to Dance.

At 9pm, ABC's repeat Modern Family won its half-hour by 17% in Adults 18-49, dominating Fox's original Idol-fueled Human Target. In fact ABC's encore Modern Family stood as the #1 scripted television program on Wednesday in the key young adult sales demo, finishing as the #2 TV show overall on the night to Idol.

· For the 2nd week running, Modern Family put up the series' best-ever repeat numbers, eclipsing the prior week's results by 26% in Total Viewers and by 35% in Adults 18-49.

At 9:30pm, ABC's Cougar Town took second, defeating Fox's Idol-fueled Human Target by 17% among Adults 18-49. The ABC comedy also ranked #2 in its time period with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· Cougar Town was up sharply over the prior week in Total Viewers (+32%) and Adults 18-49 (+35%), generating the series' most-watched telecast since November - since 11/24/10.

ABC's Off the Map earned second place in the 10 o'clock hour among Adults 18-49 to NBC's veteran L&O: SVU, beating CBS Blue Bloods by 13%.

· Off the Map grew week to week in Total Viewers and key Women (W18-34/W18-49), achieving a new series-high with Women 18-34.

· The new ABC drama improved the hour year to year by wide margins in Total Viewers (+33%) and Adults 18-49 (+29%), over the year-ago night with original drama programming (Ugly Betty).

Quick Take for Wednesday, February 2, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

With Solid Results From its Mix of Repeat and Original Programming, ABC Sees Increases Over the Prior Week

With its Biggest-Ever Repeat Audience on the Evening, ABC's Encore "The Middle" Tops its Non-"Idol" Competition for the Second Straight Week

At 8:30pm, a Special Replay "The Middle" Dominates Original Competition on CBS and NBC in the Half-Hour

"Modern Family" is Up Week to Week, Scoring New Best-Ever Repeat Numbers

"Cougar Town" Draws its Biggest Audience Since November

Opposite CBS' and NBC's Original Dramas at 10 O'clock, ABC's "Off the Map" Generates a Series-High in Women 18-34

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

ABC's Wednesday lineup, featuring a mix of 3 repeat and 2 original programs, was up week to week in Total Viewers (+10% - 6.6 million vs. 6.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+5% - 2.2/6 vs. 2.1/6).

· The Net also grew its overall audience by 5% (6.6 million vs. 6.3 million) from the same night last year (2/3/10), which included nearly all original programming (1 repeat).

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

At 8:00 p.m., for the 2nd week in a row, a repeat of ABC's "The Middle" defeated its original non-"Idol" competition in viewers and young adults, leading NBC's first-run "Minute to Win It" and CBS' first-run "Live to Dance."

· "The Middle" matched its most-watched-ever repeat telecast on the night (6.9 million).

"The Middle-SP" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m., a special repeat of "The Middle" also finished No. 2 to "Idol" in viewers (6.5 million) and young adults (1.8/5), against the second half-hours of "Minute to Win It" and "Live to Dance."

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

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's repeat "Modern Family" won its half-hour by 17% in Adults 18-49 (3.5/9), dominating Fox's original "Idol"-fueled "Human Target" (3.0/8). In fact, ABC's encore "Modern Family" stood as the No. 1 scripted television program on Wednesday in the key young adult sales demo, finishing as the No. 2 TV show overall on the night to "Idol."

· For the 2nd week running, "Modern Family" put up the series' best-ever repeat numbers, eclipsing the prior week's results by 26% in Total Viewers (9.2 million vs. 7.3 million) and by 35% in Adults 18-49 (3.5/9 vs. 2.6/7).

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

At 9:30pm, ABC's "Cougar Town" took second, defeating Fox's "Idol"-fueled "Human Target" by 17% among Adults 18-49 (2.7/7 vs. 2.3/6). The ABC comedy also ranked No. 2 in its time period with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· "Cougar Town" was up sharply over the prior week in Total Viewers (+32% - 6.6 million vs. 5.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+35% - 2.7/7 vs. 2.0/5), generating the series' most-watched telecast since November - since 11/24/10.

"Off the Map" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Off the Map" earned second place in the 10 o'clock hour among Adults 18-49 (1.8/5) to NBC's veteran "Law & Order: SVU," beating CBS' "Blue Bloods" by 13% (1.6/5).

· "Off the Map" grew week to week in Total Viewers and key Women (W18-34/W18-49), achieving a new series-high with Women 18-34 (2.3/7).

· The new ABC drama improved the hour year to year by wide margins in Total Viewers (+33% - 5.3 million vs. 4.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+29% - 1.8/5 vs. 1.4/4), over the year-ago night with original drama programming ("Ugly Betty" on 2/3/10).

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 39% currently, from 35% 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), 2/2/11.