ABC Continues to Grow Year to Year on Wednesday Night

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

Up against Fox with a 90-minute Idol leading into the comedy Breaking In, ABC's 3-hour comedy block ranked #2 on Wednesday night in Adults 18-49. ABC was up over the same Wednesday last year in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, building its overall audience year over year for the 16th time in the last 18 weeks.

Opposite the first hour of Fox's American Idol and CBS' Survivor: Redemption Island at 8pm, ABC's The Middle jumped over NBC's original Minute to Win It, more than doubling the NBC game show's numbers in viewers (+126%) and young adults (+125%). The Middle gained 11% week to week in Total Viewers.

Building week to week in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+7%), ABC's freshman Better with You once again outperformed NBC's Minute to Win It by substantial margins at 8:30pm, outrunning the NBC game show by 1.9 million viewers and by a best-ever 100% in Adults 18-49. The new ABC comedy equaled its best Adult 18-34 number in more than 2 months - since 2/16/11.

Up against the third half-hour of Idol at 9pm, ABC's Modern Family qualified as Wednesday's #1 scripted TV show for its 20th consecutive original airing this season. Modern Family grew its overall audience week to week.

Returning to Wednesday's 9:30pm half-hour for the first time in more than 2 months, ABC's Cougar Town finished in a virtual-tie with Fox's Idol-fueled Breaking In among Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point), while ranking #1 in the time period with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. ABC's Cougar Town was up 9% in Adults 18-49 and by 25% Adults 18-34 from its most-recent telecast this past Monday coming out of Dancing with the Stars.

From 10-10:30pm, Week 2 of ABC's Happy Endings finished as the #1 series among Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. Happy Endings generated ABC's 2nd-highest Adult 18-49 number in the half-hour since early February - since 2/9/11.

At 10:30pm, a second episode of Happy Endings beat its network rivals and posted a 13-week high for ABC in the half-hour with Adults 18-34 - since 1/19/11.

Quick Take for Wednesday, April 20, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Grows its Wednesday Audience Year to Year for the 16th Time in 18 Weeks

From 8-9pm, ABC's "The Middle" and "Better with You" Take Full Control Of NBC's Original "Minute to Win It" Among Viewers and Adults 18-49

ABC's "Modern Family" is Wednesday's No. 1 Scripted TV Show in Adults 18-49 for its 20th Consecutive Original

In the 9:30pm Half-Hour, ABC's "Cougar Town" is Up Over its Monday Post- "DWTS" Return and Beats Fox's "Idol"-fueled "Breaking In" Among Adults 18-34

In the 10 O'clock Hour, "Happy Endings" Continues to Generate Strong Improvement for ABC in Key Demos and Outperform its Competitors

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

Up against Fox with a 90-minute "Idol" leading into the comedy "Breaking In," ABC's 3-hour comedy block ranked No. 2 on Wednesday night in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6-tie).

· ABC was up over the same Wednesday last year (4/21/10) in Total Viewers (6.1 million vs. 4.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.6/5), building its overall audience year over year for the 16th time in the last 18 weeks.

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

Opposite the first hour of Fox's "American Idol" and CBS' "Survivor: Redemption Island" at 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" jumped over NBC's original "Minute to Win It," more than doubling the NBC game show's numbers in viewers (+126% - 6.8 million vs. 3.0 million) and young adults (+125% - 1.8/6 vs. 0.8/2).

· "The Middle" surged 11% week to week in Total Viewers (6.8 million vs. 6.1 million).

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

Building week to week in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+7%), ABC's freshman "Better with You" once again outperformed NBC's "Minute to Win It" by substantial margins at 8:30 p.m., outrunning the NBC game show by 1.9 million viewers (5.2 million vs. 3.3 million) and by a best-ever 100% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/4 vs. 0.8/2).

· The new ABC comedy equaled its best Adult 18-34 number (1.3/4) in more than 2 months - since 2/16/11.

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

Up against the third half-hour of Idol at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Modern Family" qualified as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted TV show for its 20th consecutive original airing this season in Adults 18-49 (3.7/10). The ABC sophomore comedy was also the night's most-watched scripted series overall.

· "Modern Family" grew its overall audience week to week (9.8 million vs. 9.6 million).

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

Returning to Wednesday's 9:30 p.m. half-hour for the first time in over 2 months, ABC's "Cougar Town" finished in a virtual-tie with Fox's Idol-fueled "Breaking In" among Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point - 2.4/6 vs. 2.5/7), while ranking No. 1 in the time period with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· ABC's "Cougar Town" was up by 9% in Adults 18-49 and by 25% in Adults 18-34 from its most-recent telecast this past Monday (4/18/11) coming out of "Dancing with the Stars."

"Happy Endings" (10:00-10:30 p.m.)

From 10:00-10:30 p.m., Week 2 of ABC's "Happy Endings" finished as the No. 1 series among Adults 18-49 (1.8/5), Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· "Happy Endings" generated ABC's 2nd-highest Adult 18-49 number in the half-hour since early February - since 2/9/11.

"Happy Endings" (10:30-11:00 p.m.)

At 10:30 p.m., a second episode of "Happy Endings" beat its network rivals and posted a 13-week high for ABC in the half-hour with Adults 18-34 (1.4/4) - since 1/19/11.

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 40% currently, from 36% 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), 4/20/11.