ABC is Tuesday's 2nd-Most-Watched Net with 7 Straight Weeks of Year-to-Year Growth

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

ABC finished as the 2nd-most-watched network on Tuesday to CBS, outdrawing NBC by 1.1 million viewers and Fox by 5.5 million viewers.

· Up over the year-ago night by 2.7 million viewers, ABC increased its Tuesday audience year to year for the 7th week running.

Taking second in the 8 o'clock hour to CBS' first-run NCIS, ABC's recap special DWTS: The Encore drew more overall viewers than originals of Fox's Glee and NBC's The Biggest Loser: Couples.

Up against stiff all-original competition in the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's DWTS Results Show qualified as the most-watched TV show in its time slot for the 6th consecutive week, topping CBS' NCIS: LA by 11%, NBC's The Voice by 29% and Fox's comedies (Raising Hope/Traffic Light) by 290%. In addition, ABC's dancing results program stood as Tuesday's 2nd-most-watched TV show, trailing only CBS' top-rated NCIS. Reality television star Kendra Wilkinson was the sixth celebrity dancer to be eliminated from the dance competition this season.

· DWTS Results Show once again posted substantial year-over-year growth, leaping by 30% in Total Viewers and by 21% in Adults 18-49 over the same night last year. On average, ABC's DWTS Results Show is up over the same point a year ago in viewers (+26%) and young adults (+7%).

Up against the final hour of NBC's 2-hour The Voice in the 10pm hour, ABC's Body of Proof continued to draw more viewers to the time slot for ABC year to year, boosting its slot by 5.0 million viewers over the year-ago night with original drama programming.

· On average, Body of Proof is improving the hour for ABC by 6.1 million viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49, over the comparable nights last year.

Quick Take for Tuesday, May 3, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Stands as Tuesday's 2nd-Most-Watched Network, Up Over the Year-Ago Night for the 7th Week in a Row

From 8-9pm, ABC's "DWTS: The Encore" Outdraws Originals of Fox's "Glee" and NBC's "The Biggest Loser: Couples"

ABC's "DWTS Results" Qualifies as the Most-Watched TV Show in its Time Slot For the 6th Week in a Row, Once Again Posting Substantial Year-Over-Year Gains

Opposite the Final Hour of NBC's 2-Hour "The Voice," ABC's "Body of Proof" Attracts an Additional 5.0 Million Viewers to its Slot for the Net Year to Year

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

ABC (11.8 million) finished as the 2nd-most-watched network on Tuesday to CBS, outdrawing NBC by 1.1 million viewers (10.7 million) and Fox by 5.5 million viewers (6.3 million).

· Up over the year-ago night by 2.7 million viewers (9.1 million on 5/4/10), ABC increased its Tuesday audience year to year for the 7th week running.

"Dancing with the Stars: The Encore" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Taking second in the 8 o'clock hour to CBS' first-run "NCIS," ABC's recap special "DWTS: The Encore" drew more overall viewers than originals of Fox's "Glee" (8.6 million) and NBC's "The Biggest Loser: Couples" (7.4 million).

"DWTS Results Show" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Up against stiff all-original competition in the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "DWTS Results Show" (15.6 million) qualified as the most-watched TV show in its time slot for the 6th consecutive week, topping CBS' "NCIS: LA" by 11% (14.0 million), NBC's "The Voice" by 29% (12.1 million) and Fox's comedies ("Raising Hope"/"Traffic Light") by 290% (4.0 million). In addition, ABC's dancing results program stood as Tuesday's 2nd-most-watched TV show, trailing only CBS' top-rated "NCIS." Reality television star Kendra Wilkinson was the sixth celebrity dancer to be eliminated from the dance competition this season.

· "DWTS Results Show" once again posted substantial year-over-year growth, leaping by 30% in Total Viewers (15.6 million vs. 12.0 million) and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/7 vs. 2.4/7) over the same night last year. On average, ABC's "DWTS Results Show" is up over the same point a year ago in viewers (+26% - 17.3 million vs. 13.7 million) and young adults (+7% - 3.0/8 vs. 2.8/8).

"Body of Proof" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Up against the final hour of NBC's 2-hour "The Voice" in the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Body of Proof" continued to draw more viewers to the time period for ABC year to year, boosting its slot by 5.0 million viewers over the year-ago night with original drama programming (10.4 million vs. 5.4 million for "V").

· On average, "Body of Proof" is improving the hour for ABC by 6.1 million viewers (11.9 million vs. 5.8 million) and by 9% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/7 vs. 2.3/7), over the comparable nights last year.

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 41% 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), 5/3/11.