ABC Grows its Wednesday Numbers May to May

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

ABC ranked #2 on Wednesday to an Idol-led Fox among Adults 18-34, leading CBS by 19% and NBC by 73%.

· Building its numbers over the same night last May Sweep with viewers and young adults, ABC grew its overall Wednesday audience year over year for the 17th time in the last 20 weeks.

Opposite the first half-hour of Fox's American Idol and CBS' Survivor: Redemption Island at 8pm, ABC's The Middle doubled the numbers of NBC's Minute To Win It among Total Viewers (+122%) and Adults 18-49 (+100%).

· Season to date, The Middle is TV's 2nd-biggest year-to-year gainer (behind only Modern Family) among returning broadcast series, jumping by 23% in Total Viewers over its performance in the 8:30pm half-hour at the same point last season.

· The Middle built over its most-recent original telecast two weeks ago in viewers (+4%) and young adults (+5%). The show posted its best results since the beginning of March (3/2/11).

At 8:30pm, ABC's freshman Better with You beat out the second half-hour of NBC's Minute To Win It by 2.0 million viewers and by 45% in Adults 18-49.

· Growing week to week by nearly 1.0 million viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49, ABC's Better with You marked its most-watched telecast in 9 weeks - since 3/2/11.

Jumping from its lead-in against the third half-hour of Idol at 9pm, ABC's Modern Family was the dominant scripted program in its slot among Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS' Criminal Minds by 31%. The ABC sophomore comedy registered as Wednesday's #1 scripted TV show for its 21st consecutive original telecast this season in the key young adult sales demographic.

· Season to date, ABC's Modern Family is the fastest-growing TV show on the broadcast nets, up over the same point last year by 26% in Total Viewers and by 24% in Adults 18-49.

Gaining week to week in the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's Cougar Town beat out Fox's Idol-led Breaking In by 6% among Adults 18-34 to rank as the #2 series in its half-hour. Showing competitive balance, it was also the #2 series in its time slot with Men 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· Cougar Town's numbers built week to week by 5% in Adults 18-49 and by 19% in Adults 18-34. In addition, the ABC sophomore comedy posted its best ratings in 3 months with key Women (W18-34/W18-49) - since 2/2/11.

From 10-11pm, ABC's back-to-back airings of Happy Endings produced a 9-week-high in the time period with Adults 18-49 and a 16-week high with Adults 18-34 - since 3/2/11 and 1/12/11, respectively.

· Happy Endings drastically improved Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour year to year for ABC in Adults 18-49 (+33%) and Adults 18-34 (+88%), over original drama programming on the same night last year.

Quick Take for Wednesday, May 4, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Building Over the Same Night Last May Sweep in Viewers and Young Adults, ABC Increases its Wednesday Audience Year to Year for the 17th Time in 20 Weeks

Up over its Most-Recent Original 2 Weeks Ago, ABC's "The Middle" Generates Its Best Results Since the Beginning of March in Viewers and Young Adults

ABC's "Better with You" Earns its Biggest Audience on the Night in 9 Weeks

TV's No. 1 Comedy This Season in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Modern Family" Stands as Wednesday's No. 1 Scripted Show for its 21st Straight Original Airing

Building Week to Week in the 9:30pm Half-Hour, ABC's "Cougar Town" Beats Out Fox's "Idol"-Fueled "Breaking In" Among Adults 18-34

In the 10pm Hour, Back-to-Back Airings of ABC's "Happy Endings" Score a 9-Week High in the Slot in Adults 18-49 and a 16-Week High in Adults 18-34

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

ABC ranked No. 2 on Wednesday to an "Idol"-led Fox among Adults 18-34 (1.9/6), leading CBS by 19% (1.6/5) and NBC by 73% (1.1/3).

· Building its numbers over the same night last May Sweep (5/5/10) with viewers (5.9 million vs. 5.8 million) and young adults (2.1/6 vs. 2.0/6), ABC grew its overall Wednesday audience year over year for the 17th time in the last 20 weeks.

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

Opposite the first half-hour of Fox's "American Idol" and CBS' "Survivor: Redemption Island" at 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" doubled the numbers of NBC's "Minute to Win It" among Total Viewers (+122% - 7.1 million vs. 3.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (+100% - 2.0/6 vs. 1.0/3). Additionally in the half-hour, "The Middle" beat out "Survivor" by 18% with Women 18-34 (2.0/7 vs. 1.7/6), leading the CBS unscripted series for its 2nd straight original telecast.

· Season to date, ABC's "The Middle" is TV's 2nd-biggest year-to-year gainer (behind only "Modern Family") among returning broadcast series, jumping by 23% in Total Viewers (8.1 million vs. 6.6 million) over its performance in the 8:30 p.m. half-hour at the same point last season.

· "The Middle" built over its most-recent original telecast two weeks ago (6.8 million and 1.9/6 on 4/20/11) in viewers (+4%) and young adults (+5%). The show posted its best results since the beginning of March (3/2/11).

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

At 8:30 p.m., ABC freshman "Better with You" beat out the second half-hour of NBC's "Minute to Win It" by 2.0 million viewers (5.5 vs. 3.5 million) and by 45% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5 vs. 1.1/3).

· Growing week to week by nearly 1.0 million viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Better with You" marked its most-watched telecast on the night in 9 weeks � since 3/2/11.

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

Jumping from its lead-in against the third half-hour of "Idol" at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Modern Family" was the dominant scripted program in its slot among Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 31% (3.8/10 vs. 2.9/8).

· TV's No. 1 comedy this season, ABC's "Modern Family" registered as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted TV show for its 21st consecutive original telecast this season in the key young adult sales demographic.

· Season to date, ABC's "Modern Family" is the fastest-growing TV show on the broadcast nets, up over the same point last year by 26% in Total Viewers (11.7 million vs. 9.3 million) and by 24% in Adults 18-49 (4.7/12 vs. 3.8/10).

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

Gaining week to week in the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's "Cougar Town" beat out Fox's "Idol"-fueled "Breaking In" by 6% among Adults 18-34 (1.9/6 vs. 1.8/5) to rank as the No. 2 TV series in its half-hour. Showing competitive balance, it was also the No. 2 series in its time slot with Men 18-34 (tie) and Women 18-34.

· "Cougar Town's" numbers built week to week by 5% in Adults 18-49 and by 19% in Adults 18-34. In addition, the ABC sophomore comedy posted its best ratings in 3 months with key Women (W18-34/W18-49) � since 2/2/11.

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

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's back-to-back airings of "Happy Endings" produced a 9-week-high in the time period with Adults 18-49 (1.6/4) and a 16-week high with Adults 18-34 (1.5/4) � since 3/2/11 and 1/12/11, respectively.

· "Happy Endings" drastically improved Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour year to year for ABC in Adults 18-49 (+33%) and Adults 18-34 (+88%), besting original drama programming on the same night last year ("Happy Town" = 1.2/4 and 0.8/3).

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 Ratings), 5/4/11.