ABC Marks Impressive Wednesday Night Gains

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

Opposite an Idol-fueled Fox on Wednesday night, ABC once again beat out CBS (+24%) and NBC (+75%) by wide margins with Adults 18-34.

· Up over the prior week in viewers (+5%) and young adults (+10%), ABC equaled a 13-week Wednesday high among Adults 18-49 - since 2/9/11. The Net also posted its top Adult 18-34 number on the night in more than 3 months (2/9/11).

· Rising over the same night last May Sweep with viewers and young adults, ABC built its overall Wednesday audience year to year for the 18th time in the last 21 weeks.

Up against the first half-hour of Fox's American Idol and CBS' Survivor: Redemption Island at 8pm, ABC's The Middle more than doubled the performance of NBC's Minute To Win It among Total Viewers (+132%) and Adults 18-49 (+163%). In addition, The Middle beat out Survivor for the 2nd week in a row with Women 18-34, leading the CBS unscripted series by 11%.

· Up for the 2nd straight week in viewers and young adults, The Middle scored its best numbers since the beginning of March - since 3/2/11.

· 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 over its performance in the 8:30pm half-hour at the same point last season.

At 8:30pm opposite the second half-hours of Idol and Survivor, ABC's freshman season finale of Better with You doubled the numbers for the second half-hour of NBC's Minute To Win It in viewers (+100%) and young adults (+111% - best ever). Like its lead-in, the ABC freshman comedy finished #2 in its time period to Idol with Women 18-34. In addition, Better With You exhibited impressive lead-in retention among Adults 18-49 (90%) and Adults 18-34 (94%).

· Delivering its 2nd week of growth and surging week to week by 11% in Viewers and by 19% in Adults 18-49, ABC's Better with You produced its highest numbers on the evening in more than 3 months - since 2/9/11.

Surging over its lead-in against the third half-hour of Idol at 9pm, ABC's Modern Family was the dominant scripted show in its slot among Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS' Criminal Minds by 35%. TV's #1 comedy this season (also the top-rated scripted show), ABC's Modern Family registered as Wednesday's #1 scripted show for its 22nd straight first-run airing this season in the key young adult sales demographic.

· Building week to week in viewers and young adults, Modern Family turned in its strongest results since March - since 3/23/11. In addition, jumping over the prior week by 14%, the show hit its top Adult 18-34 number since the beginning of February - since 2/9/11.

· Season to date, ABC's Modern Family is the fastest-growing television show on the broadcast nets, up over the same point last year by 27% in Total Viewers and by 26% in Adults 18-49.

In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's Cougar Town ranked #2 in its slot among Adults 18-49, while finishing #1 with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· Gaining for the 2nd week running, Cougar Town posted strong week to week gains in Total Viewers (+11%), Adults 18-49 (+9%) and Adults 18-34 (+16%). In fact the show marked its highest Adults 18-49 number since the start of February and its top Adult 18-34 number since the start of January - since 2/2/11 and 1/5/11, respectively.

From 10-11pm, back-to-back episodes of Happy Endings generated enormous year-to-year improvement for ABC in Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour, jumping over original drama programming on the same night last year by 33% in Adults 18-49 and by 100% in Adults 18-34.

· With Happy Endings, ABC grew week to week in the hour by 8% in Total Viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Wednesday, May 11, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Program Ratings)

Continuing to Build Over the Same Night Last May in Viewers and Young Adults, ABC Produces its Best Wednesday in 13 Weeks with Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34

ABC's "The Middle" Produces its Strongest Numbers Since the Beginning of March

ABC's "Better with You" Season Finale Earns its Top Wednesday Results in 3 Months

TV's No. 1 Comedy and the Top Scripted Show This Season in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Modern Family" Generates its Strongest Performance Since March

ABC's "Cougar Town" Hits its Top Adult 18-49 Rating Since the Start of February And Generates its Highest Adult 18-34 Number Since the Start of January

Back-to-Back Episodes of "Happy Endings" Once Again Deliver Big Year-to-Year Time-Slot Improvement, Surging by 45% in Adults 18-49 and 129% in Adults 18-34

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

Opposite an "Idol"-fueled Fox on Wednesday night, ABC (2.1/7) once again beat out CBS (+24% - 1.7/5) and NBC (+75% - 1.2/4) by wide margins with Adults 18-34.

· Up over the prior week in viewers (+5% - 6.2 million vs. 5.9 million) and young adults (+10% - 2.3/6 vs. 2.1/6), ABC equaled a 13-week Wednesday high among Adults 18-49 - since 2/9/11. The Net also posted its top Adult 18-34 number on the night in more than 3 months (2/9/11).

· Rising over the same night last May Sweep (5/12/10) with viewers and young adults, ABC built its overall Wednesday audience year to year for the 18th time in the last 21 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" more than doubled the performance of NBC's "Minute to Win It" among Total Viewers (+132% - 7.2 million vs. 3.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (+163% - 2.1/7 vs. 0.8/3). Additionally in the half-hour, "The Middle" defeated "Survivor" for the 2nd week in a row with Women 18-34, leading the CBS unscripted series by 11% (2.0/7 vs. 1.8/6).

· Up for the 2nd straight week in viewers and young adults, "The Middle" scored its best numbers since the beginning of March - since 3/2/11.

· 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.

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

At 8:30 p.m. opposite the second half-hours of "Idol" and "Survivor," ABC's freshman season finale of "Better with You" doubled the numbers for the second half-hour of NBC's "Minute To Win It" in viewers (+100% - 6.0 million vs. 3.0 million) and young adults (best-ever +111% - 1.9/6 vs. 0.9/3). Like its lead-in, the ABC freshman comedy finished No. 2 in its time period to "Idol" with Women 18-34 (1.9/6-tie). In addition, "Better with You" exhibited impressive lead-in retention among Adults 18-49 (90%) and Adults 18-34 (94%).

· Delivering its 2nd week of growth and surging week to week by 11% in Viewers (6.0 million vs. 5.4 million) and by 19% in Adults 18-49 (1.9/6 vs. 1.6/5), ABC's "Better with You" produced its highest numbers on the evening in more than 3 months - since 2/9/11.

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

Surging over its lead-in against the third half-hour of "Idol" at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Modern Family was the dominant scripted show in its slot among Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 35% (4.2/11 vs. 3.1/8).

· TV's No. 1 comedy this season (also the top-rated scripted show), ABC's "Modern Family" stood as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted show for its 22nd straight first-run airing this season in the key young adult sales demographic.

· Building week to week in viewers (10.1 million vs. 9.9 million) and young adults (4.2/11 vs. 3.9/10), "Modern Family" turned in its strongest results since March - since 3/23/11. In addition, jumping over the prior week by 14% (4.1/12 vs. 3.6/11), the show marked its top Adult 18-34 number since the beginning of February - since 2/9/11.

· Season to date, "Modern Family" is the fastest-growing show on the broadcast nets, up over this point last year by 27% in Viewers (11.8 vs 9.3 million) and 26% in A18-49 (4.8/12 vs. 3.8/10).

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

In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's "Cougar Town" ranked No. 2 in its slot among Adults 18-49 (2.4/6-tie), while finishing No. 1 with Adults 18-34 (2.2/6-tie) and Women 18-34 (2.8/8).

· Gaining for the 2nd week running, "Cougar Town" posted strong week-to-week gains in Total Viewers (+11%), Adults 18-49 (+9%) and Adults 18-34 (+16%). In fact the show marked its highest Adult 18-49 number since the start of February and its top Adult 18-34 number since the start of January - since 2/2/11 and 1/5/11, respectively.

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

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's back-to-back airings of "Happy Endings" generated enormous year-to-year improvement for ABC in Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour, jumping over original drama programming on the same night last year by 30% in Total Viewers (3.9 million vs. 3.0 million), by 45% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/4 vs. 1.1/3) and by 129% in Adults 18-34 (1.6/5 vs. 0.7/2).

· With "Happy Endings," ABC grew week to week in the hour by 8% in Total Viewers (3.9 million vs. 3.6 million) and by 7% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/4 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 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 (National, Live + Same Day Program Ratings), 5/4/11.