ABC is Up on Tuesday Week to Week and Year to Year

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

ABC ranked as the 2nd-most-watched network on Tuesday to CBS with its season finale line-up, outdrawing NBC by 5.9 million viewers and Fox by 7.3 million viewers. The Net also earned second place on Tuesday with Adults 25-54 and Women 18-49, while ranking #1 with Women 25-54.

· Rising on the evening for the 2nd week in a row, the Net improved its Tuesday numbers week to week by 7% Total Viewers and by 8% in Adults 18-49.

· Building over the same night last May (5/18/10) by 4.1 million viewers, ABC grew its overall Tuesday audience year to year for the 9th week running.

Increasing ABC's numbers in the 8pm hour week to week against CBS' season finale of NCIS, ABC's Dancing with the Stars Live: Freestyle Special topped Fox's Glee by 4.6 million viewers and the opening hour of NBC's 2-hour The Biggest Loser: Couples by 7.0 million viewers.

· With the special, ABC drew its biggest audience in the hour since the beginning of November - since 11/2/10.

Opposite all-original competition in the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's DWTS Results Show finished a definitive #1 for the 2nd week in a row, defeating the season finale of CBS' NCIS: LA by 2.3 million viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49. It was the most-watched television show in its hour for the 8th week running. The broad-appealing ABC unscripted series also delivered the #1 position in the hour with Adults 25-54 and Women 18-49, and stood as the top-rated broadcast program in its slot with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11. The ABC dancing results program registered as Tuesday's 2nd-most-watched TV show overall (behind only CBS' NCIS finale). Also worth noting, DWTS the Results tied Fox's Glee on the night in the key Adult 18-49 sales demo. Actor Ralph Macchio was the eighth celebrity dancer to be eliminated from the competition this season.

· In viewers and young adults, DWTS Results Show was up week to week for the 2nd consecutive Tuesday.

· On average this season, ABC's DWTS Results Show is growing by double-digit percentages from the same point a year ago in viewers (+29%) and young adults (+29%).

Despite facing the season finale of CBS' The Good Wife and NBC's The Voice in the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's freshman Body of Proof built its numbers week to week in both Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+5%). In fact the ABC drama attracted its largest audience in 3 weeks and equaled its top young adult number in 4 weeks -since 4/26/11 and 4/19/11, respectively. The ABC drama is TV's most-watched new series this season.

· Body of Proof continued to improve its hour year over year, bettering an original V on the same night last year coming out of Lost by 5.0 million viewers and by 5% in Adults 18-49. On average, Body of Proof qualifies as ABC's most-watched series in the hour in 10 years - since the 8th season of NYPD Blue in 2001.

Quick Take for Tuesday, May 17, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Stands as Tuesday's 2nd-Most-Watched Net, Building Week to Week And Growing Over the Year-Ago Evening for the 9th Consecutive Week

From 8-9pm Against the Season Finale of CBS' "NCIS," "DWTS Freestyle Special" Tops "Glee" and "Loser," Delivering the Net's 2nd-Largest Audience This Season

Up for the 2nd Week in a Row, ABC's "DWTS Results" Wins the 9pm Hour in Viewers and Young Adults, Scoring Double-Digit Percentage Year-to-Year Gains

Growing Against the Season Finale of CBS' "The Good Wife," ABC's "Body of Proof" Draws its Largest Audience in 3 Weeks and its Top Adult 18-49 Number in 4 Weeks

TV's Most-Watched New Series of the 2010-11 Season, "Body of Proof" Attracts A Larger Audience than NBC's "The Voice" Head to Head in the 10pm Hour

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

ABC (13.9 million) ranked as the 2nd-most-watched network on Tuesday to CBS with its season finale lineup, outdrawing NBC by 5.9 million viewers (8.0 million) and Fox by 7.3 million viewers (6.6 million). The Net also earned second place on Tuesday with Adults 25-54 and Women 18-49, while ranking No. 1 with Women 25-54.

· Rising on the evening for the 2nd week in a row, the Net improved its Tuesday numbers week to week by 7% in Total Viewers (13.9 million vs. 13.0 million) and 8% in Adults 18-49 (2.7/7 vs. 2.5/7).

· Building over the same night last May (9.8 million on 5/18/10) by 4.1 million viewers, ABC grew its overall Tuesday audience year to year for the 9th week running.

"Dancing with the Stars - TUE 8PM" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Increasing ABC's numbers in the 8:00 p.m. hour week to week against CBS' season finale of "NCIS," ABC's "Dancing with the Stars Live: Freestyle Special" (13.4 million) topped Fox's "Glee" by 4.6 million viewers (8.8 million) and the opening hour of NBC's 2-hour "The Biggest Loser: Couples" by 7.0 million viewers (6.4 million).

· With the special, ABC drew its biggest audience in the hour since the beginning of November, representing its 2nd-largest audience in the time slot this season - since 11/2/10.

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

Opposite all-original competition in the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "DWTS Results Show" finished a definitive No. 1 for the 2nd week in a row, defeating the season finale of CBS' "NCIS: LA" by 2.3 million viewers (17.7 million vs. 15.4 million) and by 9% in Adults 18-49 (3.5/9 vs. 3.2/8). It was the most-watched television show in its hour for the 8th week running. The broad-appealing ABC unscripted series also delivered the No. 1 position in the hour with Adults 25-54 and Women 18-49, and stood as the top-rated broadcast program in its slot with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11. The ABC dancing results program registered as Tuesday's 2nd-most-watched TV show overall (behind only CBS' "NCIS" finale). Also worth noting, "DWTS Results Show" tied Fox's "Glee" on the night in the key Adult 18-49 sales demo (3.5/10). Actor Ralph Macchio was the eighth celebrity dancer to be eliminated from the competition this season.

· In viewers and young adults, "DWTS Results Show" was up week to week for the 2nd consecutive Tuesday.

· On average this season, ABC's "DWTS Results Show" is growing by double-digit percentages from the same point a year ago in viewers (+29% - 17.6 million vs. 13.6 million) and young adults (+29% - 3.6/9 vs. 2.8/8).

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

Despite facing the season finale of CBS' "The Good Wife" and NBC's "The Voice" in the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's freshman "Body of Proof" built its numbers week to week in both Total Viewers (+4% - 10.5 million vs. 10.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (+5% - 2.2/5 vs. 2.1/5). In fact the ABC drama attracted its largest audience in 3 weeks and equaled its top young adult number in 4 weeks - since 4/26/11 and 4/19/11, respectively.

· TV's most-watched freshman series this season, ABC's "Body of Proof" outdrew NBC's "The Voice" in the hour (+6% - 10.5 million vs. 9.9 million).

· "Body of Proof" continued to improve its hour year over year, bettering an original "V" (5.5 million and 2.1/6) on the same night last year coming out of "Lost" by 5.0 million viewers and by 5% in Adults 18-49. On average, "Body of Proof" qualifies as ABC's most-watched series in the hour in 10 years - since the 8th season of "NYPD Blue in 2001.

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), 5/17/11.