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[05/24/11 - 03:16 PM]
ABC Finishes No. 2 to Fox in the 2011 May Sweep in Adults 18-49, Claiming 6 of the Top 15 TV Series, Including the No. 1 Comedy and the No. 1 Drama
ABC spins the numbers for the May sweeps period to date.
[via press release from ABC]

ABC Finishes No. 2 to Fox in the 2011 May Sweep in Adults 18-49, Claiming 6 of the Top 15 TV Series, Including the No. 1 Comedy and the No. 1 Drama

The Net is on Track to Produce its Most-Watched May Sweep in 3 Years

ABC Improves its Local News Lead-in Audience in May with Total Viewers

2011 May Sweep (4/28-5/23/11 - 26 of 28 Nights)

ABC will finish a solid No. 2 during the 2011 May Sweep among Adults 18-49 (2.4/7) to an "Idol"-driven Fox. Earning the No. 2 position in May for the 3rd straight year in the key young adult sales demo, ABC leads third-place CBS by 14% (2.1/6) and fourth-place NBC by 33% (1.8/5). The net is also in second with Adults 18-34 (1.8/6), outdelivering NBC by 29% (1.4/5) and CBS by 38% (1.3/4).

· ABC Builds its May Sweep Audience Year to Year: ABC is growing its overall audience year to year during the Sweep (+4% - 8.7 million vs. 8.4 million) and is on track to post its most-watched May in 3 years - since 2008. In addition, the Net is retaining 96% of its Adult 18-49 audience (2.4/7 vs. 2.5/8) and generating solid gains among TV's youngest viewers: Teens 12-17 (+9% - 1.2/5 vs. 1.1/4) and Kids 2-11 (+25% - 1.0/4 vs. 0.8/4).

· Highest-Rated Series in May (Most Current data stream): ABC airs 6 of the Top 15 TV series during May 2011 with Adults 18-49, including the No. 1 comedy and the No. 1 drama: "Modern Family" - No. 4 (No. 1 comedy/No. 1 scripted), "DWTS" - No. 5, "Grey's Anatomy" - No. 7 (No. 1 drama), while "Castle," "DWTS Results Show" and "Desperate Housewives" are tied at No. 14. Producing the ABC unscripted series' most-watched season ever, "Dancing with the Stars" stands as the No. 3 TV show for the month in Total Viewers, finishing on the heels of both editions of "American Idol." ABC's "DWTS Results Show" and "Castle" also place among the Top 10 most-watched TV shows in May.

· ABC Improves its Local News Lead-in Audience During May: On Monday-Friday during the 10:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's May Sweep audience is up year over year (+3% - 7.4 million vs. 7.2 million), standing as the biggest overall gainer.

Source: The Nielsen Company, National Live + Same Day Program Ratings (4/28-5/23/11), unless stated otherwise.





  [may 2011]  
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· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· CASTLE (ABC)
· DANCING WITH THE STARS (ABC)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· MODERN FAMILY (ABC)




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