ABC's "101 Ways" and "Combat Hospital" Retain Nearly All of Their Week-Ago Debuts

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

Opposite NBC's original line-up, featuring America's Got Talent and the 2-hour Tuesday finale of The Voice, ABC retained 100% of its week-ago performance in Adults 18-49 and earned second place to NBC, leading Fox by 23% and CBS by 45%

At 8 o'clock against NBC's America's Got Talent, ABC's Wipeout ranked #2 in the hour in Adults 18-49, beating Fox's MasterChef by 6%, and outdrew its unscripted competition on Fox by 1.3 million viewers.

· Building week to week by 4% in Total Viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49, Wipeout generated ABC's top numbers in the hour this summer.

Against the opening hour of the final performance show of NBC's The Voice from 9-10pm, ABC's 101 Ways to Leave a Game Show retained a strong 95% of its week-earlier debut in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In addition, the new ABC show held 100% of its lead-in in Adults 18-49, while building on its lead-in in key Men (M18-49/M25-54), key Women (W18-34/W18-49) and Teens.

· The broad-appealing 101 Ways to Leave a Game Show ranked #2 in the hour to The Voice with Adults 18-49, and was also the second-highest rated broadcast show in the slot with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

· 101 Ways to Leave a Game Show boosted the 9 o'clock hour for ABC by a substantial 33% year to year in Total Viewers and by 29% in Adults 18-49, topping the year-ago night (6/29/10) with original programming.

Up against the final hour of The Voice finale at 10pm, ABC's Combat Hospital retained nearly all of its week-ago premiere in Adults 18-49 (92%) and finished #2 versus its CBS and NBC competition in the hour in Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54.

· The new drama improved the hour year to year for ABC by 35% in Total Viewers, 10% in Adults 18-49 and 8% in Adults 25-54 over the year-ago night with original programming.

Quick Take for Tuesday, June 28, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Takes Second Place on Tuesday to NBC in Adults 18-49

Growing Week to Week Against NBC's "America's Got Talent," ABC's "Wipeout" Pulls the Net's Top Numbers in the Hour This Summer

Opposite the Opening Hour of NBC's "The Voice" Tuesday Finale, ABC's "101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" Retains 95% of its Week-Earlier Debut

ABC's "Combat Hospital" Retains Nearly All of its Week-Ago Premiere and Improves its Time-Slot Year to Year Against the Final Hour of "The Voice" Finale

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

Opposite NBC's original lineup, featuring "America's Got Talent" and the 2-hour Tuesday finale of "The Voice," ABC retained 100% of its week-ago performance in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5) and earned second place to NBC, leading Fox by 23% (1.3/4) and CBS by 45% (1.1/3).

"Wipeout" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

At 8 o'clock against NBC's "America's Got Talent," ABC's "Wipeout" ranked No. 2 in the hour in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6), beating Fox's "MasterChef" by 6% (1.7/6), and outdrew its unscripted competition on Fox by 1.3 million viewers (5.5 million vs. 4.2 million).

· Building week to week by 4% in Total Viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49 (5.3 million and 1.7/6 on 6/21/11), "Wipeout" generated ABC's top numbers in the hour this summer.

"101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Against the opening hour of the final performance show of NBC's "The Voice" from 9:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" retained a strong 95% of its week-earlier debut in both Total Viewers (5.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.8/5). In addition, the new ABC show held 100% of its lead-in in Adults 18-49, while building on its lead-in in key Men (M18-49/M25-54), key Women (W18-34/W18-49) and Teens 12-17.

· The broad-appealing "101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" ranked No. 2 in the hour to "The Voice" with Adults 18-49, and was also the second-highest rated broadcast show in the slot with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

· "101 Ways to Leave a Game Show" boosted the 9 o'clock hour for ABC by a substantial 36% year to year in Total Viewers and by 29% in Adults 18-49, topping the year-ago night with original programming (3.9 million and 1.4/4 for "Downfall").

"Combat Hospital" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Up against the final hour of "The Voice" finale at 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Combat Hospital" retained nearly all of its week-ago premiere in Adults 18-49 (92%) and finished No. 2 versus its CBS and NBC competition in the hour in Adults 18-49 (1.1/3) and Adults 25-54 (1.4/4).

· The new drama improved the hour year to year for ABC by 35% in Total Viewers (4.6 million vs. 3.4 million), 10% in Adults 18-49 (1.1/3 vs. 1.0/3) and 8% in Adults 25-54 (1.4/4 vs. 1.3/4) over the year-ago night with original programming ("Primetime: Mind Games").

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), 6/28/11.