"20/20: The Sixth Sense" is ABC's Top Sunday Summer Debut in Over 7 Years

Up against stiff competition from NBC's preseason NFL coverage (Dallas-San Diego) from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's debut of 20/20: The Sixth Sense surged over its lead-in (+25% in Total Viewers/+27% in Adults 18-49) to stand as the most-watched non-sports program in its 2-hour time period. The ABC newsmagazine also ranked No. 1 against its non-sports competition with Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49. 20/20: The Sixth Sense features stories of extraordinary instinct that uncovers the truth.

· In Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, 20/20: The Sixth Sense generated summer-highs for ABC in the time period with regular programming. In fact, the new show garnered the Net's biggest summertime audience in the time slot with a series in 5 years, and in 3 years among Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 - since 8/27/06, 7/6/08 and 8/24/08, respectively.

· ABC's 20/20: The Sixth Sense qualified as the Net's most-watched summertime Sunday series debut in more than 7 years - since 7/18/04.

Quick Take for Sunday, August 21, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Opposite Stiff Competition from NFL Coverage, ABC's "20/20: The Sixth Sense" Debut Builds on its Lead-in to Stand as the Most-Watched Regular Show in its Slot

ABC's "20/20: The Sixth Sense" Generates Summer Highs for the Net with Regular Programming in the Time Period Among Viewers and Key Adults

"20/20: The Sixth Sense" Opens as ABC's Most-Watched Sunday Summer Series Premiere in More than 6 Years

"20/20: The Sixth Sense" (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

Up against stiff competition from NBC's preseason NFL coverage (Dallas-San Diego) from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's debut of "20/20: The Sixth Sense" surged over its lead-in (+25% in Total Viewers/+27% in Adults 18-49) to stand as the most-watched non-sports program (5.9 million) in its 2-hour time period. The ABC newsmagazine also ranked No. 1 against its non-sports competition with Adults 25-54 (1.9/5) and Adults 18-49 (1.4/4-tie). "20/20: The Sixth Sense" features stories of extraordinary instinct that uncovers the truth.

· In Total Viewers (5.9 million), Adults 25-54 (1.9/5) and Adults 18-49 (1.4/4), "20/20: The Sixth Sense" generated summer highs for ABC in the time period with regular programming. In fact, the new show garnered the Net's biggest summertime audience in the time slot with a series in 5 years, and in 3 years among Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49 - since 8/27/06, 7/6/08 and 8/24/08, respectively.

· ABC's "20/20: The Sixth Sense" qualified as the Net's most-watched summertime Sunday series debut since 2005 - since 8/14/05.

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 42% currently, from 38% 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), 8/21/11.