Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming Week of August 15, 2011

With Double-Digit Week-to-Week Gains in Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC Scores its Best Numbers in Late-Night in 6 Weeks

ABC's "Nightline" Tops All Late-Night Programs in Viewers and Key Adults

ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Achieves a 10-Week High in Adults 18-49

ABC Late-Night (Monday - Friday)

During the week of August 15, 2011, ABC was up week to week by 13% in Total Viewers (2.203 million vs. 1.951 million) and by 20% in Adults 18-49 (771,000 vs. 640,000) to score its strongest numbers in late-night in 6 weeks - since w/o 7/4/11. Excluding the NBA finals-led weeks in June, ABC turned in its 2nd-best performance this summer in both viewers and young adults.

ABC grew over the year-ago week by 13% in Total Viewers and by 3% in Adults 18-49 (1.951 million and 746,000 on w/o 8/16/10), building its overall audience year to year for the 4th time in 5 weeks.

"Nightline" (Monday - Friday)

For the week of August 15, 2011, ABC's "Nightline" ranked No. 1 across all key target demos: Total Viewers (3.672 million), Adults 25-54 (1.410 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.083 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. "Nightline" has taken the top spot in overall viewers and in the key adult news demo for the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks. In addition, the ABC late-night program was up week to week in all three demos: Total Viewers (+7%), Adults 25-54 (+6%) and Adults 18-49 (+12%).

Similarly, "Nightline" scored increases from the year-ago week across the target demos: Total Viewers (+16%), Adults 25-54 (+3%) and Adults 18-49 (+1%), growing its overall audience for the 9th week in a row. In fact, "Nightline" increased its Total Viewer count year to year in 25 of the last 27 weeks.

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks first in late-night among Total Viewers and Adults 25-54. This is the first time ever that "Nightline" has been in first place at this point in the season in Adults 25-54 since at least the 1993-94 season, when "Letterman" began on CBS. In addition, "Nightline" is up by 6% in Total Viewers and 4% in Adults 25-54 compared to the same point last year, standing as the only program to grow year to year in Adults 25-54 vs "The Tonight Show" and "The Late Show." Season to date, "Nightline" is drawing its largest overall audience in 8 years - since the 2002-03 season.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (Monday - Friday)

During the week of August 15, 2011, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" soared over the prior week by 18% in Total Viewers (1.641 million vs. 1.395 million) and by 26% in Adults 18-49 (652,000 vs. 517,000), hitting a 10-week high in the key young adult demo - since w/o 6/6/11. In fact, excluding the NBA finals-led weeks in June, "JKL" delivered its best young adult performance of the summer. In addition, the ABC late-night program was up over the same week last year for the 4th time in 5 weeks in Total Viewers (+11%) and for the 3rd time in 4 weeks in Adults 18-49 (+5%).

Late-Night Rank (Week of Aug 15): TOTAL VIEWERS A18-49(000)

ABC 2,203,000 771,000

CBS 1,952,000 717,000

NBC 1,891,000 723,000

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for week of 8/15/11, 8/8/11 & 8/16/10 or as dated. Comparisons based on 000s. ABC Late-Night = "Nightline" and "JKL"; CBS Late-Night = "Letterman" and "Ferguson"; NBC Late-Night = "Tonight Show," "Fallon" and "Carson Daly."

Ratings Report for ABC News' Nightline For Week of August 15

"Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Across All Target Demos

Season to Date, "Nightline" Ranks First in Late-Night Among Total Viewers and Adults 25-54

Season to Date, "Nightline" is Drawing its Largest Overall Audience in 8 Years

For the week of August 15, 2011, ABC's "Nightline" ranked No. 1 across all key target demos: Total Viewers (3.672 million), Adults 25-54 (1.410 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.083 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. "Nightline" has taken the top spot in overall viewers and in the key adult news demo for the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks. In addition, the ABC latenight program was up week to week in all three demos: Total Viewers (+7%), Adults 25-54 (+6%) and Adults 18-49 (+12%).

Similarly, "Nightline" scored increases from the year-ago week across the target demos: Total Viewers (+16%), Adults 25-54 (+3%) and Adults 18-49 (+1%), growing its overall audience for the 9th week in a row. In fact, "Nightline" increased its Total Viewer count year to year in 25 of the last 27 weeks.

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks first in late-night among Total Viewers and Adults 25-54. This is the first time ever that "Nightline" has been in first place at this point in the season in Adults 25-54 since at least the 1993-94 season, when "Letterman" began on CBS. In addition, "Nightline" is up by +6% in Total Viewers and by +4% in Adults 25-54 compared to the same point last year, standing as the only program to grow year to year in Adults 25-54 versus "The Tonight Show" and "The Late Show." Season to date, "Nightline" is drawing its largest overall audience in 8 years - since the 2002-03 season.

ABC News' "Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Bill Weir. John Donvan and Juju Chang are correspondents. Jeanmarie Condon is the Executive Producer. The program airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network.

(Week of August 15, 2011)

TOTAL VIEWERS A25-54(000)/ Rtg A18-49(000)/ Rtg

ABC "Nightline" 3,672,000 1,410,000/ 1.1 1,083,000/ 0.8

CBS "Late Show" 2,668,000 1,150,000/ 0.9 897,000/ 0.7

NBC "Tonight Show" 3,077,000 1,310,000/ 1.1 1,047,000/ 0.8

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 08/15/11, 8/8/11 & 8/16/10. 2010-2011 Broadcast Season (9/20/10 - 8/21/11) and 2009-2010 Broadcast Season (9/21/09 - 8/22/10).