ABC's "Kimmel" Turns in its Most-Watched Season in 4 Years

Some early points on Jimmy Kimmel Live's numbers, ahead of the regular press release:

During the recently completed 52-week TV Season, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live was up over last season in Total Viewers (+4%), generating its most-watched season in 4 years - since its 2006-07 season. In addition, JKL was up 3% among Adults 18-49, while NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (-13%) and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (-2%) and CBS' Late Show with David Letterman (-11%) and Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (-9%) and were all down from their prior seasons.

· ABC's JKL (M-F 12am) outperformed CBS' Ferguson (M-F 12:35am) during the season by 2% in Total Viewers and by 5% in Adults 18-49.

During the 3rd Quarter 2011, ABC's JKL improved over the year-ago 3rd quarter by 4% in Total Viewers to turn in its most-watched 3Q in 5 years (since 3Q06), marking its 2nd-most-watched 3Q ever. Growing its overall audience year to year for the 6th quarter in a row, JKL delivered the largest yearly gains among Total Viewers of any talk show in late-night. JKL was also up from the same quarter last year in Adults 18-49 (+1%) for the 5th time in 6 quarters. In fact, JKL stood as the only late-night program to grow year-to-year in young adults, as NBC's Tonight Show (-11%), Fallon (-3%) and Last Call with Carson Daly (-12%), CBS' Letterman (-9%) and Ferguson (-2%), Comedy Central's The Daily Show (-11%) and Colbert Report (-16%) and E!'s Chelsea Lately (-17%) were all down.

· ABC's JKL topped CBS' Ferguson during the quarter by its largest margin ever in Total Viewers (+10%) and led the CBS late-night program in Adults 18-49 (+6%) for the 6th straight quarter. Additionally, JKL outdelivered Ferguson in 11 of the 12 weeks of the quarter in both viewers and young adults.

Ratings Report for ABC News' Nightline For 2010-2011 Broadcast Season and the 3rd Quarter

"Nightline" is #1 in Late-Night in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 for the 2010-11 Television Season

The ABC Latenight Program Takes the Top Spot in Total Viewers for 2nd year in a Row and Leads in Adults 25-54 for the First Time Ever

ABC's "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in 3Q11 in Viewers, Marking the 4th Consecutive Quarter to Beat NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show"

2010-11 Season:

For the 2010-11 television season, ABC News' "Nightline" ranked as the No. 1 program in late-night in Total Viewers (3.943 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.595 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. The ABC latenight program took the top spot in Total Viewers for the season for the second time in a row and this marks the first time ever to rank No. 1 in the key adult news demo versus NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." (Note: "Letterman" began on CBS in the 1993-94 season).

In addition, during the course of the 52-week 2010-11 TV season, "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in 32 weeks in Total Viewers, 29 weeks in Adults 25-54 and 27 weeks in Adults 18-49. This represents the most number of weeks at No. 1 in each of the key target demos during the course of a season, beating both "The Tonight Show" and "The Late Show."

"Nightline" improved by +6% in Total Viewers and by +4% in Adults 25-54 compared to the 2009-10 television season, representing the ABC latenight program's largest overall season audience in 8 years - since the 2002-03 season. Additionally, "Nightline" stood as the only latenight program to post season-to-season growth in Adults 25-54 as both CBS' "The Late Show" (-7%) and NBC's "The Tonight Show"(-4%) saw decreases.

"Nightline" defeated NBC's "The Tonight Show" during the TV season by +95,000 Total Viewers and by +20,000 Adults 25-54. This qualifies as the first time that "Nightline" outperformed the NBC program in Adults 25-54 during a TV season in 16 years - since the 1994-95 season.

"Nightline" bettered CBS' "The Late Show" during the TV season by +603,000 Total Viewers, by +159,000 Adults 25-54 and by +165,000 in Adults 18-49, turning in its largest margins versus the CBS program in all three demos in 12 years - since the 1998-99 season.

3Q11:

During the 3rd Quarter 2011, ABC's "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers (3.743 million), marking the 4th consecutive quarter for the ABC latenight program to take the top spot over NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show," according to Nielsen Media Research.

For the 3rd time in the last 4 years, "Nightline" increased from the year-ago 3rd quarter in Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 25-54 (+2%), standing as the only latenight program among its CBS (down -5% and -8%, respectively) and NBC (-4% and -8%, respectively) late-night rivals to grow in both Nielsen measures. In fact, the ABC program attracted its most-watched 3rd quarter in 10 years and best news demo performance in 5 years - since 3Q01 and 3Q06, respectively.

"Nightline" defeated NBC's "The Tonight Show" by +32,000 Total Viewers, outdrawing the NBC program for the 4th straight quarter.

"Nightline" produced in its largest advantages over CBS' "The Late Show" during any quarter in 12 years in Total Viewers (+930,000) and more than 11 years in Adults 25-54 (+256,000) - since 3Q99 and 2Q00, respectively. In addition, "Nightline" posted its largest Adults 18-49 (+198,000) lead during a 3rd quarter in 12 years - since 3Q99.

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.

(2010-11 Season)

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

ABC "Nightline" 3,943,000 1,595,000/ 1.3 1,237,000/ 0.9

CBS "Late Show" 3,340,000 1,436,000/ 1.2 1,072,000/ 0.8

NBC "Tonight Show" 3,848,000 1,575,000/ 1.3 1,252,000/ 1.0

(3rd Quarter, 2011)

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

ABC "Nightline" 3,743,000 1,427,000/ 1.2 1,092,000/ 0.8

CBS "Late Show" 2,813,000 1,171,000/ 0.9 894,000/ 0.7

NBC "Tonight Show" 3,711,000 1,475,000/ 1.2 1,157,000/ 0.9

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 09/12/11, 9/5/11 & 9/13/10. 3Q11: 6/27 - 9/18/11. 2Q11: 3/28 - 6/26/11. 3Q10: 6/28 - 9/19/10. Television Season (9/20/10 - 9/18/11) and 2009-2010 Broadcast Season (9/21/09 - 9/19/10).