ABC's Wednesday Comedy Block is #1 in Adults 18-49/"Revenge" Posts Big Year-to-Year Gains at 10pm

Some early info on ABC's Wednesday, ahead of the regular press release:

Although facing The X Factor on the night this year, ABC's Wednesday results continued to pace well ahead of the year-ago evening in both Total Viewers (+25%) and Adults 18-49 (+28%), up year to year for the 3rd straight week.

· ABC's 2-hour Wednesday comedy block ranked #1 from 8-10pm among Adults 18-49. In fact, for the 3rd straight week this season, ABC claimed Wednesday's #1 TV show in Adults 18-49 with Modern Family.

At 8pm, ABC's The Middle grew its overall audience week to week and took full control of its comedy competition in the half-hour, defeating NBC's Up All Night by 3.3 million viewers and by 23% in Adults 18-49. In addition, The Middle beat out CBS' Survivor: South Pacific in the slot by 11% in Adults 18-34.

· Despite going up against The X Factor in the time period this year, The Middle improved over the year-ago night for the 3rd consecutive telecast among viewers (+1.0 million) and young adults (+8%).

Once again building on its lead-in with viewers and young adults (+11%) at 8:30pm, ABC's Suburgatory generated impressive retention of its highly-rated week-ago debut telecast in Total Viewers (93%) and Adults 18-49 (91%). In fact, the show shot up 17% from its debut telecast with Teens 12-17.

· Suburgatory overshadowed its comedy competition in the half-hour, more than doubling the delivery of NBC's Free Agents in viewers (+176%) and Adults 18-49 (+200%). Additionally, the new ABC comedy paced in a near-tie with Survivor in the slot among Adults 18-49 (running within 2-tenths of a rating point) and beat the CBS reality series for the 2nd week in a row with Adults 18-34 (+20%).

· Like its debut telecast the prior week, Suburgatory greatly outperformed the year-ago time period occupant (Better with You) in viewers (+32%) and young adults (+30%).

Gaining on its lead-in at 9pm to dominate its time period with Adults 18-49, over The X Factor (+30%) and CBS' Criminal Minds (+56%), ABC's Modern Family stood as the night's #1 TV show in the key young adult sales demo.

· Opposite post-season MLB coverage on cable, Modern Family retained nearly all of its week ago Adult 18-49 audience (98%) and built week to week across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54).

· Up year to year for the 3rd consecutive week, Modern Family improved over its year-ago telecast by 15% in viewers and by 22% with young adults.

In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's sophomore Happy Endings beat out Fox's X Factor-fueled sophomore comedy Raising Hope by 11% in Total Viewers and by 26% in Adults 18-49. Happy Endings ranked #1 in its slot with Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· Holding nearly all of its season opening numbers with viewers (95%) and young adults (94%), Happy Endings scored its 2nd-strongest results for a regular telecast, behind only the prior week's premiere. In fact the new comedy built over is week-ago season opener among Men 18-49 (+4%), hitting a series high.

Building on its lead in among viewers (+12%) during the 10pm hour against veteran dramas on both CBS (CSI) and NBC (L&O: SVU), ABC's freshman drama Revenge defeated NBC's veteran drama L&O: SVU by 19% in Adults 18-49. Revenge registered as the #1 drama in the hour for its 3rd telecast in a row with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· Revenge continued to generate enormous time-period improvement for ABC, leaping over the year-ago night in viewers (+75%) and young adults (+92%).

· Against the MLB coverage, the new ABC drama grew its numbers week to week among key Men (M18-49/M25-54).

Quick Take for Wednesday, October 5, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's 2-Hour Comedy Block Ranks No. 1 in Adults 18-49, as "Modern Family" Is the Night's Top-Rated TV Show for the 3rd Time in as Many Weeks This Season

Gaining Year to Year for the 3rd Week Running, "The Middle" Dominates its NBC Comedy Competition at 8pm and Grows its Audience Week to Week

"Suburgatory" Retains Nearly All of its Highly-Rated Series Debut Numbers in Viewers and Young Adults, and Shoots Up 17% from its Opener with Teens 12-17

ABC's "Modern Family" Continues to Score Big Year-Over-Year Increases

Exhibiting Impressive Hold of its Week-Ago Season Premiere Audience, ABC's "Happy Endings" Beats Out Fox's "X-Factor"-Fueled "Raising Hope"

Producing Big Year-to-Year Time-Slot Gains Opposite Established Dramas, ABC's "Revenge" Beats NBC's "L&O: SVU" in Adults 18-49 and "CSI" in Adults 18-34

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

Although facing "The X Factor" on the night this year, ABC's Wednesday results continued to pace well ahead of the year-ago evening (10/6/10) in both Total Viewers (+25% - 8.9 million vs. 7.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (+28% - 3.2/9 vs. 2.5/7)), up year to year for the 3rd straight week.

· ABC's 2-hour Wednesday comedy block ranked No. 1 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. among Adults 18-49 (3.6/10). In fact, for the 3rd straight week this season, ABC claimed Wednesday's No. 1 TV show in Adults 18-49 with "Modern Family."

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" grew its overall audience week to week and took full control of its comedy competition in the half-hour, defeating NBC's "Up All Night" by 3.3 million viewers (9.0 million vs. 5.7 million) and by 23% in Adults 18-49 (2.7/9 vs. 2.2/7). In addition, The Middle beat out CBS' "Survivor: South Pacific" in the slot by 11% in Adults 18-34 (2.0/7 vs. 1.8/6).

· Despite going up against "The X Factor" in the time period this year, "The Middle" improved over the year-ago night (8.0 million and 2.5/8 on 10/6/10) for the 3rd consecutive telecast among viewers (+1.0 million) and young adults (+8%).

"Suburgatory" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Once again building on its lead-in with viewers (9.1 million) and young adults (+11% - 3.0/8) at 8:30pm, ABC's "Suburgatory" generated impressive retention of its highly-rated week-ago debut telecast in Total Viewers (93%) and Adults 18-49 (91%). In fact, the show shot up 17% from its debut telecast with Teens 12-17 (2.1/8 vs. 1.8/7).

· The new ABC comedy paced in a near-tie with "Survivor" in the slot among Adults 18-49 (running within 2-tenths of a rating point) and beat the CBS reality series for the 2nd week in a row with Adults 18-34 (+20% - 2.4/7 vs. 2.0/6).

· Like its debut telecast the prior week, "Suburgatory" greatly outperformed the year-ago time period occupant ("Better with You" = 6.9 million and 2.3/7 on 10/6/10) in viewers (+32%) and young adults (+30%).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Gaining on its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. to dominate its time period with Adults 18-49 over "The X Factor" (+30% - 4.3/11) and CBS' "Criminal Minds" (+56% - 3.6/9), ABC's "Modern Family" (5.6/14) stood as the night's No. 1 TV show in the key young adult sales demo.

· Opposite post-season MLB coverage on cable, "Modern Family" retained nearly all of its week ago Adult 18-49 audience (98%) and built week to week across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54).

· Up year to year for the 3rd consecutive week, "Modern Family" improved over its year-ago telecast by 15% in viewers (13.1 million vs. 11.4 million) and by 22% with young adults (5.6/14 vs. 4.6/12).

"Happy Endings" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's sophomore "Happy Endings" beat out Fox's "X Factor"-fueled sophomore comedy "Raising Hope" by 11% in Total Viewers (6.9 million vs. 6.2 million) and by 26% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/7 vs. 2.3/6). "Happy Endings" ranked No. 1 in its slot with Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· Holding nearly all of its season opening numbers with viewers (95%) and young adults (94%), "Happy Endings" scored the series' 2nd-strongest results for a regular telecast, behind only the prior week's premiere. In fact the new comedy built over is week-ago season opener among Men 18-49 (+4%), hitting a series high.

"Revenge" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Building on its lead in among viewers (+12% - 7.7 million vs. 6.9 million) during the 10:00 p.m. hour against veteran dramas on both CBS ("CSI") and NBC ("L&O: SVU"), ABC's freshman drama "Revenge" defeated NBC's veteran drama "L&O: SVU" by 19% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/7 vs. 2.1/5). "Revenge" was the No. 1 drama in the hour for its 3rd telecast in a row with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· "Revenge" continued to generate enormous time-period gains for ABC, leaping over the year-ago night ("The Whole Truth" = 4.4 million vs. 1.3/4) in viewers (+75%) and young adults (+92%).

· Against MLB playoff coverage, the new ABC drama grew its numbers week to week among key Men (M18-49/M25-54).

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), 10/5/11.