ABC Wins Tuesday with Season Highs/"Dancing" is the #1 TV Show

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

ABC finished a solid #1 on the final Tuesday of the November Sweep, leading its nearest competition on the evening by 1.4 million viewers (CBS) and by 9% in Adults 18-49 (Fox).

· Building its numbers for the 2nd week in a row with Total Viewers (+44%) and Adults 18-49 (+52%), ABC scored season-high results on Tuesday night on both counts.

At 8pm opposite CBS' top-rated NCIS, ABC freshman Last Man Standing qualified as the 2nd-most-watched TV show overall in its half-hour for its 6th time in the series' 7 telecasts, topping Fox's special The X Factor (+3%) and NBC's The Biggest Loser 12 (+60%). The broad-appealing Tim Allen sitcom widened its winning advantage over NBC's veteran Biggest Loser to 42% among Adults 18-49 (up from a 30% advantage the prior week).

· Despite facing increased competition in the slot from The X Factor, Last Man Standing rose week to week in viewers (+2%) and young adults (+4%), equaling its top Adult 18-49 number in 4 weeks - since 10/25/11.

· The freshman comedy continued to produce sizeable year-to-year growth for ABC in its half-hour, surging by 2.5 million viewers and by 59% in Adults 18-49 over the same night last year (w/No Ordinary Family).

At 8:30pm opposite stiff competition from the second half-hours of NCIS and The X Factor, ABC's Man Up! increased its overall audience for the 2nd week in a row and jumped 12% in Adults 18-49 week to week. In fact the show drew its largest audience since its debut and hit its best young adult number in 4 weeks - since 10/18/11 and 10/25/11, respectively.

Jumping over its lead-in at 9pm and building throughout its broadcast, ABC's 13th-season finale of Dancing with the Stars dominated all 4 of its half-hours in viewers and young adults to emerge as Tuesday's #1 TV show. In fact ABC's DWTS: The Results overpowered formidable sweep competition throughout its 2-hour broadcast, defeating the second hour of Fox's 2-hour The X Factor special, CBS' NCIS: LA and Unforgettable and the second hour of NBC's the Biggest Loser and Parenthood. In fact, the veteran ABC unscripted series beat out its combined competition during its final hour, leading the combination of CBS' Unforgettable and NBC's Parenthood from 10-11pm by 5.6 million viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49.

· Spiking week to week by 29% in viewers and by 46% in young adults, DWTS: The Results closed out with season highs on both Nielsen measures.

· ABC's Dancing finale delivered the biggest overall entertainment audience during the 10 o'clock hour for any network on any night in 6 months - since 5/24/11.

Quick Take for Tuesday, November 22, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Scoring Season Highs on the Evening, ABC Wins the Final Tuesday of the Sweep

The 2nd-Most-Watched TV Show in its Slot for the 6th Time in 7 Telecasts, ABC's "Last Man Standing" Grows Week to Week and Greatly Improves its Half-Hour

Growing its Overall Audience for the 2nd Straight Week, ABC's "Man Up!" Draws Its Biggest Audience Since its Debut and its Top Young Adult Number in 4 Weeks

Hitting Season Highs in its Finale, ABC's "DWTS: The Results" Dominates All 4 of its Half-Hours to Emerge as Tuesday's No. 1 TV Show with Viewers and Young Adults

Beating its Combined Competition During its Final Hour, ABC's "Dancing" Draws the Top Entertainment Audience for Any Net on Any Night in the 10pm Hour Since May

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

ABC finished a solid No. 1 on the final Tuesday of the November Sweep, leading its nearest competition on the evening by 1.4 million viewers (15.7 million vs. 14.3 million - CBS) and by 9% in Adults 18-49 (3.5/9 vs. 3.2/9 - Fox).

· Building its numbers for the 2nd week in a row with Total Viewers (+44%) and Adults 18-49 (+52%), ABC scored season-high results on Tuesday night on both counts.

"Last Man Standing" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., opposite CBS' top-rated "NCIS," ABC freshman "Last Man Standing" (9.3 million) qualified as the 2nd-most-watched TV show overall in its half-hour for its 6th time in the series' 7 telecasts, topping Fox's special "The X Factor" (+3% - 9.0 million) and NBC's "The Biggest Loser 12" (+60% - 5.8 million). The broad-appealing Tim Allen sitcom widened its winning advantage over NBC's veteran "Biggest Loser" to 42% in Adults 18-49 (2.7/8 vs. 1.9/6), up from a 30% advantage the prior week.

· Despite facing increased competition in the slot from "The X Factor," "Last Man Standing" rose week to week in viewers (+2%) and young adults (+4%), equaling its top Adult 18-49 number in 4 weeks - since 10/25/11.

· The freshman comedy continued to produce sizeable year-to-year growth for ABC in its half-hour, surging by 2.5 million viewers and by 59% in Adults 18-49 over the same night last year ("No Ordinary Family" on 11/23/10 = 6.8 million and 1.7/5).

"Man Up!" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m., opposite stiff competition from the second half-hours of "NCIS" and "The X Factor," ABC's "Man Up!" increased its overall audience for the 2nd week in a row (6.8 million vs. 6.3 million) and jumped 12% in Adults 18-49 (1.9/5 vs. 1.7/5) week to week. In fact the show drew its largest audience since its debut and hit its best young adult number in 4 weeks - since 10/18/11 and 10/25/11, respectively.

"Dancing with the Stars: The Results" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

Jumping over its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. and building throughout its broadcast, ABC's 13th-season finale of "Dancing with the Stars" dominated all 4 of its half-hours to emerge as Tuesday's No. 1 TV show in viewers (19.5 million) and young adults (4.1/11). ABC's "DWTS: The Results" overpowered formidable sweep competition throughout its 2-hour broadcast, defeating the second hour of Fox's 2-hour "The X Factor" special, CBS' "NCIS: LA" and "Unforgettable" and the second hour of NBC's "The Biggest Loser" and "Parenthood." In fact, the veteran ABC unscripted series beat out its combined competition during its final hour, leading the combination of CBS' "Unforgettable" and NBC's "Parenthood" from 10:00-11:00 p.m. by 5.5 million viewers (20.4 million vs. 14.9 million) and by 7% in Adults 18-49 (4.4/12 vs. 4.1/11). TV actor and U.S. Army veteran J. R. Martinez was crowned champion of Season 13 and awarded the coveted mirror ball trophy.

· Spiking week to week by 29% in viewers and by 46% in young adults, "DWTS: The Results" closed out with season highs on both Nielsen measures.

· ABC's "Dancing" finale delivered the biggest overall entertainment audience (20.4 million) during the 10 o'clock hour for any network on any night in 6 months - since 5/24/11.

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 43% 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), 11/22/11.