ABC's "Once Upon a Time" is Sunday's #1 TV Show/"GCB" Grows Week to Week

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

ABC finished in a near-tie for #1 on Sunday in Adults 18-49 with an NCAA Basketball overrun-boosted CBS (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share), while leading third-place Fox by 29% and fourth-place NBC by 57%. In fact after the basketball tournament overrun, ABC beat CBS in each hour from 8-11pm. The Network won the night for the 5th week in a row across all key Women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

Once again more than doubling its lead-in at 8pm (+133%), ABC's Once Upon a Time won its hour for its 5th consecutive telecast with Adults 18-49, besting runner-up CBS' 60 Minutes/Amazing Race XX by 8%. In fact, the Disney-owned drama stood as Sunday's #1 TV show in the key young adult sales demo.

· TV's #1 new drama this season in Adults 18-49, on average Once Upon a Time is improving its time period for ABC by 75% over the same point last season.

ABC's Desperate Housewives led the 9 o'clock hour in Adults 18-49, outrunning original programming on CBS (Amazing Race/The Good Wife) by 37% and the first hour of NBC's Celebrity Apprentice by a best-yet 73%.

· Building its Women 18-49 audience week to week (+6%), Desperate Housewives hit a 9-week high - since 1/22/12.

For the 3rd week in a row, ABC's GCB registered as the #1 series in the 10pm hour in Adults 18-49, beating out the second hour of NBC's 2-hour Celebrity Apprentice by 5% and CBS' The Good Wife/CSI: Miami combo by 10%. Additionally, for the 4th straight week, the new ABC drama earned the #1 broadcast position in its slot with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· GCB grew week to week by 7% in Total Viewers and by 10% in Adults 18-49, while hitting series highs with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

Quick Take for Sunday, March 25, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

More than Doubling its Lead-in, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" is No. 1 in its Hour In Adults 18-49 for its 5th Straight Telecast to Stand as the Night's No. 1 TV Show

ABC's "Desperate Housewives" Dominates its Hour Among Adults 18-49

Up Week to Week, "GCB" Qualifies as the No. 1 Series in the 10pm Hour for The 3rd Week in a Row in Adults 18-49 and Marks a Series High in Adults 18-34

Sunday Night (7:00-11:00 p.m.) ABC finished in a near tie for No. 1 on Sunday in Adults 18-49 with an NCAA Basketball overrun-boosted CBS (2.2/6 vs. 2.3/6 - pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share), while leading third-place Fox by 29% (1.7/5) and fourth-place NBC by 57% (1.4/4). In fact after the basketball tournament overrun, ABC beat CBS in each hour from 8:00-11:00 p.m. The Net won the night for the 5th week in a row across all key Women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

"Once Upon a Time" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Once again more than doubling its lead-in at 8:00 p.m. (+133%), ABC's "Once Upon a Time" won its hour for its 5th consecutive telecast in Adults 18-49, besting runner-up CBS' "60 Minutes"/"Amazing Race XX" by 8% (2.8/8 vs. 2.6/7). In fact, the Disney-owned drama stood as Sunday night's No. 1 TV show in the key young adult sales demo.

· TV's No. 1 new drama this season in Adults 18-49, on average "Once Upon a Time" is improving its time period for ABC by 75% over the same point last season (4.2/10 vs. 2.4/6).

"Desperate Housewives" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Desperate Housewives" (2.6/7) led the 9 o'clock hour in Adults 18-49, outrunning original programming on CBS ("Amazing Race"/"The Good Wife") by 37% (1.9/5) and the first hour of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" by a best-yet 73% (1.5/4).

· Building its Women 18-49 audience week to week (+6%), "Desperate Housewives" hit a 9-week high - since 1/22/12.

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

For the 3rd week in a row, ABC's "GCB" (2.2/6) registered as the No. 1 series in the 10:00 p.m. hour in Adults 18-49, beating out the second hour of NBC's 2-hour "Celebrity Apprentice" by 5% (2.1/5) and CBS' "The Good Wife"/"CSI: Miami" combo by 10% (2.0/5). Additionally, for the 4th straight week, the new ABC drama earned the No. 1 broadcast position in its slot with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· "GCB" grew week to week by 7% in Total Viewers (6.5 million vs. 6.1 million) and by 10% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 2.0/5), while hitting series highs in Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

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 40% at the same point in 2011. 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), 03/25/12.