ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Hits Multi-Month Highs in Viewers and Adults 18-49

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

During the week of April 23, 2012, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live grew week to week by 5% in Total Viewers and by 15% in Adults 18-49 to draw its biggest overall audience in more than 5 months and deliver its best young adult performance in 2 months - since the weeks of 11/21/11 and 2/27/12, respectively. In addition, JKL increased its audience over the same week last year for the 4th week in a row, growing by 7% in Total Viewers and by 4% in Adults 18-49 to stand as the only late-night broadcast talk show to see year-to-year gains in either Nielsen measure.

· During the week, ABC's JKL (M-F 12am) stood as the #3 talk show in late-night in Total Viewers, behind only NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (M-F 11:35pm) and CBS' The Late Show with David Letterman (M-F 11:35pm).

· ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live topped NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon (M-F 12:35am) by 12% in Total Viewers and by 4% in Adults 18-49 during the week, marking JKL's 5th straight win over the NBC late-night program in both viewers and young adults.

Season to date (32 weeks), ABC's JKL is building its overall audience through the same weeks last year by 3% in Total Viewers, standing as the only late-night broadcast talk show to grow year over year.

· Season to date, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live is the #3 broadcast talk show in late-night in Total Viewers, outdrawing both NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming Week of April 23, 2012

With the Most Wins in Late-Night, ABC is Again the Week's Most-Watched Network

ABC's "Nightline" is Late-Night's No. 1 Program for the 8th Time in the Last 9 Weeks

ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Grows to its Biggest Audience since November and Hits its Strongest Adult 18-49 Number since February

ABC Late-Night (Monday - Friday)

With its late-night lineup of "Nightline" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" during the week of April 23, 2012, ABC saw increases over the prior week of 5% in Total Viewers (2.436 million vs. 2.325 million) and 14% in Adults 18-49 (840,000 vs. 740,000), hitting its best young adult number in over 3 months - since the week of 1/16/12.

ABC also grew over the year-ago week by 4% in Total Viewers and by 5% in Adults 18-49 to stand as the only broadcaster in late-night to grow year to year (CBS was down -8%/-18%, respectively; NBC was down -13%/-23%, respectively).

· For the 5th straight week, ABC qualified as the most-watched network in late-night (2.436 million), topping CBS by 13% (2.163 million) and NBC by 11% (2.190 million). In fact, ABC has stood as the No. 1 network in Total Viewers in 14 of the 32 weeks this season to claim the most number of wins in late-night.

· ABC also ranked as the No. 1 network in late-night in Adults 18-49 (840,000) for the 3rd week running, beating both CBS (+16% - 725,000) and NBC (+13% - 743,000) by solid double-digit margins.

"Nightline" (Monday - Friday)

ABC's "Nightline" finished as the No. 1 program in late-night for the 5th consecutive week in all target demos -- Total Viewers (3.899 million), Adults 25-54 (1.504 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.197 million) -- for the week of April 23, 2012, according to Nielsen Media Research. "Nightline" has taken the top spot in late-night in all 3 demos for the 8th time in the last 9 weeks.

"Nightline" was up week to week in Total Viewers (+4%), Adults 25-54 (+3%) and Adults 18-49 (+10%).

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in late-night among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, ahead of both NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." This marks the 2nd straight year that the ABC program is taking the top spot in all 3 measures.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (Monday - Friday)

During the week of April 23, 2012, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" grew week to week by 5% in Total Viewers (1.890 million vs. 1.804 million) and by 15% in Adults 18-49 (706,000 vs. 613,000) to draw its biggest overall audience in more than 5 months and deliver its best young adult performance in 2 months - since the weeks of 11/21/11 and 2/27/12, respectively. In addition, "JKL" increased its audience over the same week last year for the 4th week in a row, growing by 7% in Total Viewers and by 4% in Adults 18-49 to stand as the only late-night broadcast talk show to see year-to-year gains in either Nielsen measure (1.763 million and 680,000 on w/o 4/25/11).

· During the week, ABC's "JKL" (1.890 million) stood as the No. 3 talk show in late-night in Total Viewers, behind only NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (3.514 million) and CBS' "The Late Show with David Letterman" (2.943 million).

· Despite a highly publicized appearance by President Obama on Tuesday's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (M-F 12:35 a.m.), ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (M-F 12:00 a.m.) topped the NBC program during the week by 12% in Total Viewers (1.890 million vs. 1.684 million) and by 4% in Adults 18-49 (706,000 vs. 682,000) to mark its 5th straight win over the NBC late-night program in both viewers and young adults.

Season to date (32 weeks), ABC's "JKL" is building its overall audience through the same weeks last year by 3% in Total Viewers (1.778 million vs. 1.726 million), standing as the only late-night broadcast talk show to grow year over year.

· Season to date, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (1.778 million) is the No. 3 broadcast talk show in late-night in Total Viewers, outdrawing both NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" (1.767 million) and CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (1.533 million).

Late-Night Rank (Week of Apr 23): TOTAL VIEWERS A18-49(000)

ABC 2,436,000 840,000

CBS 2,163,000 725,000

NBC 2,190,000 743,000

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for week of 4/23/12, 4/16/12 & 4/25/11 or as dated. Most Current: 11-2012 Season (9/19 - 4/29/12) and 2010-2011 Season (9/20 - 5/1/11). 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 the Week of April 23, 2011

"Nightline" Finishes as the No. 1 Program in Latenight for the 5th Consecutive Week in All Key Demos

"Nightline" Has Taken the Top Spot in Latenight in All 3 Demos for the 8th Time in the Last 9 Weeks

Season to Date, "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Latenight Among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49

ABC's "Nightline" finished as the No. 1 program in latenight for the 5th consecutive week in all target demos: Total Viewers (3.899 million), Adults 25-54 (1.504 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.197 million), for the week of April 23, 2012, according to Nielsen Media Research. "Nightline" has taken the top spot in latenight in all 3 demos for the 8th time in the last 9 weeks.

"Nightline" was up week to week in Total Viewers (+4%), Adults 25-54 (+3%) and Adults 18-49 (+10%).

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in latenight among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, ahead of both NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." This marks the 2nd straight year that the ABC program is taking the top spot in all 3 measures.

During the week of April 23, Nightline investigated abusive debt agencies and backpage.com; took a closer look at children living in poverty on the Texas-Mexico border; reported on Jennifer Hudson's testimony at the trial of the man accused of murdering her family members; and featured interviews with American Apparel CEO Dov Charney, Carrie Underwood and Jimmy Kimmel as he readied for the White House Correspondents Association dinner.

ABC News' "Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Bill Weir. Juju Chang is a correspondent. Jeanmarie Condon is the Executive Producer. The program airs weeknights from 11:35 p.m., ET to 12:00 a.m. on the ABC Television Network.

(Week of April 23, 2012)

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

ABC "Nightline" 3,889,000 1,504,000/ 1.2 1,197,000/ 0.9

CBS "Late Show" 2,943,000 1,208,000/ 1.0 897,000/ 0.7

NBC "Tonight Show" 3,514,000 1,343,000/ 1.1 1,018,000/ 0.8

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI (Total Viewers and Adults 25-54); Live+SD for 4/23/12, 4/16/12 & 4/25/11. Most Current: 2011-2012 Season (9/19/11 - 4/29/12) and 2010-2011 Season (9/20/10 - 5/1/11).