ABC is #1 on Sunday for the 3rd Straight Week at a 2-Month High in Adults 18-49

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

Ranking #1 for the 3rd straight Sunday, ABC led the night by impressive margins in Adults 18-49, beating out CBS (with the 2-hour Amazing Race finale) by 20%, Fox by 26% and NBC by 85%. The Net continued to earn the #1 position on the evening with Adults 25-54 and across all key Women demos.

· Increasing over the prior Sunday in viewers (+3%) and gaining for the 3rd straight week in young adults (+9%), ABC turned in its strongest results on the night in 2 months - since 3/11/12 and 3/4/12, respectively. In addition, the Net was up over the same Sunday last year in Adults 18-49 (+9%).

ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos won the 7 o'clock hour for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49, outdelivering CBS' 60 Minutes by 25%, Fox's animated comedies by 54% and NBC's Dateline by 186%.

· Launching over the prior week by 33% in Adults 18-49, ABC's AFHV hit its best number in 2 months to equal its 2nd-highest rating this season - since 3/4/12. In addition, the veteran ABC video-clip show shot up 18% over its year-ago telecast with young adults.

At 8pm, ABC freshman drama Once Upon a Time dominated its hour in Adults 18-49, holding the #1 position in its slot for its 9th consecutive original broadcast. From 8-9pm, Once Upon a Time defeated the first hour of the season finale for CBS' Amazing Race XX by 15%, Fox's animated comedies (The Simpsons/Bob's Burgers) by 50% and more than quadrupled the delivery of NBC's Harry's Law (+329%).

· TV's #1 new drama for the 2011-12 season, ABC's Once Upon a Time stood as Sunday's highest-rated television show for the 3rd week running with Adults 18-49.

· Once Upon a Time generated big time-slot gains for ABC year to year, up by 11% in Total Viewers and by 43% in Adults 18-49 over first-run programming on the year-ago night.

· Once Upon a Time was up over the prior week's "Fast Affiliate" Adult 18-49 rating (+3%), matching a 9-week high - since 3/4/12.

At 9pm, the penultimate episode of ABC's Desperate Housewives qualified as the most-watched TV show in its hour and led for the 2nd week in a row with Adults 18-49, beating the second hour of the Amazing Race finale on both counts.

· Jumping week to week in viewers (+16%) and young adults (+12%), Desperate Housewives marked its 2nd-most-watched telecast of the season and scored a 17-week high in Adults 18-49 (since 1/8/12).

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's season finale GCB once again dominated its freshman drama competition, beating CBS' NYC 22 by 38% in Adults 18-49 and by 28% in Adults 25-54. In addition, the new ABC drama ranked #1 in the hour with key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· Growing its overall audience for the 2nd straight telecast, GCB hit its highest numbers in 6 weeks in Total Viewers, Adults 18-34 and Adults 25-54 (tie) - since 3/25/12.

· On average during its freshman season, GCB improved its time period by wide margins year to year in Total Viewers (+21%) and Adults 18-49 (+44%).

Quick Take for Sunday, May 6, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Hitting a 2-Month High and Building Year to Year in Adults 18-49, ABC Ranks No. 1 for its 3rd Straight Sunday with Strong Competitive Advantages

"AFHV" Wins the 7pm Hour in Adults 18-49 with the Season's 2nd-Best Number

TV's No. 1 New Drama for the 2011-12 Season, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" Stands As Sunday's Highest-Rated TV Show for the 3rd Week in a Row with Adults 18-49

ABC's "Desperate Housewives" Take First Place in the 9pm Hour, Drawing its 2nd-Largest Audience this Season and Earning a 17-Week High in Adults 18-49

Growing its Overall Audience for the 2nd Week in a Row to a 6-Week High, ABC's "GCB" Improves its Time Slot by Wide Margins During its Freshman Season

Sunday Night (7:00-11:00 p.m.)

Ranking No. 1 for the 3rd straight Sunday, ABC (2.4/7) led the night by impressive margins in Adults 18-49, beating out CBS (with the 2-hour "Amazing Race" finale) by 20% (2.0/6), Fox by 26% (1.9/5) and NBC by 85% (1.3/4). The Net continued to earn the No. 1 position on the evening with Adults 25-54 and across all key Women demos.

· Increasing over the prior Sunday in viewers (+3%) and gaining for the 3rd straight week in young adults (+9%), ABC turned in its strongest results on the night in 2 months - since 3/11/12 and 3/4/12, respectively. In addition, the Net was up over the same Sunday last year in Adults 18-49 (+9% - 2.2/6 on 5/8/11).

"America's Funniest Home Videos" (7:00-8:00 p.m.)

ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" (2.0/7) won the 7 o'clock hour for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49, outdelivering CBS' "60 Minutes" by 25% (1.6/5), Fox's animated comedies by 54% (1.3/4) and NBC's "Dateline" by 186% (0.7/2).

· Launching over the prior week by 33% in Adults 18-49, ABC's "AFHV" hit its best number in 2 months to equal its 2nd-highest-rated telecast this season - since 3/4/12. In addition, the veteran ABC video-clip show shot up 18% over its year-ago telecast with young adults (1.7/6 on 5/8/11).

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

At 8:00 p.m., ABC freshman drama "Once Upon a Time" dominated its hour in Adults 18-49, holding the No. 1 position in its slot for its 9th consecutive original broadcast. From 8:00-9:00 p.m., "Once Upon a Time" (3.0/8) defeated the opening hour of the season finale for CBS' "Amazing Race XX" by 15% (2.6/7), Fox's animated comedies ("The Simpsons"/"Bob's Burgers") by 50% (2.0/6) and more than quadrupled the delivery of NBC's "Harry's Law" (+329% - 0.7/2).

· TV's No. 1 new drama for the 2011-12 Season, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" stood as Sunday's highest-rated television show for the 3rd week running with Adults 18-49.

· "Once Upon a Time" generated big time-slot gains for ABC year to year, up by 11% in Total Viewers (8.9 million vs. 8.0 million) and by 43% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/8 vs. 2.1/6) over first-run programming on the year-ago night.

· "Once Upon a Time" was up over the prior week's "Fast Affiliate" Adult 18-49 rating (+3%), matching a 9-week high - since 3/4/12.

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

At 9:00 p.m., the penultimate episode of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" (9.31 million and 2.8/7) qualified as the most-watched TV show in its hour and led for the 2nd week in a row with Adults 18-49, beating the second hour of the "Amazing Race" (9.28 million and 2.7/7) finale on both counts.

· Jumping week to week in viewers (+16%) and young adults (+12%), "Desperate Housewives" marked its 2nd-most-watched telecast of the season and scored a 17-week high in Adults 18-49 (since 1/8/12).

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

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's Season Finale "GCB" once again dominated its freshman drama competition, beating CBS' "NYC 22" by 38% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.3/3) and by 28% in Adults 25-54 (2.3/5 vs. 1.8/4). In addition, the new ABC drama ranked No. 1 in the hour with key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· Growing its overall audience for the 2nd straight telecast, "GCB" hit its highest numbers in 6 weeks in Total Viewers, Adults 18-34 and Adults 25-54 (tie) - since 3/25/12.

· On average during its freshman season, "GCB" improved its time period by wide margins year to year in Total Viewers (+21% - 7.5 million vs. 6.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (+44% - 2.6/7 vs. 1.8/5).

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 44% currently, from 41% 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), 05/06/12.