At a 2-Month High ABC's "Modern Family" Posts its Most Competitive Finish Ever to "Idol" in Adults 18-49

Early info on ABC's Wednesday, ahead of the regular press release.

ABC took second place on Wednesday to Fox with a 2-hour Idol among Adults 18-34 and also qualified as the #2 broadcaster with Teens 12-17.

· Continuing to post year-to-year gains on the evening, ABC topped the same Wednesday last year in Viewers (+15%) and Adults 18-49 (+9%). For the 2nd week in a row, ABC was the only broadcaster to increase its Adult 18-49 rating year to year.

· Rising week to week in Adults 18-49 (+4%), the Network achieved a 10-week high on Wednesday - since 2/29/12.

Leading off the night at 8pm, opposite the penultimate episode of CBS' Survivor: One World and the start of Fox's 2-hour Idol, ABC's The Middle paced well ahead of NBC's Off their Rockers in viewers (+18%) and Adults 18-4 (+27%). In addition, the ABC comedy beat Survivor among Women 18-34 (+6%).

Surging 11% over its lead-in at 8:30pm with young adults, ABC's Suburgatory beat out its NBC freshman competition by double digits in its half-hour, besting a second episode of NBC's Off their Rockers by 11% in Total Viewers and by 31% in Adults 18-49. For the 8th straight original telecast, the ABC freshman comedy outdelivered the second half of Survivor: One World with Adults 18-34 (+13%) and Women 18-34 (+24%).

· Building week to week in viewers (+3%) and young adults (+5%), Suburgatory equaled its best Adult 18-49 rating since February - since 2/29/12.

· The ABC freshman comedy improved its slot year to year among Adults 18-49 (+5%) over original comedy programming on the year-ago evening.

TV's #1 scripted series for the 2nd season in a row with Adults 18-49, ABC's Modern Family more than doubled its lead-in at 9pm to finish as Wednesday's definitive scripted program, outperforming runner-up CBS' Criminal Minds by 54%.

· Posting its most-competitive finish ever, Modern Family nearly tied American Idol as the #1 TV show of the night in Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share). Beating Idol by wide margins on the night in Adults 18-34 (+24%) and Women 18-34 (+15%), Modern Family was Wednesday's #1 TV show overall for its 3rd straight original airing on both counts.

· Modern Family scored its best numbers in 2 months, up over the prior week in both viewers (+3%) and young adults (+5%) - since 3/14/12. Featuring a visit to Disneyland, the ABC comedy spiked 27% in Teens 12-17 week to week to deliver its top-rated telecast in more than 4 months -since 1/4/12.

During the 9:30pm half-hour against the end of Idol, ABC's Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23 stood as the #1 scripted show in its slot for the 4th time in its 5 telecasts with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· ABC's Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23 drew its biggest audience in 3 weeks and posted a best-since premiere number with Women 18-34.

From 10-11pm, ABC's Revenge ran a strong #2 in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 (running within 2-tenths of a rating point of the CSI season finale), while continuing to deliver the #1 position in the hour in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). The ABC freshman drama dominated NBC's veteran Law & Order: SVU in the hour with Total Viewers (+23%), Adults 18-49 (+29%) and Adults 25-54 (+17%).

· Building week to week in Adults 18-49 (+5%) and Adults 18-34 (+13%), Revenge marked its highest rating in 3 months on the latter measure - since 2/15/12.

· Revenge earned huge year-to-year gains in the hour, outdelivering original programming on the same night last year in Total Viewers (+84%), Adults 25-54 (+42%) and Adults 18-49 (+38%).

Quick Take for Wednesday, May 9, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

For the 2nd Straight Wednesday, ABC is Only Net Up Year to Year in Adults 18-49

Opposite "Idol" and the Penultimate Episode of "Survivor," ABC's "The Middle" Paces Well Ahead of NBC's "Off their Rockers" in Viewers and Adults 18-49

Building 11% on its Adult 18-49 Lead-in, ABC's "Suburgatory" Hits a 10-Week High

Marking a 2-Month High in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Modern Family" Nearly Ties "Idol" To Deliver its Most-Competitive Finish Ever on the Night to the Veteran Fox Series

Opposite the End of "Idol," ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" Ranks as The No. 1 Scripted Show in its Slot with Adults 18-34 for the 4th Time in its 5 Airings

Generating Huge Year-to-Year Time-Period Improvement in Viewers and Key Adults, ABC's "Revenge" Ranks No. 1 in its Hour with Adults 18-34 to Earn a 3-Month High

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

ABC took second place on Wednesday to Fox with a 2-hour "Idol" among Adults 18-34 and also qualified as the No. 2 broadcast net with Teens 12-17.

· Continuing to post year-to-year gains on the evening, ABC topped the same Wednesday last year in Viewers (+15% - 7.1 million vs. 6.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (+9% - 2.5/7 vs. 2.3/6). For the 2nd week in a row, ABC was the only broadcaster to increase its Adult 18-49 rating year to year.

· Rising week to week in Adults 18-49 (+4%), the Network achieved a 10-week high on Wednesday - since 2/29/12.

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

Leading off the night at 8:00 p.m., opposite the penultimate episode of CBS' "Survivor: One World" and the start of Fox's 2-hour "Idol," ABC's "The Middle" paced well ahead of NBC's "Off their Rockers" in Viewers (+18% - 6.6 million vs. 5.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (+27% - 1.9/6 vs. 1.5/5). In addition, the ABC comedy beat "Survivor" among Women 18-34 (+6%).

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

Surging 11% over its lead-in at 8:30 p.m. with young adults, ABC's "Suburgatory" beat out its NBC freshman competition by double digits in its half-hour, besting a second episode of NBC's "Off their Rockers" by 11% in Total Viewers (6.0 million vs. 5.4 million) and by 31% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 vs. 1.6/5). For the 8th straight original telecast, the ABC freshman comedy outdelivered the second half of "Survivor: One World" with Adults 18-34 (+13%) and Women 18-34 (+24%).

· Building week to week in viewers (+3%) and young adults (+5%), "Suburgatory" equaled its best Adult 18-49 rating since February - since 2/29/12.

· The ABC freshman comedy improved its slot year to year among Adults 18-49 (+5%) over original comedy programming on the year-ago evening ("Better With You" on 5/11/11 = 2.0/6).

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

TV's No. 1 scripted series for the 2nd season in a row with Adults 18-49, ABC's "Modern Family" more than doubled its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. to finish as Wednesday's definitive No. 1 scripted program, outperforming runner-up CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 54% (4.3/12 vs. 2.8/8).

· Posting its most-competitive finish ever, "Modern Family" nearly tied "American Idol" as the No. 1 TV show of the night in Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share). Beating "Idol" by wide margins on the night in Adults 18-34 (+24% - 3.6/11 vs. 2.9/9) and Women 18-34 (+15% - 4.5/13 vs. 3.9/12), "Modern Family" was Wednesday's No. 1 TV show overall for its 3rd straight original airing on both counts.

· "Modern Family" scored its best numbers in 2 months, up over the prior week in both viewers (+3%) and young adults (+5%) - since 3/14/12. Featuring a visit to Disneyland, the ABC comedy spiked 27% in Teens 12-17 week to week to deliver its top-rated telecast in more than 4 months -since 1/4/12.

"Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

During the 9:30 p.m. half-hour against the end of "Idol," ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" stood as the No. 1 scripted show in its slot for the 4th time in its 5 telecasts with Adults 18-34 (2.0/6) and Women 18-34 (2.8/8).

· ABC's "Don't Trust the B--- in Apartment 23" drew its biggest audience (5.8 million) in 3 weeks and posted a best-since debut number with Women 18-34.

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

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "Revenge" finished a strong No. 2 in Total Viewers (7.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (running within 2-tenths of a rating point of the "CSI" season finale - 2.2/6 vs. 2.4/7), while delivering the No. 1 position in the hour in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). The ABC freshman drama dominated NBC's veteran "Law & Order: SVU" in the hour with Total Viewers (+23%), Adults 18-49 (+29%) and Adults 25-54 (+17%).

· Building week to week in Adults 18-49 (+5%) and Adults 18-34 (+13%), "Revenge" marked its highest rating in 3 months on the latter measure - since 2/15/12.

· The Disney-owned drama generated huge year-to-year gains in the hour, outdelivering original programming on the same night last year in Total Viewers (+84%), Adults 25-54 (+42%) and Adults 18-49 (+38%).

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), 05/09/12.