A Special Edition of "20/20" Draws ABC's Top Summertime Audience in 2 Years to its Time Slot

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

From 8-9pm, the 1-hour season finale of Cougar Town grew over its most recent airing two weeks ago in viewers (+9%) and young adults (+20%).

Nearly doubling its lead-in (+97%) against NBC's America's Got Talent, a 2-hour Special Edition of 20/20: The Jubilee Queen with Katie Couric finished as the 2nd-most-watched show in its 9-11pm time period. The ABC newsmagazine also took second place in its slot with Adults 25-54 and key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

· Building sharply from its first hour to its second hour in Total Viewers (+25%), Adults 18-49 (+25%) and Adults 25-54 (+31%), ABC's 20/20 moved up to #1 during the 10 o'clock hour and beat out CBS' competing newsmagazine (48 Hours Mystery) on all 3 measures.

· A Special Edition of 20/20: The Jubilee Queen with Katie Couric attracted ABC's biggest non-sports summertime audience (Memorial Day-Labor Day) to the time period in 2 years - since 6/1/10.

Quick Take for Tuesday, May 29, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

"Cougar Town" Grows in its Finale by 9% in Viewers and by 20% in Adults 18-49

"A Special Edition of 20/20: The Jubilee Queen with Katie Couric" Nearly Doubles Its Lead-in to Draw ABC's Biggest Summertime Audience in the Time Slot in 2 Years

"Cougar Town" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

From 8:00-9:00 p.m., the 1-hour season finale of "Cougar Town" grew over its most recent airing two weeks ago in viewers (+9% - 3.5 million vs. 3.2 million) and young adults (+20% - 1.2/4 vs. 1.0/3).

"A Special Edition of 20/20: The Jubilee Queen with Katie Couric" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

Nearly doubling its lead-in (+97%) against NBC's "America's Got Talent," a 2-hour "Special Edition of 20/20: The Jubilee Queen with Katie Couric" (6.9 million) finished as the 2nd-most-watched broadcast from 9:00-11:00 p.m. The ABC newsmagazine also took second place in its slot with Adults 25-54 (1.9/4) and key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

· Building sharply from its first hour to its second hour in Total Viewers (+25% - 6.1 million to 7.6 million), Adults 18-49 (+25% - 1.2/3 to 1.5/4) and Adults 25-54 (+31% - 1.6/4 to 2.1/5), ABC's "20/20" moved up to No. 1 against network rivals during the 10 o'clock hour to beat out CBS' competing newsmagazine ("48 Hours Mystery") on all 3 measures.

· "A Special Edition of 20/20: The Jubilee Queen with Katie Couric" attracted ABC's biggest non-sports summertime audience (Memorial Day-Labor Day) to the time period in 2 years - since 6/1/10.

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), 05/29/12.