"Modern Family" Opens as the #1 TV Show, as ABC's Wednesday Comedy Block Wins from 8-10pm

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

With season openers of The Middle, Modern Family and debut of The Neighbors, ABC ranked #1 from 8-10pm in Adults 18-49, beating out runner-up Fox's primetime line-up (2-hour The X Factor) by 9%.

Opposite the opening hour of The X Factor and CBS' Survivor from 8-9pm, ABC's 4th season 1-hour premiere of The Middle dominated its NBC comedy competition, beating time-period comedy premieres (Animal Practice/Guys with Kids) by 80% in Total Viewers and by 87% in Adults 18-49. In fact, The Middle outdrew the first hour of The X Factor in Total Viewers.

Surging over its season finale in May with viewers (+38%) and young adults (+40%), The Middle scored its best numbers since January - since 1/11/12.

Shooting to the top of its 9pm slot to dominate the third half-hour of Fox's The X Factor and the season opener of CBS' Criminal Minds, ABC's Emmy-Award winning Modern Family opened its 4th season as Wednesday's definitive #1 TV show in viewers and young adults.

· Up sharply from its season closer with viewers (+41%) and young adults (+34%), Modern Family marked the series' 2nd-biggest audience ever for a regular telecast. In addition, the show marked its highest young adult rating since the beginning of the year - since 1/4/12. In addition, the ABC family comedy equaled its best-ever number with Kids 2-11.

· In Adults 18-49, Modern Family posted TV's highest-rated comedy telecast in more than 7 months - since 2/9/12.

Against the final half-hour of The X Factor in the 9:30pm slot, ABC's series debut of The Neighbors finished a strong second in its slot among Adults 18-49, tying the Fox show in audience share and beating the second half-hour of Criminal Minds by 10%. In addition, Neighbors stands as the 2nd highest new comedy premiere this season with young adults.

· The series debut of The Neighbors was up from the year-ago season opener of Happy Endings in the slot by 2.0 million viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49. In addition, The Neighbors produced ABC's biggest audience in the slot with comedy programming in 1 year - since the year-ago opener of Modern Family on 9/21/11.

Quick Take for Wednesday, September 26, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's Wednesday Comedy Block Wins Season Premiere Wednesday from 8-10pm

Surging Over its Season Finale, "The Middle" Opens With its Top Results Since January

ABC's "Modern Family" Premieres its 4th Season as Wednesday's Definitive No. 1 TV Show, Drawing its 2nd-Biggest Audience Ever for a Regular Telecast

"Modern Family" Scores TV's Highest Rated Comedy Telecast in Over 7 Months

Gaining Strong Sampling in its Debut, "The Neighbors" is Premiere Week's No. 1 New Comedy and Draws ABC's Biggest Comedy Audience in the Slot in 1 Year

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

With season openers of "The Middle," "Modern Family" and the debut of "The Neighbors," ABC ranked No. 1 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. in Adults 18-49, beating out runner-up Fox's primetime lineup (2-hour "The X Factor") by 9% (3.6/10 vs. 3.3/9).

Please Note: From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC aired a re-cap clip-show for "Revenge," ahead of its sophomore season premiere this coming Sunday at 9:00 p.m., on its new night and time. In addition, "The Neighbors" will move into its regular Wednesday 8:30 p.m. time period next week.

"The Middle" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Opposite the opening hour of "The X Factor" and CBS' "Survivor: Philippines" from 8:00-9:00 p.m., ABC's 4th season 1-hour premiere of "The Middle" (9.0 million and 2.8/9) dominated its NBC comedy competition, beating time-period comedy premieres ("Animal Practice"/"Guys with Kids" = 5.0 million and 1.5/5) by 80% in Total Viewers and by 87% in Adults 18-49. In fact, "The Middle" drew a bigger overall audience than the first hour of "The X Factor" (8.8 million).

· Surging over its season finale in May (5/23/12) with viewers (+38%) and young adults (+40%), "The Middle" scored its best numbers since January - since 1/11/12.

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

Shooting to the top of its 9:00 p.m. slot to dominate the third half-hour of Fox's "The X Factor" and the season opener of CBS' "Criminal Minds", ABC's Emmy-Award winning "Modern Family" opened its 4th season as Wednesday's definitive No. 1 TV show in viewers (14.2 million) and young adults (5.5/15).

· Up sharply from its season closer with viewers (+41%) and young adults (+34%), "Modern Family" marked the series' 2nd-biggest audience ever for a regular telecast and its top young adult rating since the beginning of 2012 - since 1/4/12. In addition, the ABC family comedy equaled its best-ever number with Kids 2-11.

· The new season's No. 1 series in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Modern Family" delivered TV's highest-rated comedy telecast in more than 7 months - since 2/9/12.

"The Neighbors" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

Against the final half-hour of "The X Factor" in the 9:30 p.m. slot, ABC's series debut of "The Neighbors" finished a strong second in its slot among Adults 18-49 (3.3/9), tying the Fox show in audience share (3.6/9) and beating the second half-hour of "Criminal Minds" by 10% (3.0/8).

· ABC's "The Neighbors" stands as premiere week's No. 1 new comedy in Total Viewers (9.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (3.3/9), pacing well ahead of CBS' Monday debut of "Partners" and Fox's Tuesday debuts of "Ben and Kate" and "Mindy Project." In fact, it's the 2nd-highest new comedy debut this fall with young adults, just 1-tenth shy of NBC's "Go On," which had the advantage of opening against much weaker competition prior to premiere week.

· "The Neighbors" was up from the year-ago season opener of "Happy Endings" (9/28/11) in the slot by 2.0 million viewers and by 6% in Adults 18-49. In addition, "The Neighbors" produced ABC's biggest audience in the time slot with comedy programming in 1 year - since the year-ago opener of "Modern Family" on 9/21/11.

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 45% currently, from 42% 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), 09/26/12.