ABC's "Kimmel" Scores its 2nd-Largest Audience Ever

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

In its third week in its new 11:35pm time slot during the week of January 21, 2013, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live grew week to week in both Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+2%) to score its 2nd-biggest weekly audience in its history (2.855 million), behind only the show's debut week at 11:35pm two weeks ago. JKL saw gains over the year-ago week of 68% in Total Viewers and 50% in Adults 18-49, growing its overall audience year over year for the 9th week in a row.

· Thursday's broadcast of JKL, which featured Matt Damon's takeover of Kimmel's late-night show, was the week's #1 telecast in late-night among Adults 18-49.

· JKL's Thursday's telecast attracted 3.642 million Total Viewers to qualify as the show's most-watched regular broadcast ever.

· ABC's JKL ran in a near tie with NBC's The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in Adults 18-49, as just 43,000 young adults viewers separated the two programs. The ABC late-night program beat The Tonight Show in Adults 18-34 (+5%) for the 3rd straight week.

** Ratings Report for ABC News' "Nightline" For the Week of January 21, 2013

"Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers for 3rd Straight Week and No. 1 in Key Adult 25-54 Demo for 2nd Time in 3 Weeks in New Time Period

"Nightline" Grows Week-to-Week in All Key Demos

"Nightline" Improves ABC's Year-to-Year Performance at 12:35 am in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 25-54 (+21%) for 3rd Time in 3 Weeks

For the week of January 21, 2013, "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in its new 12:35 a.m. time-slot in Total Viewers (1.761 million) and Adults 25-54 (785,000), according to Nielsen Media Research. For the 3rd straight week, "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers, while ranking No. 1 in Adults 25-54 for the 2nd time in 3 weeks.

"Nightline" was up week to week across all key target demos: Total Viewers (+4%), Adults 25-54 (+6%) and Adults 18-49 (+6%). In fact, "Nightline" posted its strongest performance yet in its new time period in Total Viewers.

On Thursday (1/24/13), "Nightline" turned in its strongest telecast to date in its new time-slot in Total Viewers (2.147 million) and Adults 18-49 (761,000).

For the 3rd time in 3 weeks in its new time-period, "Nightline" improved on ABC's performance in the time period year to year in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 25-54 (+21%) - 1.365 million and 650,000, respectively, on w/o 1/23/12.

On average in its new time period, "Nightline" ranks No. 1 among Total Viewers and Adults 25-54, ahead of both NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" and CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson."

"Nightline" dedicated Monday night's broadcast to covering all aspects of President Obama's historic Inauguration, from his speech and call to action to the glamour and gowns at the inauguration balls. Also during the week of January 21st, "Nightline" investigated what's really inside some of the food you buy; went up close and personal with Prince Harry; took a closer look at shocking online romance hoaxes, including the deceptions and lies necessary to pull off these so-called catfish scams; reported why hidden digital footprints may mean the end of infidelity as we know it; put the latest celebrity fitness craze to the test; and hit the slopes with X-games and Olympic superstar Shaun White, among other reports.

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 12:35 a.m., ET to 1:00 a.m. on the ABC Television Network. Together with "Jimmy Kimmel Live," "Nightline" is part of ABC's winning late night strategy of airing news and entertainment programming.

Note: Due to the Martin Luther King holiday (1/21/13), ABC's, CBS' and NBC's Monday telecasts were coded as specials and are excluded from the weekly average.

Week of January 21, 2013

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

ABC "Nightline" 1,761,000 785,000/ 0.7 550,000/ 0.4

CBS "Late Late Show" 1,297,000 621,000/ 0.5 473,000/ 0.4

NBC "Late Night" 1,515,000 667,000/ 0.6 585,000/ 0.5

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 01/21/13, 1/14/13 & 1/23/12. ABC, CBS and NBC program averages (1/7 - 1/25/13), excludes 1/7/13 telecast of "Nightline."

Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming Week of January 21, 2013

As the No. 1 Net in Late-Night, ABC Posts Week-to-Week and Year-to-Year Gains

ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Builds to its 2nd-Largest Audience Ever

Increasing its Lead Over NBC's "Tonight Show," "JKL" is the Week's No. 1 Broadcast Talk Show in Late-Night in Adults 18-34 for the 3rd Week in a Row

Growing Week to Week in All Key Demos, ABC's "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 Versus CBS and NBC in Total Viewers for the 3rd Straight Week

ABC Late-Night (Monday - Friday)

During the third week of its new lineup of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" at 11:35 p.m. and "Nightline" at 12:35 a.m. (week of January 21, 2013), ABC stood as the No. 1 network in late-night once again in both Total Viewers (2.515 million) and Adults 18-49 (830,000) to score its 13th win in the 18 weeks of the season.

· ABC was up over the prior week by 4% in Total Viewers and by 2% in Adults 18-49 to deliver its 3rd-best performance this season in late-night in young adults.

· ABC's new late-night lineup posted gains over the Net's performance on the year-ago week for the 3rd week in a row in Total Viewers (+9%) and for the 2nd time in the last 3 weeks in Adults 18-49 (+7%).

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (M-F 11:35 p.m.)

In its third week in its new 11:35 p.m. time slot during the week of January 21, 2013, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" grew week to week in both Total Viewers (+4% - 2.855 million vs. 2.743 million) and Adults 18-49 (+2% - 956,000 vs. 939,000) to score its 2nd-biggest weekly audience in its history, behind only the show's debut week at 11:35 p.m. two weeks ago. "JKL" saw gains over its year-ago week performance (1.695 million and 637,000 on w/o 1/23/12) of 68% in Total Viewers and 50% in Adults 18-49, growing its overall audience year over year for the 9th week in a row.

· Thursday's telecast of "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (on 1/24/13), which featured Matt Damon's takeover of Kimmel's late-night show, attracted 3.642 million Total Viewers to qualify as the show's most-watched regular broadcast ever.

· "JKL's" Thursday broadcast was the week's No. 1 telecast in late-night among Adults 18-49 (1.300 million).

· ABC's "JKL" ran in a near tie with NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" in Adults 18-49, as just 43,000 young adult viewers separated the two programs (956,000 vs. 999,000). The ABC late-night program beat "The Tonight Show" in Adults 18-34 for the 3rd week in a row, increasing its advantage over "The Tonight Show" to 5% this week (330,000 vs. 314,000) from 3% the prior week.

· "JKL" has ranked as the week's No. 1 broadcast talk show in Adults 18-34 in each of its 3 weeks since moving to 11:35 p.m.

On average for the 2012-13 season (18 weeks), ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" is up over its performance through the same point last season by 16% in Total Viewers (2.074 million vs. 1.781 million) and by 3% in Adults 18-49 (708,000 vs. 688,000) to attract its biggest-ever overall audience through this point in any season. In addition, "JKL" is the only late-night broadcast talk show to grow year over year in either Nielsen measure.

"Nightline" (M-F 12:35 a.m.)

For the week of January 21, 2013, "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in its new 12:35 a.m. time slot in Total Viewers (1.761 million) and Adults 25-54 (785,000), according to Nielsen Media Research. For the 3rd straight week, "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers, while ranking No. 1 in Adults 25-54 for the 2nd time in 3 weeks.

"Nightline" was up week to week across all key target demos: Total Viewers (+4%), Adults 25-54 (+6%) and Adults 18-49 (+6%). In fact, "Nightline" posted its strongest performance yet in its new time period in Total Viewers.

On Thursday (1/24/13), "Nightline" turned in its strongest telecast to date in its new time slot in Total Viewers (2.147 million) and Adults 18-49 (761,000).

For the 3rd time in 3 weeks in its new time period, "Nightline" improved on ABC's performance in the time period year to year in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 25-54 (+21%) - 1.365 million and 650,000, respectively, on w/o 1/23/12.

On average in its new time period, "Nightline" ranks No. 1 among Total Viewers and Adults 25-54, ahead of both NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" and CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson."

Late-Night (Week of Jan 21): TOTAL VIEWERS A18-49(000)

ABC 2,515,000 830,000

CBS 1,919,000 615,000

NBC 2,094,000 677,000

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for weeks of 1/21/13, 1/14/13 & 1/23/12 or as dated. Most Current - 2012-2013 Season (9/24/12 - 1/27/13) and 2011-2012 Season (9/19/11 - 1/29/12). Comparisons based on 000s.

ABC Late-Night = "JKL" and "Nightline"; CBS Late-Night = "Late Show" and "Ferguson"; NBC Late-Night = "Tonight Show," "Fallon" and "Carson Daly."