ABC's "Secret Millionaire" Premiere Boosts Its Time Slot and Tops Its Year-Ago Performance

Surging over its lead-in at 8pm with viewers (+19%) and young adults (+33%) and growing from start to finish opposite NBC's Sunday Night Football (Hall of Fame Game), ABC's season premiere of Secret Millionaire delivered a summer high for ABC with regular programming in the hour in Total Viewers and its best Adult 18-49 number since June (since 6/23/13). In addition, Secret Millionaire was up over its performance on the same night last year by 1.2 million viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49. The show also topped its year-ago finale in viewers (+25%) and young adults (+20%), posting the series' best numbers since July 15, 2012.

Despite facing the NFL contest (Cowboys-Dolphins) during the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's Whodunnit? held even week to week in Total Viewers. The freshman series improved its time period year to year by strong margins in viewers (+20%) and young adults (+43%) over original programming on the year-ago night.

Quick Take for Sunday, August 4, 2013 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

The Season Opener of "Secret Milionaire" Delivers a Summer High for ABC In its Time Slot with Viewers and the Net's Best Adult 18-49 Number Since June

ABC's "Whodunnit?" Improves its Time Period Year to Year by Strong Margins

"Secret Millionaire" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Surging over its lead-in at 8:00 p.m. with viewers (+19%) and young adults (+33%) and growing from start to finish opposite NBC's Sunday Night Football (Hall of Fame Game), the season premiere of "Secret Millionaire" delivered a summer high for ABC with regular programming in the hour among Total Viewers (5.0 million) and the Net's best Adult 18-49 number (1.2/4) since June (since 6/23/13). In addition, "Secret Millionaire" was up over its performance on the same night last year by 1.2 million viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49 (3.8 million and 0.8/2 on 08/05/12).

· "Secret Millionaire" topped its year-ago finale (4.0 million and 1.0/3 on 8/12/12) in viewers (+25%) and young adults (+20%), posting the series' best numbers since July 15, 2012.

"Whodunnit?" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Despite facing the NFL contest (Cowboys-Dolphins) during the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "Whodunnit?" held even week to week in Total Viewers (3.0 million). The freshman series improved its time period year to year by strong margins in viewers (+20% - 3.0 million vs. 2.5 million) and young adults (+43% - 1.0/3 vs. 0.7/2) over original programming on the year-ago night.

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 48% currently, from 45% 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, 08/04/13.