ABC is Up Year to Year on Thursday for the 3rd Straight Week with the Top 3 Non-Sports Shows

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 9.5 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49): Up against CBS' Thursday Night Football, ABC led its nearest non-sports competition on the night by strong margins in Total Viewers (+86% - 9.5 million vs. 5.1 million - Fox) and Adults 18-49 (+133% - 2.8/9 vs. 1.2/4 - Fox and NBC tie). For the 3rd straight week this season, the Net delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows on the night with How to Get Away with Murder (10.7 million and 3.1/10), Scandal (9.5 million and 3.0/9) and Grey's (8.4 million and 2.4/8). All three ABC dramas retained over 90% of their week-ago Fast Affiliate deliveries in viewers and young adults.

· ABC's Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder were the night's most social entertainment programs and are once again tracking as the week's Top 2 broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· For the 3rd week in a row, ABC's Thursday was up from the year-ago night (7.9 million and 2.5/7 on 10/10/13) in Total Viewers (+20%) and Adults 18-49 (+12%).

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 8.4 million and 2.4/8 in AD18-49): At 8pm, Grey's Anatomy ranked as the #1 non-sports program, beating runner-up Fox's Bones by 33% in Total Viewers (8.4 million vs. 6.3 million) and by 60% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/8 vs. 1.5/5). Grey's continued to grow its new time period year to year (5.8 million and 1.7/5 for the Wonderland premiere on 10/10/13).

Scandal (9-10pm - 9.5 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49): Gaining from its lead-in during the 9pm hour, ABC's Scandal more than doubled Fox's competing drama Gracepoint (3.9 million and 0.9/3) and NBC's comedies (Bad Judge/A to Z = 4.4 million and 1.2/3).

· Scandal was up over the year-ago telecast of Grey's in the hour (8.8 million and 2.8/8). The ABC drama was also up from its own year ago telecast by 6% in Total Viewers.

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 10.7 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49): Building on its lead-in at 10pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder delivered strong triple-digit advantages over NBC's Parenthood in Total Viewers (+149% - 10.7 million vs. 4.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+138% - 3.1/10 vs. 1.3/4). HTGAWM is tracking as the week's #1 10pm show.

· How to Get Away with Murder built on the year-ago telecast of Scandal in the hour by 1.7 million viewers and equaled it in Adults 18-49 (Scandal on 10/10/13 = 9.0 million and 3.1/9).

Quick Take for Thursday, October 9, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is Up Year to Year for the 3rd Straight Thursday with the Night's Top 3 Series

"Grey's" Dominates its Non-Sports Competition at 8pm and Improves its Hour

At 9pm, ABC's "Scandal" More than Doubles its NBC and Fox Competition

At 10pm, "How to Get Away With Murder" Towers Over its Drama Competition, Tracking as the Week's Biggest TV Program During the Final Hour of Primetime

Thursday Night (10/9/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 13.1 million/3.5 rating and Live + 7 = 14.2 million/3.8 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 13.9 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 14.6 million/4.6 rating

"HTGAWM:" Live + 3 = 15.6 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 16.4 million/4.6 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.5 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49):

Opposite CBS' Thursday Night Football, ABC led its nearest non-sports competition on the night by strong margins in Total Viewers (+86% - 9.5 million vs. 5.1 million - Fox) and Adults 18-49 (+133% - 2.8/9 vs. 1.2/4 - Fox and NBC tie). For the 3rd straight week this season, the Net delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows on the night with "How to Get Away with Murder" (10.7 million and 3.1/10), "Scandal" (9.5 million and 3.0/9) and "Grey's" (8.4 million and 2.4/8). All three ABC dramas retained over 90% of their week-ago Fast Affiliate deliveries in viewers and young adults.

· ABC's "Scandal" and "How to Get Away with Murder" were the night's most social entertainment programs and are once again tracking as the week's Top 2 broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· For the 3rd week in a row, ABC's Thursday was up from the year-ago night (7.9 million and 2.5/7 on 10/10/13) in Total Viewers (+20%) and Adults 18-49 (+12%).

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 8.4 million and 2.4/8 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" ranked as the clear No. 1 non-sports program, beating runner-up Fox's "Bones" by 33% in Total Viewers (8.4 million vs. 6.3 million) and by 60% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/8 vs. 1.5/5).

· "Grey's" continued to grow its new time period year to year (5.8 million and 1.7/5 for the "Wonderland" premiere on 10/10/13).

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 9.5 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49):

Gaining from its lead-in during the 9:00 p.m. hour, ABC's "Scandal" more than doubled Fox's competing drama "Gracepoint" (3.9 million and 0.9/3) and NBC's comedies ("Bad Judge"/"A to Z" = 4.4 million and 1.2/3).

· "Scandal" was up over the year-ago telecast of "Grey's" in the hour (8.8 million and 2.8/8). The ABC drama was also up from its own year ago telecast by 6% in Total Viewers.

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 10.7 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49):

Building on its lead-in at 10:00 p.m., ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" delivered strong triple-digit advantages over NBC's "Parenthood" in Total Viewers (+149% - 10.7 million vs. 4.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+138% - 3.1/10 vs. 1.3/4). "HTGAWM" is tracking as the week's No. 1 in the 10 o'clock hour.

· "How to Get Away with Murder" built on the year-ago telecast of "Scandal" in the hour by 1.7 million viewers and equaled it in Adults 18-49 ("Scandal" on 10/10/13 = 9.0 million and 3.1/9).

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 49% currently, from 48% at the same point in 2013. 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.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2013-14 season for premiere telecast or an average for originals (excluding the premiere).

Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).

New Series: Based on similar series.

Source: The Nielsen Company, National Live + Same Day Ratings, 10/09/14.