ABC's Happy New Year, Charlie Brown Spikes 36% to a 6-Year High

Happy New Year, Charlie Brown (8-9pm - 5.4 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49): From 8-9pm, ABC's annual replay of Happy New Year, Charlie Brown surged from its year-ago telecast (on 12/30/13) by 32% in Total Viewers (5.4 million vs. 4.1 million) and by 36% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/4 vs. 1.1/3), scoring 6-year highs - since 2008 when ABC began broadcasting the special. ABC's PEANUTS special nearly tied CBS for the lead in the hour (with a repeat 2 Broke Girls and an original Mike & Molly) in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5 vs 1.6/5) and ranked #1 with Women 18-49 (tie) and Kids 2-11. Happy New Year, Charlie Brown also finished as the #1 TV show of the night with Kids 2-11.

Rudolph's Shiny New Year (9-10pm - 3.5 million and 1.0/3 in AD18-49): In the 9pm hour, ABC's encore of Rudolph's Shiny New Year was also up over its telecast on the same night last year in Total Viewers (+6% - 3.5 million vs. 3.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+11% - 1.0/3 vs. 0.9/3), hitting 4-year highs - since 2010.

Quick Take for Monday, December 29, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" Annual Telecast Surges Double-Digits Year to Year in Total Viewers (+32%) and Adults 18-49 (+36%) to 6-Year Highs

ABC's Encore of "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" is Up by 6% in Total Viewers and By 11% in Adults 18-49 to its Strongest Performance Since 2010

"Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 5.4 million and 1.5/5 in AD18-49):

From 8:00-9:00 p.m., ABC's annual replay of "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" surged from its year-ago telecast (on 12/30/13) by 32% in Total Viewers (5.4 million vs. 4.1 million) and by 36% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/4 vs. 1.1/3), scoring 6-year highs - since 2008 when ABC began broadcasting the special. ABC's PEANUTS special nearly tied CBS for the lead in the hour (with a repeat "2 Broke Girls" and an original "Mike & Molly") in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5 vs 1.6/5) and ranked No. 1 with Women 18-49 (1.9/6-tie) and Kids 2-11 (1.6/6). "Happy New Year, Charlie Brown" also finished as the No. 1 TV show of the night with Kids 2-11.

"Rudolph's Shiny New Year" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 3.5 million and 1.0/3 in AD18-49):

In the 9:00 p.m. hour, ABC's encore of "Rudolph's Shiny New Year" was also up over its telecast on the same night last year in Total Viewers (+6% - 3.5 million vs. 3.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+11% - 1.0/3 vs. 0.9/3), hitting 4-year highs - since 2010.

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.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 12/29/14.