ABC Dominates First Night of Feb Sweep - Big Return for TGIT

Thursday (01/29/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 13.5 million/4.1 rating and Live + 7 = 14.6 million/4.4 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 15.1 million/5.1 rating and Live + 7 = 15.9 million/5.4 rating

HTGAWM: Live + 3 = 14.9 million/4.9 rating and Live + 7 = 16.0 million/5.2 rating

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 9.4 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49): Featuring the return of its TGIT lineup for the first time in over 2 months (since 11/20/14), ABC dominated the opening night of the February Sweep in Adults 18-49 (3.1/10), beating original schedules on CBS by 35% (2.3/7 = 8-10pm comedies/Elementary), Fox by 72% (1.8/5 = American Idol/Backstrom) and NBC by 107% (1.5/5 = Biggest Loser finale/Parenthood series finale). ABC's Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Grey's returned as Thursday's Top 3 dramas. ABC ranked #1 in 5 of 6 half-hours in the key sales demo.

· In young adults, the Net delivered its highest rating on the night since season-premiere Thursday - since 9/25/14. In addition, ABC more than tripled its delivery from the year-ago first night of the February Sweep (1.0/3 on 1/30/14) in Adults 18-49 (+210%). In fact, ABC marked its top-rated start to a February Sweep in 4 years among Adults 18-49 - since 2/3/11.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 8.6 million and 2.7/9 in AD18-49): At 8pm opposite Big Bang, ABC's Grey's Anatomy beat Fox's American Idol by 23% for 2nd place in the hour among Adults 18-49 (2.7/9 vs. 2.2/7).

· Grey's was up from its Winter Finale (8.3 million and 2.4/7) by 4% Total Viewers and by 13% in Adults 18-49, drawing it biggest audience since October (since 10/2/14) marking a best-since-premiere number in young adults.

Scandal (9-10pm - 10.4 million and 3.6/11 in AD18-49): At 9pm, ABC's Scandal (3.6/11) shot to the top of its hour in Adults 18-49, besting runner-up CBS' comedies by 80% (Two and a Half Men/The McCarthys = 2.0/6). Scandal also won its slot in Total Viewers.

· Scandal built on its Winter Finale (10.1 million and 3.1/9) by 3% in Total Viewers and by 16% in Adults 18-49, scoring best-since-premiere results on both counts. In fact, it equaled the series' 2nd-highest-ever rating in Adults 18-49.

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 9.1 million and 3.0/10 in AD18-49): From 10-11pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder (3.0/10) picked up right where it left off, ranking a dominant #1 in its hour over its CBS (Elementary = 1.3/4) and NBC (Parenthood series finale = 1.7/5) drama competition. In fact, HTGAWM equaled its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49. The freshman drama was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot for its 5th straight original telecast.

· The ABC freshman drama held even with both its November Sweep L+SD average among Adults 18-49 (2.9/9) and its Winter Finale (3.1/10), to match its 2nd-highest number since the beginning of October - since 10/9/14.

ABC's TGIT Return Dominates Social on Thursday

Social Highlights for Thursday 1/29/15:

· TGIT returned and ABC was the most social net on Thursday with all three series delivering their second most social episodes this season (behind only their respective premieres). Scandal #1 earning 527,335 tweets, HTGAWM was #2 with 169,154 tweets and Grey's with 138,632 tweets

According to a Custom report from Nielsen Social below are more highlights for the return of TGIT:

· A total of 2.6 million people in the U.S. saw nearly 139,000 Tweets about ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" on Thursday, 1/29/15, according to Nielsen. These Tweets were sent by almost 69,000 people and generated 8.6 million Twitter TV impressions.

· A total of 3.7 million people in the U.S. saw over 527,000 Tweets about ABC's "Scandal" on Thursday, 1/29/15, according to Nielsen. These Tweets were sent by more than 135,000 people and generated 35 million Twitter TV impressions.

· A total of 2.2 million people in the U.S. saw over 169,000 Tweets about ABC's "How to Get Away With Murder" on Thursday, 1/29/15, according to Nielsen. These Tweets were sent by more than 64,000 people and generated 11.2 million Twitter TV impressions.

Rank Network(s) Program 1/29/2015
1 ABC Scandal 527,335
2 ABC How to Get Away w/ Murder 169,154
3 ABC Grey's Anatomy 138,632
4 NBC Parenthood 79,453
5 CW Vampire Diaries 51,038
6 FOX American Idol 24,958
7 NBC Biggest Loser 10,597
8 CW Reign 8,583
9 FOX Backstrom 6,232
10 CBS Big Bang Theory 5,270
11 CBS McCarthy's 4,677
12 CBS Elementary 3,395
13 CBS Two and Half Men 630
14 CBS Mom 356

Quick Take for Thursday, January 29, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Dominates the First Night of the February Sweep with the Return of TGIT, Scoring its Highest Adult 18-49 Rating Since Season-Premiere Thursday

From 8-9pm, "Grey's" Beats "Idol" by 23% with a Best-Since-Premiere Rating

"Scandal" Returns Up 16% in Adults 18-49 to Tie the Series' 2nd-Highest Rating

"Murder" Dominates at 10pm with its 2nd-Best Adult 18-49 Rating Since October

Thursday (01/29/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 13.5 million/4.1 rating and Live + 7 = 14.6 million/4.4 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 15.1 million/5.1 rating and Live + 7 = 15.9 million/5.4 rating

"HTGAWM:" Live + 3 = 14.9 million/4.9 rating and Live + 7 = 16.0 million/5.2 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.4 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49):

Featuring the return of its TGIT lineup for the first time in over 2 months (since 11/20/14), ABC dominated the opening night of the February Sweep in Adults 18-49 (3.1/10), beating original schedules on CBS by 35% (2.3/7 = 8:00-10:00 p.m. comedies/"Elementary"), Fox by 72% (1.8/5 = "American Idol"/"Backstrom") and NBC by 107% (1.5/5 = "Biggest Loser" finale/"Parenthood" series finale). ABC's "Scandal," "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Grey's" returned as Thursday's Top 3 dramas. ABC ranked No. 1 in 5 of 6 half-hours of prime in the key sales demo.

· ABC was the most social net on Thursday with all three series delivering their 2nd-most-social episodes this season, behind only their respective premieres. "Scandal" was No. 1 with 527,335 tweets, "HTGAWM" was No. 2 with 169,154 tweets and "Grey's" with 138,632 tweets.

· The Net delivered its highest Adult 18-49 rating on the night since season-premiere Thursday - since 9/25/14. In addition, ABC more than tripled its delivery from the year-ago night (1.0/3 on 1/30/14) in Adults 18-49 (+210%) for its top-rated start to a February Sweep in 4 years - since 2/3/11.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 8.6 million and 2.7/9 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m. opposite "Big Bang Theory," ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" beat Fox's "American Idol" by 23% for 2nd place in the hour among Adults 18-49 (2.7/9 vs. 2.2/7).

· "Grey's" was up from its Winter Finale (8.3 million and 2.4/7) by 4% in Total Viewers and by 13% in Adults 18-49, drawing its biggest audience since October (since 10/2/14) and marking a best-since-premiere number in young adults.

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 10.4 million and 3.6/11 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" shot to the top of its hour in Adults 18-49 (3.6/11), besting runner-up CBS' comedies by 80% ("Two and a Half Men"/"The McCarthys" = 2.0/6). "Scandal" also won its slot in Total Viewers.

· "Scandal" built on its Winter Finale (10.1 million and 3.1/9) by 3% in Total Viewers and by 16% in Adults 18-49, scoring best-since-premiere results on both counts. In fact, it equaled the series' 2nd-highest-ever rating in Adults 18-49.

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.1 million and 3.0/10 in AD18-49):

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" (3.0/10) picked up right where it left off, ranking a dominant No. 1 in its hour in Adults 18-49 over its CBS ("Elementary" = 1.3/4) and NBC ("Parenthood" series finale = 1.7/5) drama competition. In fact, "HTGAWM" equaled its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49. It was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot for its 5th straight original telecast.

· The ABC freshman drama held even with both its November Sweep L+SD average among Adults 18-49 (2.9/9) and its Winter Finale (3.1/10), to match its 2nd-highest number since the beginning of October - since 10/9/14.

A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 49% in U.S. TV Homes. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which are increasingly not reflected in the overnight Live + Same Day numbers. As a result, the Live + 7 Day ratings are the most accurate measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2014-15 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, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 01/29/15. Nielsen Socialguide for 01/29/15, Total Tweets +/- 3hrs during telecast.