ABC Wins 3rd Straight Thursday with the Top 3 Shows in AD18-49

Thursday (02/12/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 12.0 million/3.3 rating and Live + 7 = 13.0 million/3.6 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 13.5 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 14.1 million/4.6 rating

HTGAWM: Live + 3 = 13.7 million/4.3 rating and Live + 7 = 14.7 million/4.6 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 8.5 million and 2.7/9 in AD18-49): ABC led its 3rd consecutive Thursday of the February Sweep in Adults 18-49 (2.7/9), outdelivering CBS by 50% (1.8/6), Fox by 50% (1.8/6) and NBC with the highly-promoted debut of The Slap by 125% (1.2/4). The last time ABC won the first 3 Thursdays of the February Sweep was in 2008.

· ABC's Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Grey's (tied w/Idol) ranked as Thursday's Top 3 TV shows in Adults 18-49. At 9pm and 10pm in Adults 18-49, both ABC dramas sharply increased their winning advantages week to week over NBC's The Blacklist (+82% vs. +33% last week) and Allegiance (+286% vs. +145% last week). In addition at 8pm, Grey's more than doubled NBC's debut of The Slap in Adults 18-49 (+109%).

Please Note: Both Grey's and Scandal adjusted up by 1-tenth last week from the Fast Affiliate to National ratings in Adults 18-49.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 7.7 million and 2.3/8 in AD18-49): At 8pm, ABC's Grey's Anatomy ranked #1 in its hour in Adults 18-49 (2.3/8 - tied w/Idol), while towering over NBC's The Slap debut by 51% in Total Viewers (7.7 million vs. 5.1 million) and by 109% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/8 vs. 1.1/4). Grey's held steady week to week in Adults 18-49.

Scandal (9-10pm - 9.3 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49): At 9pm, ABC's Scandal (3.1/10) was a dominant #1 in Adults 18-49, leading CBS' comedies by 63% (Two and a Half Men/Big Bang-R = 1.9/6), NBC's The Blacklist by 82% (1.7/5), and Fox's Backstrom by 138% (1.3/4). Scandal was even with its week-ago Fast Affiliate Adults 18-49 rating.

· For the 3rd week in a row, Scandal topped its comparable telecast last year after its mid-season return (8.2 million and 2.8/8 on 3/13/14) in Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%).

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 8.4 million and 2.7/9 in AD18-49): From 10-11pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder (2.7/9) won its hour by enormous margins in Adults 18-49, besting its CBS (+93% - Elementary = 1.4/5) and NBC (+286% - Allegiance = 0.7/2) drama competition. In fact for the 3rd week running, HTGAWM bettered its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49 (+29%). The freshman drama was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot for its 7th straight first-run airing. Murder was up week to week in Total Viewers and steady in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Thursday, February 12, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Wins its 3rd Straight Thursday with the Top 3 TV Shows in Adults 18-49

"Grey's" is No. 1 in Adults 18-49 and More than Doubles NBC's "The Slap" Debut

"Scandal" Beats "The Blacklist" by 1.3 Million Viewers and 82% in Adults 18-49

"Murder" Beats its Combined 10pm Drama Competition for the 3rd Week Running

Thursday (02/12/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 12.0 million/3.3 rating and Live + 7 = 13.0 million/3.6 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 13.5 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 14.1 million/4.6 rating

"HTGAWM:" Live + 3 = 13.7 million/4.3 rating and Live + 7 = 14.7 million/4.6 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.5 million and 2.7/9 in AD18-49):

ABC led its 3rd consecutive Thursday of the February Sweep in Adults 18-49 (2.7/9), outdelivering CBS by 50% (1.8/6), Fox by 50% (1.8/6) and NBC with the highly-promoted debut of "The Slap" by 125% (1.2/4). The last time ABC won the first 3 Thursdays of the February Sweep was in 2008.

· ABC's "Scandal," "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Grey's Anatomy" (tied w/"Idol") ranked as Thursday's Top 3 TV shows in Adults 18-49. At 9:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m. in Adults 18-49, both ABC dramas sharply increased their winning advantages week to week over NBC's "The Blacklist" (+82% vs. +33% last week) and "Allegiance" (+286% vs. +145% last week). In addition at 8:00 p.m., "Grey's" more than doubled NBC's debut of "The Slap" in Adults 18-49 (+109%).

Please Note: Both "Grey's" and "Scandal" adjusted up by 1-tenth last week from the Fast Affiliate to National ratings in Adults 18-49.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 7.7 million and 2.3/8 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" ranked No. 1 in its hour in Adults 18-49 (2.3/8 - tied w/"Idol"), while towering over NBC's "The Slap" debut by 51% in Total Viewers (7.7 million vs. 5.1 million) and by 109% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/8 vs. 1.1/4). "Grey's" held steady week to week in Adults 18-49.

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 9.3 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" (3.1/10) was a dominant No. 1 in Adults 18-49, leading CBS' comedies by 63% ("Two and a Half Men"/"Big Bang Theory-R" = 1.9/6), NBC's "The Blacklist" by 82% (1.7/5), and Fox's "Backstrom" by 138% (1.3/4). The ABC drama was also the most-watched show overall in the hour, leading "The Blacklist" by 1.3 million viewers (9.3 million vs. 8.0 million). "Scandal" was even with its week-ago Fast Affiliate Adults 18-49 rating.

· For the 3rd week in a row, "Scandal" topped its comparable telecast last year after its mid-season return (8.2 million and 2.8/8 on 3/13/14) in both Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%).

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.4 million and 2.7/9 in AD18-49):

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.7/9) won its hour by enormous margins in Adults 18-49 over its CBS (+93% - "Elementary" = 1.4/5) and NBC (+286% - "Allegiance" = 0.7/2) drama competition. In fact for the 3rd week running, "HTGAWM" bettered its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49 (+29%). The freshman drama was also the most-watched TV show overall (8.4 million) in the slot for its 7th straight first-run airing. "Murder" was up week to week in Total Viewers and steady in Adults 18-49.

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, 02/12/15.