ABC is #1 for 6th Straight Thursday - American Crime Opens a Dominant #1 at 10pm

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 8.7 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49): With Grey's, Scandal and the series debut of American Crime, ABC ranked #1 for its 6th consecutive Thursday in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8), tying CBS (2.5/8) and beating 3rd-place Fox by 56% (1.6/5) and 4th-place NBC by 127% (1.1/3). ABC was up sharply from the year-ago night (also an original drama lineup), gaining 2.0 million viewers (8.7 million vs. 6.7 million) and 19% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8 vs. 2.1/6)

· The Net once again delivered Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49, pacing well ahead of NBC's three dramas (The Slap/The Blacklist/Allegiance), CBS' Elementary and Fox's Backstrom.

· On average season to date, ABC's Thursday performance is up by double digits in Total Viewers (+23%) and Adults 18-49 (+25%), posting a 5-year high in viewers and a 4-year high in young adults - since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, respectively.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 8.1 million and 2.4/8 in AD18-49): At 8pm opposite The Big Bang Theory and The Odd Couple, ABC's Grey's Anatomy beat Fox's American Idol by 14% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/8 vs. 2.1/7). Grey's was up week to week in viewers (+7%) and young adults (+9%).

Scandal (9-10pm - 9.6 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49): At 9pm, ABC's Scandal (3.0/9) returned after the prior week's preemption to win its hour among Adults 18-49, over CBS' comedies (+30% - 2.3/7), NBC's The Blacklist (+76% - 1.7/5) and Fox's Backstrom (+200% - 1.0/3). Scandal also outdrew NBC's The Blacklist in the hour by 1.6 million viewers (9.6 million vs. 8.0 million). Scandal was up from its year-ago delivery (8.5 million and 2.8/8 on 3/6/14)

American Crime (10-11pm - 8.4 million and 2.0/7 in AD18-49): At 10pm, ABC's series debut of American Crime opened a dominant #1 in its hour in Adults 18-49 (2.0/7), outdelivering CBS' Elementary by 54% (1.3/4) and NBC's Allegiance by 150% (0.8/3). The new ABC drama was also the most-watched show overall at 10pm (8.4 million). Outside of Empire, American Crime was the strongest mid-season drama series debut in 1 year among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 3/9/14. There have been 12 broadcast dramas to debut over that time, including Empire and American Crime.

Quick Take for Thursday, March 5, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Is Up Sharply Year to Year and Finishes No. 1 for Its 6th-Straight Thursday

ABC's "Grey's" Increases Week to Week and Beats Fox's "Idol" in Adults 18-49

"Scandal" Returns to Win Its Hour in Adults 18-49 and Top Its Year-Ago Telecast

ABC's "American Crime" Debut Wins the 10pm Hour by 54% in Adults 18-49

Thursday (03/05/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy": Live + 3 = 12.5 million/3.6 rating and Live + 7 = 13.6 million/3.9 rating

"Scandal": Live + 3 = 13.9 million/4.3 rating and Live + 7 = 14.6 million/4.5 rating

"American Crime": Live + 3 = 12.8 million/3.1 rating and Live + 7 = 13.6 million/3.3 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.7 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49):

With "Grey's," "Scandal" and the series debut of "American Crime," ABC ranked No. 1 for its 6th-consecutive Thursday in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8), tying CBS (2.5/8) and beating 3rd-place Fox by 56% (1.6/5) and 4th-place NBC by 127% (1.1/3). ABC was up sharply from the year-ago night (also an original drama lineup), gaining 2-million viewers (8.7 million vs. 6.7 million) and 19% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8 vs. 2.1/6)

· The Net once again delivered Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49, pacing well ahead of NBC's three dramas ("The Slap"/"The Blacklist"/"Allegiance"), CBS' "Elementary" and Fox's "Backstrom."

· On average season to date, ABC's Thursday performance is up by double digits in Total Viewers (+23%) and Adults 18-49 (+25%), posting a 5-year high in viewers and a 4-year high in young adults - since the 2009-10 and 2010-11 seasons, respectively.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 8.1 million and 2.4/8 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m. against "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Odd Couple," ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" beat Fox's "American Idol" by 14% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/8 vs. 2.1/7).

· "Grey's" was up week to week in viewers (+7%) and young adults (+9%).

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 9.6 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" (3.0/9) returned after the prior week's preemption to win its hour among Adults 18-49, over CBS' comedies (+30% - 2.3/7), NBC's "The Blacklist" (+76% - 1.7/5) and Fox's "Backstrom" (+200% - 1.0/3). "Scandal" also outdrew NBC's "The Blacklist" in the hour by 1.6-million viewers (9.6 million vs. 8.0 million).

· "Scandal" grew over its telecast on the same night last year in viewers and young adults (8.5 million and 2.8/8 on 3/6/14)

"American Crime" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.4 million and 2.0/7 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's series debut of "American Crime" opened a dominant No. 1 in its hour with Adults 18-49 (2.0/7), outdelivering CBS' "Elementary" by 54% (1.3/4) and NBC's "Allegiance" by 150% (0.8/3). The new ABC drama was also the most watched show overall in its slot (8.4 million).

· Outside of Fox's "Empire," "American Crime" was the strongest mid-season drama series debut in 1 year among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since 3/9/14. Over that time, there have been 12 broadcast dramas to debut, including "Empire" and "American Crime." In fact "American Crime" topped last year's mid-season Thursday debut of "Black Box" (6.9 million and 1.5/5 on 4/24/14) in in the hour by 22% in Total Viewers and by 33% in Adults 18-49. It was ABC's best Thursday mid-season drama debut in 3 years - since 3/15/12.

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, 03/05/15.