ABC is #1 for 2nd Straight Thursday as Grey's Posts 2nd Best Numbers in 3 Months and American Crime Grows

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 7.0 million and 2.0/7 in AD18-49): ABC was the #1 broadcaster on Thursday for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49 (2.0/7), edging out CBS (1.9/6) and once again more than doubling NBC (0.9/3) and Fox (0.8/3). The Net was up over the year-ago May Sweep Thursday by double digits (6.2 million and 1.6/5 on 5/1/14) in Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+25%). Please Note: ESPN carried round 1 of the 2015 NFL Draft during primetime on Thursday, providing big demographic competition. Opposite the strong competition, ABC held steady week to week in Adults 18-49 at a 7-week high - since 3/12/15.

· ABC's Grey's Anatomy (2.6/9) was Thursday's top drama and the #2 TV series of the night in Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' The Big Bang Theory. Grey's was Thursday's #1 TV series with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, outdelivering Big Bang Theory.

Grey's Anatomy (8-10pm - 8.7 million and 2.6/9 in AD18-49): From 8-10pm, ABC's Grey's Anatomy dominated its regular competition in the 2-hour time period in Adults 18-49, leading runner up CBS by 18% (2.6/9 vs. 2.2/8). Head to head in the 9pm hour, Grey's towered over NBC's The Blacklist by 2.3 million viewers (8.7 million vs. 6.4 million) and by 117% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/8 vs. 1.2/4).

· Coming behind only the prior week's best-since-premiere numbers, Grey's turned around and delivered its 2nd-highest numbers since its mid-season return 3 months ago in January (on 1/29/15) in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

American Crime (10-11pm - 3.8 million and 1.0/3 in AD18-49): At 10pm, ABC freshman American Crime grew 11% week to week and ranked #2 in the hour among the major nets with Adults 18-49 (1.0/3).

· The ABC freshman drama is delivering strong TV playback. On average season to date in the Live + 7 Day ratings, American Crime jumps 54% in Adults 18-49 from its L+SD number (gaining 7-tenths) and delivers another 2.3 million viewers to its next-day tally.

Quick Take for Thursday, April 30, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Leads the Pack for the 2nd-Straight Thursday in Adults 18-49, Surging 25% Over the Year-Ago May Sweep Night

"Grey's" Scores Its 2nd-Best Results Since Its Mid-Season Return 3 Months Ago

At 10pm, ABC's "American Crime" Grows by 11% Week to Week in Adults 18-49

Thursday (04/30/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy": L3 = 13.2 mil/3.8 rtg, L7 = 14.2 mil/4.1 rtg and Multiplatform+35 Day = 5.2 rtg

"American Crime": L3 = 5.5 mil/1.4 rtg, L7 = 5.8 mil/1.5 rtg and Multiplatform+35 Day = 1.9 rtg

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.0 million and 2.0/7 in AD18-49):

ABC was the No. 1 broadcaster on Thursday for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49 (2.0/7), edging out CBS (1.9/6) and once again more than doubling NBC (0.9/3) and Fox (0.8/3). The Net was up over the year-ago May Sweep Thursday by double digits (6.2 million and 1.6/5 on 5/1/14) in Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+25%). Please Note: ESPN carried round 1 of the 2015 NFL Draft during primetime on Thursday, providing big demographic competition. Opposite the strong competition, ABC held steady week to week in Adults 18-49 at a 7-week high - since 3/12/15.

· ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" (2.6/9) was Thursday's top drama and the No. 2 TV series of the night in Adults 18-49, behind only CBS' "The Big Bang Theory." In addition, the ABC drama was Thursday's No. 1 TV series with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, outdelivering "Big Bang Theory."

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-10:00 p.m. - 8.7 million and 2.6/9 in AD18-49):

From 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" dominated its regular competition in the 2-hour time period in Adults 18-49, leading runner-up CBS by 18% (2.6/9 vs. 2.2/8). Head to head in the 9:00 p.m. hour, "Grey's" towered over NBC's "The Blacklist" by 2.3 million viewers (8.7 million vs. 6.4 million) and by 117% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/8 vs. 1.2/4).

· Coming in behind only the prior week's best-since-premiere numbers, "Grey's" turned around and delivered its 2nd-highest results since its mid-season return 3 months ago (on 1/29/15) with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

"American Crime" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 3.8 million and 1.0/3in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC freshman "American Crime" grew 11% week to week and ranked No. 2 in the hour among the major nets with Adults 18-49 (1.0/3).

· The ABC freshman drama is delivering strong TV playback. On average season to date in the Live + 7 Day ratings, "American Crime" jumps 54% in Adults 18-49 from its L+SD number (gaining 7-tenths) and delivers another 2.3 million viewers to its next-day tally.

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, 04/30/15.