ABC is the Dominant Non-Sports Net on Season Premiere Thursday - TGIT Delivers Top 3 Entertainment Telecasts

Thursday (9/24/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections, including Multiplatform + 35 Days

Grey's Anatomy: L3 = 13.5 million/4.0 rating, L7 = 14.3 million/4.2 rating and MP+35 = 5.3 rating

Scandal: L3 = 13.9 million/4.4 rating, L7 = 14.5 million/4.6 rating and MP+35 = 6.0 rating

HTGAWM: L3 = 12.7 million/4.0 rating, L7 = 13.6 million/4.2 rating and MP+35 = 4.3 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 9.3 million and 2.9/9 in AD18-49): Up against CBS' Thursday Night Football (NY Giants-Washington Redskins), ABC was the dominant non-sports net on season premiere Thursday, outdelivering runner-up NBC (Heroes Reborn/The Player) by 66% in Total Viewers (9.3 million vs. 5.6 million) and by 71% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/9 vs. 1.7/6). ABC won premiere Thursday over CBS' NFL coverage across key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54) and will considerably close the Adult 18-49 gap with CBS on the night in Live + 7 Day ratings.

· ABC's TGIT lineup delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows of the night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 with Grey's Anatomy, Scandal and How to Get Away with Murder. In addition, Scandal is premiere week's 2nd-highest-rated drama so far in Adults 18-49, trailing only Empire. Grey's and Scandal were each up by double digits from where they left off in May.

· In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Thursday with regular programming in 8 months - since 1/29/15.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 9.4 million and 2.8/10 in AD18-49): At 8pm, ABC's Grey's Anatomy far outpaced the opening hour of NBC's Heroes Reborn premiere in Total Viewers (+45% - 9.4 million vs. 6.5 million) and Adults 18-49 (+40% - 2.8/10 vs. 2.0/7). The 12th season premiere of the ABC drama outperformed its May finale (8.3 million and 2.2/8 on 5/14/15) in Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+27%), equaling its highest Adult 18-49 rating in 1 year - since its year-ago season opener on 9/25/14.

Scandal (9-10pm - 10.2 million and 3.2/10 in AD18-49): Building on its lead-in at 9pm, Scandal towered over the second hour of NBC's 2-hour Heroes Reborn premiere by 82% in Total Viewers (10.2 million vs. 5.6 million) and by 68% in Adults 18-49 (3.2/10 vs. 1.9/6). Scandal jumped over its May finale (8.1 million and 2.3/8 on 5/14/15) by 26% in Total Viewers and by 39% in Adults 18-49, with its most-watched telecast since January and its best young adult number since February - since 1/29/15 and 2/19/15, respectively.

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 8.4 million and 2.6/9 in AD18-49): At 10pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder dominated NBC's The Player debut, leading by 3.5 million viewers (8.4 million vs. 4.9 million) and more than doubling it with Adults 18-49 (+117% - 2.6/9 vs. 1.2/4). Please Note: ABC's How to Get Away with Murder ranked among last season's biggest gainers via TV playback, adding +5.1 million viewers and +2.0 Adult 18-49 rating points from L+SD to L7 on average.

Quick Take for Thursday, September 24, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is the Dominant Non-Sports Net on Premiere Thursday with 8-Month Highs

"Grey's" Opens its 12th Season at a 1-Year High Among Adults 18-49

"Scandal" is Thursday's Entertainment Leader with its Top Rating Since February

"Murder" More than Doubles NBC's "The Player" Debut at 10pm in Adults 18-49

Thursday (09/24/15) - ABC Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections, including Multiplatform + 35 Days

"Grey's:" L3 = 13.5 million/4.0 rating, L7 = 14.3 million/4.2 rating and MP+35 = 5.3 rating

"Scandal:" L3 = 13.9 million/4.4 rating, L7 = 14.5 million/4.6 rating and MP+35 = 6.0 rating

"Murder:" L3 = 12.7 million/4.0 rating, L7 = 13.6 million/4.2 rating and MP+35 = 4.3 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.3 million and 2.9/9 in AD18-49):

Up against CBS' Thursday Night Football (NY Giants-Washington Redskins), ABC was the dominant non-sports net on season premiere Thursday, outdelivering runner-up NBC (w/"Heroes Reborn"/"The Player") by 66% in Total Viewers (9.3 million vs. 5.6 million) and by 71% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/9 vs. 1.7/6). ABC won premiere Thursday over CBS' NFL coverage across key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54) and will considerably close the Adult 18-49 gap with CBS on the night in Live + 7 Day ratings.

· ABC's TGIT lineup delivered the Top 3 entertainment shows of the night in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 with "Grey's Anatomy," "Scandal" and "How to Get Away with Murder." In addition, "Scandal" is premiere week's 2nd-highest-rated drama so far in Adults 18-49, trailing only "Empire." "Grey's" and "Scandal" were each up by double digits from where they left off in May.

· ABC's TGIT also produced the most-social entertainment telecasts of the evening: "Grey's" (324,728 tweets), "Scandal" (422,597 tweets), and "HTGAWM" (289,374 tweets). In addition, "Grey's" and "Scandal" each generated more tweets than Thursday Night Football (292,061 tweets).

· In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Thursday with regular programming in 8 months - since 1/29/15.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 9.4 million and 2.8/10 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" far outpaced the opening hour of NBC's "Heroes Reborn" premiere in Total Viewers (+45% - 9.4 million vs. 6.5 million) and Adults 18-49 (+40% - 2.8/10 vs. 2.0/7). The 12th season premiere of the ABC drama outperformed its May finale (8.3 million and 2.2/8 on 5/14/15) in Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+27%), equaling its highest Adult 18-49 rating in 1 year - since its year-ago season opener on 9/25/14.

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 10.2 million and 3.2/10 in AD18-49):

Building on its lead-in at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" towered over the second hour of NBC's 2-hour "Heroes Reborn" premiere by 82% in Total Viewers (10.2 million vs. 5.6 million) and by 68% in Adults 18-49 (3.2/10 vs. 1.9/6). "Scandal" jumped over its May finale (8.1 million and 2.3/8 on 5/14/15) by 26% in Total Viewers and by 39% in Adults 18-49, with its most-watched telecast since January and its best young adult number since February - since 1/29/15 and 2/19/15, respectively.

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.4 million and 2.6/9 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" dominated NBC's "The Player" debut, leading by 3.5 million viewers (8.4 million vs. 4.9 million) and more than doubling it with Adults 18-49 (+117% - 2.6/9 vs. 1.2/4). Please Note: "How to Get Away with Murder" ranked among last season's biggest gainers via TV playback, adding +5.1 million viewers and +2.0 Adult 18-49 rating points from L+SD to L+7 on average.

A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 48% 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, 09/24/15.