ABC's Wednesday Lineup Returns with its Largest Audience in 6 Weeks

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8-11pm - 6.3 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49): Coming off the prior week's preemption for the CMAs, with its lineup returning to all originals for the first time in 3 weeks (Modern Family was a repeat 2 weeks ago) and facing a special The Voice (8-9pm) on the night, ABC delivered the top scripted series on Wednesday in Adults 18-49. Trailing only Fox's top-rated Empire on the night, ABC delivered 4 of the Top 5 next-highest-rated scripted shows with Modern Family (2.7/8), The Goldbergs (2.1/7), The Middle (2.0/7 - tied with The Voice-boosted L&O: SVU) and black-ish (1.9/6).

· ABC was up 5% in viewers and even among young adults with the last time its lineup was all original on the night (6.0 million and 1.8/6 on 10/21/15), marking its most-watched regular Wednesday in 6 weeks - since 9/30/15.

· Despite the preemption and increased competition, each of ABC's Wednesday series were in line with their most recent originals among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49: The Middle (7.6 million and 2.0/7 vs. 7.4 million and 2.0/7), The Goldbergs (7.0 million and 2.1/7 vs. 6.9 million and 2.2/7), Modern Family (8.1 million and 2.7/8 vs. 7.8 million and 2.7/9), black-ish (6.0 million and 1.9/6 vs. 6.2 million and 1.9/5) and Nashville (4.6 million 1.0/3 vs. 4.2 million and 1.1/3).

· In fact, The Middle earned its biggest overall audience in 6 weeks (since 9/30/15) and equaled a best-since-premiere number with Teens 12-17 (+9%). Building for the 3rd telecast in a row, The Goldbergs drew its largest audience in 6 weeks. Modern Family marked its most-watched telecast in 6 weeks and equaled a best-since-premiere number with Teens 12-17 (+33%). Nashville gained 10% from its last telecast in Total Viewers for its largest audience in 6 weeks.

... projections to follow.

Quick Take for Wednesday, November 11, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's Wednesday Lineup Returns with Its Biggest Audience Since September

"The Middle" Is Up Year to Year in Adults 18-49 with a 6-Week High in Viewers

"The Goldbergs" Builds Its Overall Audience for the 3rd-Straight Telecast

"Modern Family" Marks Its Closest Finish This Season with "Empire" at 9 p.m.

"black-ish" Equals a Best-Since-Premiere Rating Among Adults 18-49

"Nashville" Surges 10% in Viewers Over Its Last Original to a 6-Week High

Wednesday (11/11/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections:

"The Middle": L3 = 9.6 million/2.5 rating, L7 = 10.5 million/2.7 rating and MP+35 = 3.1 rating

"The Goldbergs": L3 = 9.3 million/2.8 rating, L7 = 10.2 million/3.0 rating and MP+35 = 3.4 rating

"Modern Family": L3 = 12.5 million/4.0 rating, L7 = 13.8 million/4.4 rating and MP+35 = 5.7 rating

"black-ish": L3 = 8.9 million/2.7 rating, L7 = 9.6 million/2.9 rating and MP+35 = 3.6 rating

"Nashville": L3 = 7.3 million/1.6 rating, L7 = 8.2 million/1.8 rating and MP+35 = 2.3 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.3 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

Coming off the prior week's preemption for the "CMAs," with its lineup returning to all originals for the first time in 3 weeks ("Modern Family" was a repeat 2 weeks ago) and facing a special "The Voice" (8:00-9:00 p.m.) on the night, ABC delivered some of the strongest scripted series on Wednesday in Adults 18-49. Trailing only Fox's top-rated "Empire" on the night, ABC delivered 4 of the Top 5 next-highest-rated scripted shows with "Modern Family" (2.7/8), "The Goldbergs" (2.1/7), "The Middle" (2.0/7 - tied with "The Voice"-boosted "L&O: SVU") and "black-ish" (1.9/6).

· ABC was up 5% in viewers and even among young adults with the last time its lineup was all original on the night (6.0 million and 1.8/6 on 10/21/15), marking its most watched regular Wednesday since September - since 9/30/15.

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m. - 7.6 million and 2.0/7 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" was the scripted leader among Adults 18-49 by 54% over Fox's "Rosewood" (2.0/7 vs. 1.3/4) and won the half-hour among Teens 12-17. "The Middle" earned its biggest overall audience in 6 weeks (7.6 million - since 9/30/15) and equaled a best-since-premiere number with Teens 12-17 (+9%). The ABC comedy also topped its year-ago telecast with Adults 18-49 (+5%).

"The Goldbergs" (8:30-9:00 p.m. - 7.0 million and 2.1/7 in AD18-49):

Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8:30 p.m. (+5%), ABC's "The Goldbergs" (2.1/7) tied "Survivor" (2.1/7) and beat Fox's "Rosewood" (+40% - 1.5/5) to rank as the No. 1 scripted show in the half-hour. Building for the 3rd telecast in a row, "The Goldbergs" drew its largest audience in 6 weeks (7.0 million - since 9/30/15).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m. - 8.1 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Modern Family" (2.7/8) built on its Adult 18-49 lead-in (+29%) to take second to "Empire." In fact, the ABC comedy marked its closest finish this season with "Empire" in the half-hour (1.3 rating point difference). "Modern Family" marked its most watched telecast in 6 weeks (8.1 million - since 9/30/15) and equaled its highest Teens 12-17 number since its season premiere (+33%).

"black-ish" (9:30-10:00 p.m. - 6.0 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49):

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's "black-ish" held even with its last telecast in Adults 18-49 (1.9/6) to tie a best-since-premiere rating - since 9/23/15.

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.6 million and 1.0/3 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Nashville" surged 10% from its last telecast in Total Viewers (4.6 million vs. 4.2 million) for its largest audience in 6 weeks - since 9/30/15.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on 2015-16 season averages for originals (excluding the premiere).

Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).

New Series: Based on similar series.

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 Nielsen measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings for 11/11/15.