ABC Is No. 2 For The Week In Adults 18-49

During the week of April 19, 2010, ABC took second place among young Adults: Adults 18-49 (2.0/6) and Adults 18-34 (1.6/5).

Rankings: The Net claimed 3 of the week's Top 10 TV programs in Adults 18-49: "Dancing with the Stars" - No. 4, "Lost" - No. 8 and "Desperate Housewives" - No. 10. The Net placed 2 of the Top 5 most-watched programs overall, including No. 1 as "DWTS" finished as TV's top series for the 3rd time in 4 weeks: "Dancing with the Stars" - No. 1 and "DWTS the Results Show" - No. 5. In fact, "DWTS" outdrew "American Idol-TUE" (+1.4 million) and "American Idol-WED" (+2.3 million) by its biggest margins yet. "Dancing" became the first TV series since the 2004-05 TV Season to top both editions of "Idol" on 3 or more weekly occasions. The ABC dance performance show is delivering its most-watched season ever.

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 36% currently, from 31% at the same point in 2009. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Monday

With "Dancing with the Stars," the debut of "Romantically Challenged" and "Castle," ABC qualified as Monday's most-watched TV network for the 5th consecutive week (15.9 million) and placed No. 1 on the night for the 4th time in 5 weeks among Adults 18-49 (3.8/11). ABC topped its nearest competition on the evening by 5.6 million viewers (CBS = 10.3 million) and by 12% in young adults (CBS and Fox = 3.4/10).

· ABC's Monday results increased year to year by 1.1 million viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49 (14.8 million and 3.5/9 on 4/20/09).

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-9:32 p.m.)

Becoming a half-hour shorter in duration this week, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" won its time period for the 5th week running in both Total Viewers (21.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.8/13). "DWTS" led its time period by wide margins, outdelivering second-place Fox with originals of "House" and "24" by 10.9 million viewers and by 30% in Adults 18-49 (Fox = 10.2 million and 3.7/10). "DWTS" registered as Monday's most-watched television series for the 5th week running.

· Despite its shorter duration this week, "DWTS" grew its overall audience from the prior week (21.1 million vs. 20.6 million).

"Romantically Challenged" (9:32-10:00 p.m.)

ABC's series premiere of "Romantically Challenged" finished a solid second in the 9:30 p.m. half-hour in Total Viewers (10.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.9/8) against CBS' veteran comedy "The Big Bang Theory," beating the final half-hour of Fox's "24" by 1.6 million viewers and by 4% in Adults 18-49 (24 = 9.1 million and 2.8/7). The ABC sitcom debut improved the Net's time period performance over the same night last year with original comedy programming by 9% in Total Viewers and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (9.9 million and 2.4/6 with "Surviving Suburbia" on 4/20/09).

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's "Castle" earned a strong second place to CBS' "CSI: Miami" in Monday's 10 o'clock hour among Total Viewers (10.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.6/8). The ABC sophomore drama surged over its performance on the same night last year, jumping by 2.2 million viewers and by 24% in Adults 18-49 year to year (8.2 million and 2.1/6 on 4/20/09).

Tuesday

ABC's Tuesday lineup of "DWTS the Results Show," "Lost" and "V," continued to deliver impressive year-to-year returns, as the Net was up over the same night last year for the 4th week in a row. ABC's numbers surged over the same Tuesday a year ago (4/21/09), also a night of all-original programming, by 1.6 million viewers (9.7 million vs. 8.1 million) and by 47% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/8 vs. 1.9/5).

"DWTS the Results Show" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Continuing to improve its new earlier 8:00 p.m. time period year to year for ABC against Fox's "American Idol," ABC's "DWTS the Results Show" finished as the second-most-watched program in its hour (13.6 million), outdrawing NBC's Biggest Loser by 6.2 million viewers (7.4 million) and CBS' "NCIS" encore by 3.6 million viewers (10.0 million). Star of "Jon and Kate Plus 8," Kate Gosselin was the 4th celebrity eliminated from the dance competition this season.

"Lost" (9:00-10:02 p.m.)

Opposite stiff original demographic competition at 9:00 p.m. on Fox ("Idol"-fueled "Glee") and NBC (second hour of a 2-hour "Biggest Loser"), ABC's "Lost" surged from its lead-in by 54% in Adults 18-49 (3.7/10). "Lost" finished No. 2 in the hour to "Glee" with Adults 18-34 and Adults 25-54 (tie). In Adults 18-34, "Lost" topped the second hour of NBC's "Biggest Loser" by 18% (3.3/9 vs. 2.8/8).

· "Lost" improved the time period year to year for ABC by 16% in Adults 18-49 (3.7/10 vs. 3.2/8).

"V-TUE" (10:02-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's "V" finished No. 2 in the 10 o'clock hour among young Adults (AD18-34/AD18-49), while ranking No. 1 against its NBC ("Parenthood") and CBS ("The Good Wife") drama competition for the 4th consecutive week across all key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54). "V" continued to greatly improve the time period year to year for ABC, over original drama programming on the year-ago night, boosting the 10:00 p.m. hour by 47% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.5/4).

· "V" was up week to week in Total Viewers (5.8 million vs. 5.6 million) and held even among Adults 18-49, drawing its largest overall audience since its premiere in the time period in March.

Wednesday

"The Middle" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in by 14% at 8:30 p.m. against the second half-hour of an expanded 2-hour "Idol," ABC's repeat "The Middle" (1.6/5) defeated the freshman season-finale episode of CBS' "Accidentally On Purpose" by 7% (1.5/4) and NBC's original "Mercy" by 33% (1.2/3). In addition, ABC's repeat freshman comedy beat the season closer of "Accidentally On Purpose" in Adults 18-34, Men 18-34, Women 18-34 and Women 18-49.