Primetime Ratings Report For the week of November 28 � December 4, 2005
Drawing its Largest Weekly Audience in Over 9 Months, ABC is No. 1 for the Week Across the Adult Demos, its Second Straight Win Among Adults 18-49
As the November Sweep Concludes on Wednesday Night, ABC Ranks No. 1 in
Adults 18-49, with its Highest-Rating in Any Sweep Period Since February 2001
ABC Claims the Top 4 TV Shows Among Adults 18-49
And 4 of the Top 5 Most-Watched Shows During the Week
With a Dominant Win, ABC Delivers its Strongest Monday in Close to 5 Years
ABC�s �Commander In Chief� Returns After a Preemption the Prior Tuesday,
Up by 1.1 Million More Viewers and Posting its Top Men Ratings in 5 Weeks
�Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2005�
Delivers ABC�s Biggest Audience in the Time Slot in Nearly 9 Months
�Lost� Grows by 2.2 Million Viewers and by 14% in Adults 18-49 from Last Week,
Generating its Best Numbers in 6 Weeks in Men 18-49, Men 18-34 and Teens 12-17
ABC�s �Invasion� Matches its Strongest Young Adult Performance in 6 Weeks
ABC Delivers a Dominant Friday Night Victory, Marking
Its Strongest Performance on the Evening in 10 Months
ABC News� �20/20� Wins Friday at 10pm with its Biggest Audience in 6-1/2 Months
ABC is No. 1 on Saturday in the Adult Demos with College Football Coverage
ABC Leads its 11th Consecutive Sunday Evening in Viewers and Young Adults
With its Strongest Audience Retention and Season-High Numbers, ABC�s
�Grey�s Anatomy� Tops CBS and NBC Combined in Viewers and Young Adults
WEEK No. 11:
ABC won the week of November 28, 2005 in each of the adult demographics: AD18-34 (3.6/11), AD18-49 (4.5/12) and AD25-54 (5.2/12). Outpacing second-place CBS by 10% (4.5/12 vs. 4.1/11), it was ABC�s second straight week to win among Adults 18-49. The Net ranked No. 1 in Adults 18-49 on 5 of 7 nights during the week (Mon./Wed./Fri./Sat./Sun.). It was also the 9th time in the 11 weeks this season that the Network took top honors among Adults 18-34, representing its greatest number of No.1 finishes during any TV Season in 6 years � since the 1999-00 Season.
� ABC attracted its largest weekly audience (12.4 million) in over 9 months � since the week of 2/21/05, the week of the Oscars. ABC marked its highest-rated week in Adults 18-49 (4.5/12), since the opening week of the season � best since w/o 9/19/05.
� ABC placed No. 1 during the 2005 November Sweep among Adults 18-49 (4.4/12-tied w/CBS) and took first place among Adults 18-34 (3.6/11) for the second November in a row. ABC is up the most among the networks. The Net has improved its November performance by 1.0 million viewers (11.7 million vs. 10.7 million) and by +10% in Adults 18-49 (4.4/12 vs. 4.0/11) compared to last November. ABC delivered its highest Adult 18-49 rating during any sweep period since February 2001. It was the first time that the Net has delivered the No. 1 position in the key demo during any sweep since May of 2000.
� Season to date, ABC is the only network to grow its Adult 18-49 audience, up by 8% over the same point a year ago (4.2/11 vs. 3.9/10). Each of the other broadcasters is down, with the exception of the WB, which is flat. ABC is also up 8% in Total Viewers over the same number of weeks last year (11.1 million vs. 10.3 million). In fact the Network has been up over the corresponding year-ago week for 4 straight weeks on both Nielsen measures.
Rankings: ABC claimed the Top 4 TV shows of the week in the key Adult 18-49 sales demographic: �Desperate Housewives� � No. 1, �Grey�s Anatomy� � No. 2, �NFL Monday Night Football� � No. 3 and �Lost� � No. 4. ABC aired 4 of the Top 5 most-watched shows, with ABC�s �Desperate Housewives� holding the top spot for the second week in a row. �Housewives� was also the No. 1 show of the week in each of key adult (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54) and women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). ABC�s �Monday Night Football� ranked as the week�s top-rated show in each of the men demos (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54). �Lost� was the week�s top-rated show in Teens 12-17.
Monday
ABC posted a substantial win on Monday night, besting second-place CBS by 2.7 million viewers (18.4 million vs. 15.7 million) and by 33% among Adults 18-49 (7.3/18 vs. 5.5/13). ABC has been the No. 1 network on Monday evening among Adults 18-49 on 12 of the past 13 weeks.
� ABC drew its largest Monday night audience and tied its highest Adult 18-49 rating in close to 5 years � since 1/1/01.
�Wife Swap� (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
Matching its best-ever Monday delivery, ABC�s �Wife Swap� earned second place in its time period among Adults 18-49 (3.5/9).
� �Wife Swap� continues to bring ABC substantial improvement to the time period. Compared to ABC�s delivery last season in the time period with regular programming during the run of �Monday Night Football,� �Wife Swap� has grown the hour for the Net by 2.9 million viewers (7.7 million vs. 4.8 million) and by 88% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/8 vs. 1.6/5).
�Monday Night Football: Pittsburgh at Indianapolis� (9:07 � 11:58 p.m.)
ABC�s telecast of the �NFL Monday Night Football� game, featuring the Pittsburgh Steelers against the unbeaten Indianapolis Colts, drew an average audience of 22.6 million viewers and a 9.1 rating, 22 share among Adults 18-49. In the end, the Indianapolis Colts kept their perfect record alive, winning all 11 of their games this season. Indianapolis defeated Pittsburgh by a score of 26-7.
� In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, it was the highest-rated game for the ABC �Monday Night Football� franchise in nearly 5 years � since 12/18/00.
� ABC�s �MNF� stood as the No. 1 TV program of the evening in Total Viewers (22.6 million) and across all key adult demographics: AD18-34 (7.8/21), AD 18-49 (9.1/22) and AD25-54 (10.0/23).
Tuesday
�Commander In Chief� (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
Building its lead-in and gaining audience throughout its broadcast, ABC�s �Commander In Chief� was up despite facing NBC�s high-rated season finale of �The Biggest Loser 2.� Although the freshman ABC drama was pre-empted the prior Tuesday for the �2005 American Music Awards,� �Commander In Chief� returned with 1.1 million more viewers than its most recent telecast (13.7 million vs. 12.6 million). In addition, the show delivered its best numbers across the men demographics in 5 weeks (M18-34 � 1.9/6, M18-49 � 3.2/8 and M25-54 � 4.2/9) -- best since 10/25/05. The ABC political family drama marked the series� third-highest-ever rating among Teens 12-17 (1.3/4).
� Despite competing against the second hour of NBC�s �Biggest Loser 2� season finale, which had opportunity to gather viewers from 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC�s �Commander In Chief� generated strong tune-in during the 9 o�clock hour. The ABC drama surged from its comedy lead-in (�Rodney�) by 5.8 million viewers (13.7 million vs. 7.9 million) and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (3.4/8 vs. 2.8/7). From beginning to end, �Commander In Chief� grew is audience among Total Viewers (13.3 million to 14.0 million) and among Adults 18-49 (3.3/8 to 3.5/8).
�Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2005� (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
Taking a solid second place in its hour to time period veteran NBC�s �Law & Order: SVU,� ABC�s �Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2005� drew an average audience of 13.0 million viewers and earned a 4.1 rating, 10 share among Adults 18-49.
� �Barbara Walters Presents� delivered solid improvement for ABC in the hour, up by 2.0 million viewers (13.0 million vs. 11.0 million) and by 17% in Adults 18-49 (4.1/10 vs. 3.5/9), compared to the Net�s average in the time period this season. In fact �Barbara Walters Presents the 10 Most Fascinating People of 2005� generated ABC�s biggest audience in the time period in nearly 9 months � since 3/1/05.
Wednesday
ABC ranked No. 1 on the final night of the 2005 November Sweep among young adults: Adults 18-49 (5.4/14 - tie) and Adults 18-34 (4.5/13). In fact, ABC was No. 1 all 4 Wednesday�s of the November Sweep among young adults.
�George Lopez� (8:00-8:30 p.m.)
ABC�s �George Lopez� bested its comedy competition in the time period, �Fox�s� �That �70s Show,� by 1.3 million viewers (7.9 million vs. 6.6 million).
�Freddie� (8:30-9:00 p.m.)
Building on its lead-in among viewers and young adults opposite CBS� high-rated �Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,� ABC�s �Freddie� was the No. 1 regularly scheduled show in its half-hour among Adults 18-49 (3.0/8).
� For its seventh consecutive telecast, �Freddie� grew from its �George Lopez� lead-in across each of the key adult demos: AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54.
�Lost� (9:00-10:04 p.m.)
Surging from its lead-in, ABC�s �Lost� outdistanced its nearest competition during the 9 o�clock hour, CBS� �Criminal Minds,� by 5.9 million viewers (21.5 million vs. 15.6 million) and by 85% in Adults 18-49 (8.9/21 vs. 4.8/11). �Lost� has been the No. 1 show on Wednesday in viewers and young adults on all 9 of its original telecasts this season.
� Compared to the previous week (19.3 million & 7.8/20 on 11/23/05), �Lost� grew its audience by 2.2 million viewers and by 14% among Adults 18-49. �Lost� produced its highest ratings in 6 weeks among Men 18-49 (7.9/20), Men 18-34 (7.0/20) and Teens 12-17 (5.2/16) � best since 10/19/05.
�Invasion� (10:04-11:00 p.m.)
In the 10 o�clock hour, ABC�s �Invasion� defeated NBC�s time period veteran, �Law & Order,� among young adults: AD18-34 (3.6/10 vs. 3.4/10) and AD18-49 (4.2/11 vs. 3.9/10).
� �Invasion� equaled its strongest Adult 18-49 performance in 6 weeks � since 10/19/05.
Friday
With its strongest Friday and first victory on the night this season, ABC beat second-place CBS on the night by 1.6 million viewers 9.1 million vs. 7.5 million) and by 45% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/9 vs. 2.0/6). ABC won all 6 half-hours on Friday evening among Adults 18-49.
� ABC attracted its biggest Friday audience in 10 months, while posting its top Adult 18-49 rating since the same night � since 2/25/05.
�Santa Claus is Comin� to Town� (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
The ABC holiday special �Santa Claus is Comin� to Town� won from 8:00-9:00 p.m. by 40% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/9 vs. 2.0/7 � CBS). The NBC special, �The Happy Elf,� drew 5.7 million viewers, a 1.8/6 in Adults 18-49, taking third place in the hour.
�America�s Funniest Home Videos� (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
A Friday telecast of �America�s Funniest Home Videos� overshadowed its time period, beating out its nearest competitors by 3.0 million (9.8 million vs. 6.8 million - CBS� �Knots Landing Reunion�) and by 58% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/9 vs. 1.9/6 � CBS and NBC tied).
� ABC�s venerable �America�s Funniest Home Videos,� now in its 16th season, stood as the No. 1 television program on Friday night in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.
�20/20� (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
ABC News� �20/20� ranked a strong No. 1 in its time period, defeating its closest competition, the final hour of CBS� �Knots Landing Reunion,� by 1.8 million viewers (8.8 million vs. 7.0 million) and by 38% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/9 vs. 2.1/6). NBC�s newsmagazine �Dateline� was a competitive non-factor in the hour (5.2 million viewers & 1.8/5 in Adults 18-49). �20/20� also delivered a dominant win during the 10 o�clock hour among Adult 25-54 (3.5/9).
� �20/20� produced its largest audience in 6-1/2 months � since 5/13/05.
Saturday
ABC�s coverage of the ACC Championship college football game (Virginia Tech vs. Florida State) put the Network into the No. 1 position on Saturday evening in each of the adult demographics: AD18-34 (2.2/8), AD18-49 (2.4/8-tie) and AD25-54 (2.8/8).
Sunday
ABC led Sunday evening among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 for the 11th consecutive week. ABC outpaced second-place CBS by 4.6 million viewers (18.0 million vs. 13.4 million) and by 95% in Adults 18-49 (7.4/18 vs. 3.8/9). Please note that CBS had a high-rated NFL football overrun during the first hour of Sunday�s prime.
� ABC aired the Top 3 TV programs on Sunday among Adults 18-49, with �Desperate Housewives,� �Grey�s Anatomy� and �Extreme Makeover: Home Edition,� respectively.
�America�s Funniest Home Videos� (7:00-8:00 p.m.)
Airing opposite the CBS NFL overrun in the time period, �America�s Funniest Home Videos� stood as the No. 1 non-sports program in the hour among Total Viewers (9.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/8).
�Extreme Makeover: Home Edition� (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
Making ABC a solid No. 1 at 8:00 p.m., ABC�s �Extreme Makeover: Home Edition� led its nearest competition, NFL boosted CBS, by 4% in Total Viewers (16.5 million vs. 15.8 million) and by 52% in the key Adult 18-49 sales demographic (6.4/15 vs. 4.2/10).
�Desperate Housewives� (9:00-10:01 p.m.)
Sunday�s No. 1 show in viewers and young adults, ABC�s �Desperate Housewives� surpassed second-place NBC�s �Law & Order: C.I.� by 13.5 million viewers (25.5 million vs. 11.9 million) in its time period. The ABC sophomore series beat the combined delivery of the other networks in the hour in Adults 18-49 by 9% (11.0/24 vs. 10.1/22 � CBS, NBC, Fox and WB together).
�Grey�s Anatomy� (10:01-11:00 p.m.)
�Grey�s Anatomy� posted another substantial win during the 10 o�clock hour. The ABC sophomore drama outperformed its combined CBS and NBC competition by 3% in Total Viewers (20.6 million vs. 20.0 million) and by a sizeable 81% in Adults 18-49 (9.4/22 vs. 5.2/13).
� �Grey�s Anatomy� delivered its best-ever retention of an original �Desperate Housewives�� lead-in and posted season-high numbers among Total Viewers and across the adult demographics. The sophomore program delivered a series-best among Women 18-49 (12.9/29).
Source: Nielsen Media Research, week of 11/28/05, or as dated.
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