or


[04/25/06 - 12:00 AM]
Primetime Ratings Report for the Week of April 17-23, 2006

[via press release from ABC]

Primetime Ratings Report For the week of April 17-23, 2006

ABC�s Clip-Shows of �Grey�s Anatomy� and �Desperate Housewives� Rank Among the Top 5 TV Programs During the Week in Adults 18-49

For the Second Week in a Row, ABC News Airs the Top 2 Newsmagazines of the Week in Adults 18-49

ABC is the Network of Growth This Season, Qualifying as the Only Network Up in Viewers and in the Key Adult Demographics

ABC�s �Supernanny� Wins Monday at 9pm Across the Key Women Demographics And Beats NBC�s Series Debut of �Celebrity Cooking Showdown� by Wide Margins

Showing Strong Lead-in Retention in Key Demos, ABC�s �What About Brian� Ranks No. 1 Monday at 10pm in Women 18-34 and Beats NBC�s �Medium� in Adults 18-34

Return of �Alias� Gains Audience Throughout its 2-Hour Wednesday Telecast, Posting Its Highest Adult 18-49 Rating This Season, Despite Facing Fox�s �Idol� at 9pm

�Invasion� Earns Second Place in the Key Adult Demographics Wednesday at 10pm

�American Inventor� Grows by 1.3 Million Viewers and by 14% Among Adults 18-49, Over the Prior Week, Greatly Improving its Thursday 9 O�clock Time Period for ABC

As ABC News� �20/20� and �Primetime� Team up, ABC Wins Friday in Adults 18-49

ABC Wins Sunday, Marking its 13th Straight Week at No. 1 in Adults 18-49 and Qualifying as the Net�s Longest Winning Streak on the Night at Least 15 Years

ABC�s �America�s Funniest Home Videos� Leads Sunday at 7pm in Adults 18-49 for the Second Week in a Row

ABC�s Repeat �Home Edition� Ranks No. 1 Sunday at 8pm Among Adults 18-49

The Most-Watched TV Show on Sunday, ABC�s �Desperate Housewives� Clip-Show Dominates at 9pm, Up Substantially from its Last Clip-Show Earlier in the Season

ABC�s �Grey�s Anatomy� Clip-Show Outdistances its Nearest Competition at 10pm By 3.1 Million Viewers and Defeats CBS and NBC Combined in Adults 18-49

WEEK No. 31:

ABC earned second place during the week of April 17, 2006 among Adults 18-34 (2.2/7), Teens 12-17 (1.4/5) and Kids 2-11 (1.0/4-tie).

� With less than 5 weeks remaining in the official 2005-06 TV Season, ABC is the network of growth. ABC�s primetime delivery this season has increased by nearly 1 million viewers (11.0 million vs. 10.1 million), by 10% in Adults 18-34 (3.3/10 vs. 3.0/9), by 5% in Adults 18-49 (4.0/11 vs. 3.8/10) and by 9% in Adults 25-54 (4.7/11 vs. 4.3/10) over the same point a year ago. In addition, ABC is the only network to improve its performance in viewers or in the key adult demographics. ABC�s increases are driven largely by its regular entertainment series programming, up by 10% in Total Viewers and by 8% in Adults 18-49 over its averages with regularly scheduled series programming at the same point last season. ABC is also up in the �non-sports� averages, gaining 4% in viewers and 3% in Adults 18-49 year to year.

Rankings: With clip-shows of �Grey�s Anatomy� (No. 4) and �Desperate Housewives� (No. 5), ABC claimed 2 of the week�s Top 5 television programs in the key Adult 18-49 sales demographic. �Desperate Housewives: The More You Know, the Juicier it Gets� (No. 9) and �Grey�s Anatomy: Under Pressure� (No. 13) also finished out the week ranking among the Top 15 most-watched TV programs. For the second straight week, ABC News claimed TV�s Top 2 newsmagazine telecasts among Adults 18-49 with �20/20 � FRI SP 4/21� and �Primetime SP-4/21.� In fact, ABC News has aired the top-rated TV newsmagazine in Adults 18-49 on 4 of the past 5 weeks.

Monday

ABC�s Monday night programming continued to deliver among young women, winning the evening among Women 18-34 (3.9/11) for the 10th time in the last 13 weeks.

�Wife Swap� (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

During the opening hour of primetime, a repeat installment of �Wife Swap� gained audience for ABC, growing by 13% in viewers (6.0 million to 6.8 million) and 17% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/7 to 2.7/7) from start to finish.

�Supernanny� (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

At 9:00 p.m., �Supernanny� moved ABC up into the No. 1 position in the hour across each of the key women demographics (W18-34 - 4.7/12, W18-49 - 5.2/12 and W25-54 - 5.7/12) and Kids 2-11 (2.1/8), qualifying as the No. 1 TV program on Monday with Women 18-34. The ABC unscripted program earned second place in its time slot among young adults, beating the series debut of NBC�s �Celebrity Cooking Showdown� by 42% in Adults 18-34 (3.4/9 vs. 2.4/7) and by 32% in Adults 18-49 (3.7/9 vs. 2.8/7).

�What About Brian� (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC�s time period premiere of �What About Brian� took second place during the 10 o�clock hour in Adults 18-34, beating NBC�s original �Medium� by 7% (2.9/9 vs. 2.7/8). �What About Brian� ranked No. 1 during the 10 o�clock hour in Women 18-34, winning the slot by 8% (4.2/12 vs. 3.9/11 � CBS).

� �What About Brian� delivered solid retention of its �Supernanny� lead-in among key demos, retaining 86% among Adults 18-49 (3.2/8 vs. 3.7/9) and 89% in Women 18-34 (4.2/12 vs. 4.7/12).

� Compared to ABC�s most recent performance with regular programming in the hour two weeks ago (4/3/06), �What About Brian� improved the time period by 19% in Adults 18-49 (3.2/8 vs. 2.7/7) and by 32% in Adults 18-34 (2.9/9 vs. 2.2/6). The premiere delivered ABC�s best Women 18-34 (4.2/12) and Women 18-49 (4.7/11) ratings with regular programming in the time period in 5 weeks � since 3/13/06.

Wednesday

�Alias� (8:00-10:01 p.m.)

The two-hour return of �Alias� attracted 7.5 million viewers and a 2.7 rating, 8 share among Adults 18-49. Despite facing Fox�s �American Idol� at 9:00 p.m., the Touchstone-produced drama posted its strongest performance of the season in the key adult sales demo while drawing the show�s largest audience since its season premiere. In addition, �Alias� grew by 1.3 million viewers (6.9 million to 8.2 million) and by 35% among Adults 18-49 (2.3/7 to 3.1/8) from its first half-hour to its final half-hour.

� In its regular 8:00-9:00 p.m. time period, �Alias� improved the hour in both Total Viewers (7.1 million vs. 6.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 2.3/6) compared to ABC�s performance in the hour since Fox�s �American Idol� returned on the night (1/25/06).

� The two-hour return telecast of �Alias� was up by 7% in viewers (7.5 million vs. 7.0 million) and by 17% among young adults (2.7/8 vs. 2.3/6) versus its averages this season.

�Invasion� (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

In the final hour of primetime, ABC�s �Invasion� took second place in the hours across each of the key adult demographics: Adults 18-34 (2.2/7), Adults 18-49 (2.6/7) and Adults 25-54 (3.2/8).

Thursday

�American Inventor� (9:00-10:01 p.m.)

At 9:00 p.m., �American Inventor� posted week-to-week increases of 1.3 million viewers (8.5 million vs. 7.2 million) and 14% among Adults 18-49 (3.3/9 vs. 2.9/8), finishing second in the hour among Total Viewers. �American Inventor� increased its audience by 1.2 million viewers (7.8 million to 9.0 million) and by 21% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/8 to 3.5/9) from its first half-hour to its second half-hour.

� On average over the course of its six telecasts, �American Inventor� has improved the 9 o�clock hour for ABC by 5.3 million viewers (10.3 million vs. 5.0 million) and by 128% in Adults 18-49 (4.1/11 vs. 1.8/4), as compared the Net�s performance on the same nights last year.

�Commander In Chief� (10:01-11:00 p.m.)

Earning second place in its time slot among viewers, ABC�s �Commander In Chief� retained 94% of Total Viewers and 88% of its Adults 18-49 audience from its week-earlier time period premiere. The drama had 100% retention among Men 18-49 (1.8/5), while building on Men 25-54 (2.6/7 vs. 2.5/7).

� �Command In Chief�s� two-week average is improving the time period by 10% in Total Viewers (8.0 million vs. 7.3 million), over the Net�s average in the hour this season.

Friday

ABC won Friday night among Adults 18-49 (2.5/8), building its young adult audience in each half-hour of the night.

�20/20 Special�/�Primetime Special� (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC News� special 2-hour block of �20/20� (9:00-9:15 p.m.) and �Primetime� (9:15-11:00 p.m.) drew 8.1 million viewers and a 2.7 rating, 8 share among Adults 18-49, winning the time period among Adults 18-49. The 2-hour block, featuring a �Mission Impossible 3� cast interview on �20/20� and a Diane Sawyer report on the complex issues of blended families on �Primetime,� grew by 2.1 million viewers (6.8 million to 8.9 million) and by 35% among Adults 18-49 (2.3/8 to 3.1/10) from its first half-hour to the final half-hour. In addition, ABC led each half-hour in the time period among Adults 18-49.

Sunday

ABC stood as the No. 1 network on Sunday night in viewers and young adults. Although most of the ABC Sunday lineup was comprised of rebroadcast programming (3 of 4 hours), opposite mostly original product on the other broadcasters, ABC outdrew its nearest competitors on the evening by 3% in Total Viewers (11.6 million vs. 11.3 million - CBS) and by 50% in Adults 18-49 (4.5/12 vs. 3.0/8 - Fox). ABC ranked No. 1 in all 4 hours of the evening for the second week in a row among young adults.

� ABC tallied its 13th consecutive week as the top-rated network on Sunday in the Adult 18-49 sales demographic, representing its longest winning streak on the evening in at least 15 years � since at least September 1991, the start of Nielsen�s electronic database.

� ABC claimed the Top 2 TV shows on Sunday in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, with �Desperate Housewives: The More You Know, the Juicier it Gets� and �Grey�s Anatomy: Under Pressure.�

�America�s Funniest Home Videos� (7:00-8:00 p.m.)

For the second straight week, ABC�s �America�s Funniest Home Videos� gave ABC a head start during the opening hour of Sunday�s primetime, leading second-place CBS� �60 Minutes� by 24% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/9 vs. 2.1/7).

�Extreme Makeover: Home Edition� (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

A repeat airing of ABC�s �Extreme Makeover: Home Edition� ranked No. 1 among Adults 18-49 during the 8 o�clock hour, tying Fox�s original comedies (�The Simpsons�/�War at Home�) in the time period (3.5/10).

�Desperate Housewives: The More You Know, the Juicier it Gets� (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

The No. 1 television program on Sunday in viewers, ABC�s �Desperate Housewives� clip-show dominated its time period competition. During the 9 o�clock hour, ABC�s �Desperate Housewives� outdistanced its closest competition by 4.6 million viewers (15.7 million vs. 11.1 million � NBC�s �Law & Order: C.I.�) and by 56% in Adults 18-49 (6.1/14 vs. 3.9/9 � Fox�s �Family Guy�/�American Dad�).

� Versus the most recent �Desperate Housewives� clip-show earlier in the season, �Desperate Housewives: The More You Know, the Juicier it Gets� was up by 3.3 million viewers and by 33% in Adults 18-49 (12.4 million & 4.6/12 on 1/1/06).

�Grey�s Anatomy: Under Pressure� (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Opposite original competition on NBC (�Crossing Jordan�) and CBS (�Hallmark Hall of Fame: In from the Night�) during the 10 o�clock hour, ABC�s �Grey�s Anatomy� clip-show took first place among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. ABC�s �Grey�s Anatomy: Under Pressure� defeated second-place NBC�s �Crossing Jordan� by 3.1 million viewers (14.6 million vs. 11.5 million) and topped the combined deliveries of CBS and NBC in the hour among Adults 18-49 (6.2/15 vs. 6.0/15). Building on its �Desperate Housewives� lead-in among young adults, �Grey�s Anatomy� was the night�s No. 1 television program among Adults 18-49.

Source: Nielsen Media Research (Live+SD), week of 4/17/06, or as dated.





  [april 2006]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
      


· 20/20 (ABC)
· 60 MINUTES (CBS)
· ALIAS (ABC)
· AMERICAN DAD (FOX)
· AMERICAN IDOL (ABC)
· AMERICAN INVENTOR (ABC)
· AMERICA'S FUNNIEST HOME VIDEOS (ABC)
· CELEBRITY COOKING SHOWDOWN (NBC)
· COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF (ABC)
· CROSSING JORDAN (NBC)
· DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES (ABC)
· EXTREME MAKEOVER: HOME EDITION (HGTV)
· FAMILY GUY (FOX)
· GREY'S ANATOMY (ABC)
· IN FROM THE NIGHT (CBS)
· INVASION (ABC)
· LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT (USA)
· MEDIUM (CBS)
· SIMPSONS, THE (FOX)
· SUPERNANNY (LIFETIME)
· WAR AT HOME, THE (FOX)
· WHAT ABOUT BRIAN (ABC)
· WHAT WOULD YOU DO? (ABC)
· WIFE SWAP (PARAMOUNT)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[05/12/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of May 4 - The Critters of "Swapped" Soar to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
The pursuit of justice is action-packed in "Man on Fire," which set the English TV list ablaze at No. 1 with 12.6 million views.

[05/08/26 - 09:18 AM]
TNT Sports Delivers Its Most-Watched MLB Regular Season Start Since 2015
The Yankees/Mariners season opener on March 31 delivered 562,000 viewers and peaked at 735,000, making it the most watched opener on TBS since 2012.

[05/06/26 - 10:01 AM]
Strong Month of Sports Propels ESPN Studio Shows to Record Viewership for April
The entire lineup of ESPN studio shows was up 21% overall in viewership over April of 2025 and up 10% year-over-year (YOY) in the coveted Persons ages 18-49 demographic.

[05/05/26 - 03:52 PM]
ESPN Networks Aired Its Most Viewed First Round of the Current Rights Deal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
ESPN also delivered three of the top five matchups in the First Round including the Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins Game 1 (2.1 million viewers).

[05/05/26 - 03:36 PM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver the Most-Watched First Round Game 7 in NBA History for Saturday Night's 76ers-Celtics
Saturday night's matchup between the Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 11.0 million viewers on NBC and Peacock.

[05/05/26 - 02:33 PM]
TNT Sports Delivers Its Most Watched NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs First Round Ever
Game 7 of the Montreal/Tampa Bay series on Sunday, May 3 averaged 2.3 million viewers, the most-watched First Round game on cable ever featuring a Canadian team.

[05/05/26 - 02:24 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Flexes Double-Digit Season-to-Date Viewership Increase
2,130,000 viewers tuned-in to FOX on Saturday, May 2, for a two-game slate highlighted by the Cardinals' 3-2 Victory over the Dodgers in most of the country.

[05/05/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of April 27 - The Hunt Continues as "Apex" Takes No. 1 for a Second Week
Plus: Revenge might be a dish best served cold, but "Man on Fire" served it up hot, reaching No. 1 on the English TV list with 11 million views.

[05/03/26 - 02:40 PM]
NBC Sports Delivers the Most-Watched Kentucky Derby on Record, Averaging 19.6 Million Viewers on NBC & Peacock in Historic "Run for the Roses"
Viewership peaked at 24.4 million viewers from 7-7:15 p.m. ET, as jockey Jose Ortiz guided Golden Tempo around the final turn to win by a neck over Renegade, and made Cherie DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.

[05/01/26 - 01:33 PM]
"Live with Kelly and Mark" Jumps Back from Spring Break with Fifth Straight Week of Growth Among Both Total Viewers and Households
Dominating the New York market, "Live with Kelly and Mark" towers over its closest competition this season by double and triple digits in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Women 25-54.

[05/01/26 - 08:05 AM]
NBC Sports' NBA Playoff Viewership on NBC & Peacock Up 58% vs. Comparable Coverage Last Year Through First 13 Games
This is the first time in 24 years that NBC Sports is presenting the NBA Playoffs.

[04/30/26 - 02:17 PM]
ABC News Is #1 in Total Viewers Sunday Morning and in Late-Night
ABC News' "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers (931,000) for the week of April 20.

[04/29/26 - 04:01 PM]
"American Idol" Scores 5.3 Million Total Viewers with Biggest Audience in Over 2 Months During Taylor Swift Night
Monday's episode was the No. 1 entertainment program on the night among Total Viewers (5.34 million) and Adults 18-49 (0.42 rating).

[04/29/26 - 02:41 PM]
Record Breaker! ESPN Airs Most-Viewed First Round Game 5 Ever on Cable, Extending Milestone Run of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs
Philadelphia Flyers-Pittsburgh Penguins on Monday averaged 2 million viewers, up 190% vs. ESPN's First Round Game 5 average last year.

[04/28/26 - 03:41 PM]
TNT Sports Continues Viewership Surge for 2026 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs
Minnesota's Game 4 victory over Dallas on Saturday averaged 1.9 million viewers on TBS, truTV and HBO Max.