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[06/04/10 - 10:16 AM]
ABC's "Kimmel" Draws Its Largest Weekly Audience Ever
ABC spins the late-night numbers for the week of May 24-28 and the May sweeps period.

[via press release from ABC]

Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming Week of May 24, 2010 May 2010 Sweep

ABC's "Kimmel" Draws its Largest Weekly Audience Ever

"JKL" Bests NBC's "Fallon" in Total Viewers for the 4th Time in 5 Weeks

"JKL" Outperforms CBS' "Ferguson" in Viewers and Key Women Adults, Leading the CBS Program by its Biggest Margin Ever in Viewers

With Guests Jake Gyllenhaal, Nicole Scherzinger and Peter Frampton, "JKL's" post-"DWTS" Finale Telecast Draws its Second-Largest Audience Ever in Late Night

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" Attracts its Largest May Sweep Audience in 3 Years and Sees its Best Total Viewer Count for Any Sweeps Period Since November 2008

Weekly National Ratings:

During the week of May 24, 2010, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" drew its largest weekly audience ever (2.14 million). In addition, the ABC late night program logged its best performance among Adults 18-49 (851,000) in over 15 months - since w/o 3/2/09.

· For the week, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" outperformed NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" in both Total Viewers (+33% - 2.14 million vs. 1.61 million) and Adults 18-49 (+11% - 851,000 vs. 764,000), besting the NBC program in viewers for the 4th time in the last 5 weeks. During the 09-10 TV Season, "JKL" attracted 7% more viewers overall than NBC's "Fallon" (1.67 million vs. 1.56 million).

· "Jimmy Kimmel Live" defeated CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" in Total Viewers (+27% - 2.14 million vs. 1.69 million) and Adults 18-49 (+26% - 851,000 vs. 678,000), leading the CBS late night program in viewers by its largest margin ever ("Ferguson" premiered on CBS on w/o 1/3/05).

· On Tuesday (5/25/10), featuring Jake Gyllenhaal, "Dancing with the Stars" winner Nicole Scherzinger and musical guest Peter Frampton, and following ABC News' strong "Nightline" performance with its exclusive interview with Jesse James, "JKL" delivered its highest numbers on any night in Total Viewers (2.98 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.21 million) in over 1 year - since 3/2/09. In fact, the Tuesday telecast marked "JKL's" second-largest audience ever in late night (Mon-Fri telecasts). NOTE: "Jimmy Kimmel Live" debuted on 1/27/03.

May Sweep 2010 (4/29/09 - 5/26/10):

During the recently completed 2010 May Sweep, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" was up in Total Viewers (1.79 million) compared to the year-ago Sweep (1.67 million - May 2009), drawing its largest May Sweep audience in 3 years - since May 2007.

· Looking at all Sweeps periods (February, May, July and November), "Jimmy Kimmel Live" improved its Total Viewer count over February 2010 (1.66 million), attracting its largest audience in 6 Sweeps periods - since November 2008.

· "JKL" defeated NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" during the 2010 May Sweep in Total Viewers (1.79 million vs. 1.69 million), outperforming the NBC program in viewers for the 3rd time in the last 4 Sweeps periods.

· "JKL" beat CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" during the month in Total Viewers (1.794 million vs. 1.788 million), Women 18-49 (430,000 vs. 395,000) and Women 25-54 (519,000 vs. 497,000).

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for week of 5/24/10. May Sweep 2010 =4/29 - 5/26/10 (Most Current Program Ratings). Comparisons based on 000s.

Ratings Report for ABC News' "Nightline" For Week of May 24, 2010, May 2010 Sweep & 2009/10 Primetime Broadcast Season

ABC NEWS' "NIGHTLINE" IS NO. 1 FOR THE WEEK OF MAY 24

FOR THE MAY SWEEP, "NIGHTLINE" IS NO. 2 - BEST MAY SWEEP RESULT SINCE 2000

"NIGHTLINE" IS NO. 2 FOR THE PRIMETIME BROADCAST SEASON AMONG TOTAL VIEWERS AND ADULTS 18-49 - BESTS "THE TONIGHT SHOW" BY BIGGEST MARGIN SINCE 1994/95

ABC News' "Nightline" placed first among Adults 25-54, Adults 18-49 and Total Viewers for the week of May 24, 2010, outperforming CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" and NBC's "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno," according to Nielsen Media Research. Among Total Viewers, "Nightline" posted 4.39 million, increasing +55% compared to the same week last year, while "The Tonight Show" decreased -44%. Week to week, "Nightline" grew +18% among Total Viewers and +16% among A25-54. "Nightline" averaged 1.86 million (1.5 rating) among Adults 25-54, increasing +63% compared to the same week last year, while "The Tonight Show" declined -45%. Among A18-49, "Nightline" grew +60% year to year and +15% week to week. *Note: "Nightline" was based on a 4-day average last week (Monday-Tuesday & Thursday-Friday).

For the 2010 May Sweep, "Nightline" placed second among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49. The last time "Nightline" placed second among both A25-54 and Total Viewers for a May sweep was in 2000. This marks the second consecutive May sweep "Nightline" was No. 2 among A18-49. Additionally, "Nightline" was the only show to increase versus the May 2009 sweep, +3% among A25-54 and +1% among Total Viewers, while "The Tonight Show" decreased -19% among Total Viewers and -18% among A25-54, and "Letterman" declined -5% among Total Viewers and -2% among A25-54.

"Nightline" shrank the total viewing and A25-54 gaps with "Leno" to its smallest for a May sweep in 15years�since May 1995. "Nightline" also cut the total viewing and A25-54 gaps with NBC by -79% vs. the May 2009 sweep. "Nightline's total viewing lead over "Letterman" was +157% (220,000) larger compared to the May 2009 sweep.

For the just completed 2009/2010 primetime broadcast season, ABC News' "Nightline" placed second among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, outperforming "Letterman" in A18-49. Additionally, "Nightline" cut the Adults 25-54 gap with "The Tonight Show" by -81% versus the 2008/ 09 primetime broadcast season. The last time "Nightline's" total viewing lead over NBC was that large was the 1994/ 95 primetime broadcast season.

ABC News' "Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Martin Bashir. John Donvan and Vicki Mabrey are correspondents. James Goldston is the executive producer. The program airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network.

(Week of May 24, 2010)

TOTAL VIEWERS A25-54(000)/ Rtg A18-49(000)/ Rtg

ABC "Nightline" 4,390,000 1,860,000/ 1.5 1,500,000/ 1.1

CBS "Late Show" 3,320,000 1,500,000/ 1.2 1,180,000/ .9

NBC "Tonight" 3,880,000 1,660,000/ 1.3 1,320,000/ 1.0

(May 2010 Sweep)

TOTAL VIEWERS A25-54(000)/ Rtg A18-49(000)/ Rtg

ABC "Nightline" 3,840,000 1,660,000/ 1.3 1,350,000/ 1.0

CBS "Late Show" 3,480,000 1,580,000/ 1.3 1,230,000/ 0.9

NBC "Tonight" 4,100,000 1,780,000/ 1.4 1,450,000/ 1.1

(Average for 09/10 Primetime Broadcast Season)

TOTAL VIEWERS A25-54(000)/ Rtg A18-49(000)/ Rtg

ABC "Nightline" 3,830,000 1,580,000/ 1.3 1,300,000/ 1.0

CBS "Late Show" 3,910,000 1,650,000/ 1.3 1,290,000/ 1.0

NBC "Tonight" 3,340,000 1,670,000/ 1.3 1,490,000/ 1.1

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 & Adults 18-49 Live + SD weeks of 5/24/10 & 5/25/09. Live+7 (where available) & Live+SD for May 2010 Sweep (4/29/10-5/26/10) & May 2009 Sweep (4/23/09-5/20/09) & 09/10 Primetime Broadcast Season (9/21/09-5/26/10) & 08/09 Primetime Broadcast Season (9/22/08-5/20/09).





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