ABC's "Modern Family" is Wednesday's #1 Scripted TV Show/"Off the Map" Grows

Some early info on ABC's Wednesday, ahead of the regular press release.

ABC ran #2 on Wednesday to Fox with a 2-hour American Idol among Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. Continuing to grow its Wednesday numbers year to year, ABC surged over the same night last year (2/24/10) by 3.2 million viewers and by 77% in Adults 18-49.

At 8pm, opposite Idol and Survivor: Redemption Island, ABC's The Middle once again more than doubled the numbers of NBC's Minute To Win It in Total Viewers (+113%) and Adults 18-49 (+140%). In addition for the 2nd consecutive week, ABC's The Middle defeated CBS' Survivor with Women 18-34 (+9%).

· The Middle was up week to week in both Total Viewers (+3%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%)

At 8:30pm like its lead-in, ABC freshman Better With You towered over NBC's Minute to Win It, leading by 1.9 million viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49.

· ABC's Better with You built its numbers over the prior week with Adults 25-54 and key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

Increasing from its lead-in at 9pm against the third half-hour of Idol, ABC's Modern Family dominated its scripted competition, outdelivering CBS' Criminal Minds by 24% among Adults 18-49. Modern Family registered as Wednesday's #1 scripted TV show in Adults 18-49 for its 16th consecutive original airing this season.

· Modern Family attracted its 3rd-largest audience ever against American Idol and its 2nd-highest-ever number with Teens 12-17.

At 9:30pm, opposite the final half-hour of Idol, ABC's Mr. Sunshine finished #2 with Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34. In addition, the new ABC comedy beat out the final half-hour of NBC's 2-hour Minute To Win It by 2.0 million viewers and by 85% in Adults 18-49.

· Mr. Sunshine generated big year-to-year gains for ABC in the half hour, up by 3.0 million viewers and by 71% in Adults 18-49 from the year-ago night.

In the 10pm hour against CBS' Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior and NBC's Law & Order: SVU, ABC's Off the Map posted double-digit percentage gains over the prior week in Total Viewers (+14%) and Adults 18-49 (+13%).

· The ABC freshman drama also continued to deliver strong year-over-year increases for the Net, growing the hour in both Total Viewers (+1.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (+31%) from the same night last year.

Quick Take for Wednesday, February 23, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Continues to Deliver Sizeable Year-Over-Year Wednesday Night Growth

ABC's "The Middle" More than Doubles NBC's "Minute to Win It" in Viewers and Young Adults, While Beating "Survivor" for the 2nd Straight Week in Women 18-34

ABC Freshman "Better with You" Towers Over NBC's "Minute to Win It" at 8:30pm

Drawing its 3rd-Largest-Ever Audience Against "Idol," "Modern Family" is Wednesday's No. 1 Scripted Show in Adults 18-49 for its 16th Straight Original

ABC Freshman "Mr. Sunshine" Paces No. 2 to "Idol" in Adults 18-34 and Produces Big Year-Over-Year Time-Period Gains for the Net in its Half-Hour

ABC's "Off the Map" Posts Double-Digit Percentage Week-to-Week Increases

Wednesday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC ran No. 2 on Wednesday to Fox with a 2-hour "American Idol" among Adults 18-34 (1.9/6-tie) and Women 18-34 (2.4/7).

· Continuing to grow its Wednesday numbers year to year, ABC surged over the same night last year (2/24/10) by 3.2 million viewers (6.8 million vs. 3.6 million) and by 77% in Adults 18-49 (2.3/6 vs. 1.3/4).

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

At 8:00 p.m., opposite "Idol" and "Survivor: Redemption Island," ABC's "The Middle" once again more than doubled the numbers of NBC's "Minute to Win It" in Total Viewers (+113% - 8.1 million vs. 3.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (+140% - 2.4/7 vs. 1.0/3). In addition for the 2nd consecutive week, ABC's "The Middle" defeated CBS' "Survivor" with Women 18-34 (+9%).

· ABC's "The Middle" was up week to week in both Total Viewers (+3% - 8.1 million vs. 7.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (+4% - 2.4/7 vs. 2.3/7)

"Better with You" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m. like its lead-in, ABC freshman "Better with You" towered over NBC's "Minute to Win It," leading by 1.9 million viewers (5.9 million vs. 4.0 million) and by 50% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.2/3).

· ABC's "Better with You" built its numbers over the prior week with Adults 25-54 and key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Increasing from its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. against the third half-hour of "Idol," ABC's "Modern Family" dominated its scripted competition, outdelivering CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 24% among Adults 18-49 (4.1/11 vs. 3.3/8). "Modern Family" registered as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted TV show in Adults 18-49 for its 16th consecutive original airing this season.

· "Modern Family" attracted its 3rd-largest audience ever (10.3 million) against "American Idol" and marked its 2nd-highest-ever number with Teens 12-17 (1.8/6).

"Mr. Sunshine" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

At 9:30 p.m., opposite the final half-hour of "Idol," ABC's "Mr. Sunshine" finished No. 2 with Adults 18-34 (2.0/6-tie) and Men 18-34 (1.5/5). In addition, the new ABC comedy beat out the final half-hour of NBC's 2-hour "Minute to Win It" by 2.0 million viewers (6.5 million vs. 4.5 million) and by 85% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/6 vs. 1.3/3).

· "Mr. Sunshine" generated big year-to-year gains for ABC in the half hour, up by 3.0 million viewers and by 71% in Adults 18-49 from the year-ago night (3.5 million and 1.4/3).

"Off the Map" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

In the 10:00 p.m. hour against CBS' "Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior" and NBC's "Law & Order: SVU," ABC's "Off the Map" posted double-digit percentage gains over the prior week in Total Viewers (+14% - 4.9 million vs. 4.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+13% - 1.7/5 vs. 1.5/4).

· The ABC freshman drama also continued to deliver strong year-over-year increases for the Net, growing the hour in both Total Viewers (+1.9 million) and Adults 18-49 (+31%) from the same night last year (3.0 million and 1.3/3).

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 39% currently, from 35% at the same point in 2010. 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.

Source: The Nielsen Company (Fast Affiliate, Live + Same Day Ratings), 2/23/11.