"Jimmy Kimmel Live" Draws its 2nd-Best Numbers in Viewers and Young Adults in Nearly 2 Months

Some early points on Jimmy Kimmel Live's numbers, ahead of the regular press release:

During the week of February 28, 2011, including the final three nights of the February 2011 Sweep, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live posted its 2nd straight week of gains in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, marking the ABC late night program's 2nd-strongest performance in nearly 2 months - since w/o 1/10/11.

JKL grew its Total Viewer count over the same week last year (w/o 3/1/10), building its overall audience over the year-ago week for the 3rd week in a row. In addition, the ABC late night program saw increases over the same week last year in both Adults 18-34 (+11%) and Adults 18-49 (+2%), turning in its 5th consecutive week of year-to-year increases in Adults 18-34 and 2nd week in Adults 18-49. Impressively, JKL stood as the only late-night program among the broadcast networks to post year-to-year increases on all three Nielsen measures.

· JKL's Wednesday telecast (3/2/11) attracted the ABC late-night program's 2nd-largest Adults 18-34 audience on any night in almost 9 months and its best on the night in 16 months - since 6/17/10 and 12/9/09, respectively. On that evening, JKL nearly doubled CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (+93%) in the young adult demo and topped NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon by 16% and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno by 4%.

· ABC's JKL beat CBS' Ferguson by 11% in Adults 18-34 and by 10% in Adults 18-49, besting the CBS late-night program for the 10th week running in Adults 18-34 and for the 9th time in the last 10 weeks in Adults 18-49.

During the recently completed 2011 February Sweep, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live drew 1.68 million viewers and 728,000 Adults 18-49 viewers, marking the show's 2nd-best February sweep since 2007. In fact, JKL was up in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 over the previous February for the 2nd time in the last 3 sweeps periods for the month.

· JKL beat CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson during the month in both Adults 18-34 (+11%) and Adults 18-49 (+6%), topping the CBS program in both young adult demos for the 2nd time in the last 3 February Sweeps periods. In fact, JKL has topped Ferguson in 5 of the last 6 February sweeps in Adults 18-34.

Ratings Report for ABC News' "Nightline" For February Sweep and Week of February 28, 2011

"NIGHTLINE" POSTS LARGEST TOTAL VIEWING AUDIENCE IN 7 YEARS FOR A FEBRUARY SWEEP

"NIGHTLINE" IS #1 AMONG A25-54: FIRST TIME EVER FOR A FEBRUARY SWEEP

"NIGHTLINE" ATTRACTS LARGER OVERALL AUDIENCE THAN CBS' "LETTERMAN" FOR FIRST TIME DURING A FEBRUARY SWEEP IN 8 YEARS

"NIGHTLINE" BESTS CBS' "LETTERMAN" AMONG A18-49 FOR 8th STRAIGHT SWEEPS PERIOD

FOR THE WEEK, "NIGHTLINE" IS #1 AMONG TOTAL VIEWERS, A18-49 AND A25-54

For the February 2011 Sweep, ABC News' "Nightline" averaged 3.84 million in Total Viewers, 1.64 million in Adults 25-54 and 1.24 million in Adults 18-49, according to Nielsen Media Research. February 2011 represents the first time ever that "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in Adults 25-54 during a February sweeps period, beating both NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." "Nightline" took the top spot in Adults 25-54 for the 2nd consecutive sweeps period as the ABC program also ranked No. 1 in November 2010.

"Nightline" was up by +4% in its Total Viewer count compared to February 2010, drawing its largest overall February sweep audience in 7 years � since February 2004.

"Nightline" topped CBS' "The Late Show" by +80,000 Total Viewers (3.84 million vs. 3.76 million), attracting a larger overall audience than the CBS program for the first time during the course of a February sweeps period in 8 years � since February 2003.

For the 2nd February sweeps period in a row, "Nightline" bettered CBS' "The Late Show" in Adults 18-49 (+40,000 - 1.24 million vs. 1.20 million). Furthermore, during any sweep, February 2011 stands as the 8th straight sweeps period and the 10th of the last 11 that "Nightline" outperformed the CBS program in Adults 18-49.

During the week of February 28, 2011, ABC News' "Nightline" ranked No. 1 among Total Viewers (3.92 million), Adults 25-54 (1.64 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.25 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. In fact, "Nightline" ranked No. 1 across all key target demos for the 3rd time in the last 5 weeks.

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks first in late-night among Total Viewers and Adults 25-54. This is the first time that "Nightline" has been in first place at this point in the season since at least the 1993-94 season, when "Letterman" began on CBS. In addition, "Nightline" is up by +1% in Total Viewers and by +3% in Adults 25-54 season to date compared to the same point last year.

For the 2nd week in a row, "Nightline" improved over the same week last year in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 25-54 (+2%). Both "The Tonight Show" (-31% and -32%, respectively) and "The Late Show" (-1% and -7%, respectively) saw declines year to year.

ABC News' "Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Bill Weir. John Donvan and Vicki Mabrey are correspondents. Jeanmarie Condon is the Executive Producer. The program airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network.

(February 2011 Sweep)

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

ABC "Nightline" 3,840,000 1,640,000/ 1.3 1,240,000/ 0.9

CBS "Late Show" 3,760,000 1,630,000/ 1.3 1,200,000/ 0.9

NBC "Tonight Show" 3,940,000 1,600,000/ 1.3 1,260,000/ 1.0

(Week of February 28, 2011)

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

ABC "Nightline" 3,920,000 1,640,000/ 1.3 1,250,000/ 0.9

CBS "Late Show" 3,620,000 1,570,000/ 1.3 1,190,000/ 0.9

NBC "Tonight Show" 3,830,000 1,570,000/ 1.3 1,210,000/ 0.9

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 & Adults 18-49 Live+SD weeks of 2/28/11, 2/21/11 & 3/1/10. Live+7 (where available) & Live+SD for Season-to-date 10-11 vs. 09-10 (9/2/10-3/4/11 vs. 9/21/09-3/5/10). February 2011 Sweep (2/3-3/2/11) & February 2010 Sweep (2/4-3/3/10). November 2010 Sweep (10/28-11/24/10). Sweep periods (November, February, May and July).

Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming Week of February 28, 2011 and February Sweep

ABC Attracts its Largest Overall Audience in Late-Night in 3 Weeks

ABC is Up over the Previous February in Total Viewers, Drawing its 2nd-Largest Late-Night Audience for a February Sweep Since 2007

ABC News' "Nightline" Posts Largest Audience in 7 Years for a February Sweep

"Nightline" is No. 1 Among A25-54: First Time Ever for a February Sweep

"Nightline" Attracts Larger Overall Audience Than CBS' "Letterman" For First Time During a February Sweep in 8 Years

For the Week, "Nightline" is No. 1 in Total Viewers, Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54

The Only Late-Night Program in Broadcast to Post Year-to-Year Increases, ABC's "JKL" Posts its 2nd-Best Numbers in Nearly 2 Months in Viewers and Adults 18-49

On Wednesday, "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Draws the Program's 2nd-Biggest Adult 18-34 Audience on the Night in 16 Months

"JKL" Tops CBS' "Ferguson" in Adults 18-49 for the 9th Time in 10 Weeks This Season and for the 10th Week in a Row in Adults 18-34

"JKL" Scores its 2nd-Strongest February Sweep in 4 Years

"JKL" Betters CBS' "Ferguson" for the 2nd Time in the Last 3 February Sweeps in Adults 18-49, and in 5 of the Last 6 in Adults 18-34

ABC Late-Night (Monday -Friday)

During the week of February 28, 2011, including the final three nights of the February 2011 sweep, ABC drew 2.28 million Total Viewers and 880,000 Adults 18-49 viewers in late-night, drawing the Net's largest overall audience in three weeks -since w/o 2/7/11.

· ABC saw increases over the year-ago week (w/o 3/1/10) in Total Viewers (2.28 million vs. 2.23 million), standing as the only broadcast network to grow its overall audience in late-night over the same week last year.

During the recently completed 2011 February sweep, ABC grew its overall audience in late night over the previous February by 5% (2.31 million vs. 2.20 million), scoring gains over the year-ago sweep for the 2nd time in the last 3 February sweep periods. In fact, the Network turned in its 2nd-biggest February sweep audience in late-night since 2007. Further, ABC turned in its 4th straight month of year-to-year gains Total Viewers.

"Nightline" (Monday -Friday)

During the week of February 28, 2011, ABC News' "Nightline" ranked No. 1 among Total Viewers (3.92 million), Adults 25-54 (1.64 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.25 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. In fact, "Nightline" ranked No. 1 across all key target demos for the 3rd time in the last 5 weeks.

· Season to date, "Nightline" ranks first in late-night among Total Viewers and Adults 25-54. This is the first time that "Nightline" has been in first place at this point in the season since at least the 1993-94 season, when "Letterman" began on CBS. In addition, "Nightline" is up by 1% in Total Viewers and by +3% in Adults 25-54 season to date compared to the same point last year.

· For the 2nd week in a row, "Nightline" improved over the same week last year in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 25-54 (+2%). Both "The Tonight Show" (-31% and -32%, respectively) and "The Late Show" (-1% and -7%, respectively) saw declines year to year.

For the February 2011 sweep, ABC News' "Nightline" averaged 3.84 million in Total Viewers, 1.64 million in Adults 25-54 and 1.24 million in Adults 18-49, according to Nielsen Media Research. February 2011 represents the first time ever that "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in Adults 25-54 during a February sweep period, beating both NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." "Nightline" took the top spot in Adults 25-54 for the 2nd consecutive sweep period, as the ABC program also ranked No. 1 in November 2010.

· "Nightline" was up by 4% in its Total Viewer count compared to February 2010, drawing its largest overall February sweep audience in 7 years -since February 2004.

· "Nightline" topped CBS' "The Late Show" by +80,000 Total Viewers (3.84 million vs. 3.76 million), attracting a larger overall audience than the CBS program for the first time during the course of a February sweep period in 8 years -since February 2003.

· For the 2nd February sweep period in a row, "Nightline" bettered CBS' "The Late Show" in Adults 18-49 (+40,000 - 1.24 million vs. 1.20 million). Furthermore, during any sweep, February 2011 stands as the 8th straight sweep period and the 10th of the last 11 that "Nightline" has outperformed the CBS program in Adults 18-49.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (Monday -Friday)

During the week of February 28, 2011, including the final three nights of the February 2011 sweep, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" posted its 2nd straight week of gains in both Total Viewers (1.72 million vs. 1.67 million) and Adults 18-49 (754,000 vs. 743,000), marking the ABC late-night program's 2nd-strongest performance in nearly 2 months -since w/o 1/10/11.

"JKL" also grew its Total Viewer count (1.72 million vs. 1.68 million) over the same week last year (w/o 3/1/10), building its overall audience over the year-ago week for the 3rd week in a row. In addition, the ABC late-night program saw increases over the same week last year in both Adults 18-34 (+11% -- 271,000 vs. 245,000) and Adults 18-49 (+2% -- 754,000 vs. 740,000), turning in its 5th consecutive week of year-to-year increases in Adults 18-34 and 2nd straight week in Adults 18-49. Impressively, "JKL" stood as the only late-night program among the broadcast networks to post year-to-year increases on all three Nielsen measures.

· "JKL's" Wednesday telecast (3/2/11), featuring guests Amanda Seyfried, Nick Offerman and Henry Wolfe, attracted the ABC late-night program's 2nd-largest Adults 18-34 audience (380,000) on any night in late-night in almost 9 months, and its best on the night in 16 months -since 6/17/10 and 12/9/09, respectively. On that evening, "JKL" nearly doubled CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (+93% -- 380,000 vs. 197,000) in the young adult demo and topped NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" by 16% (328,000) and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" by 4%. (364,000).

· During the week of February 28, ABC's "JKL" beat CBS' "Ferguson" by 11% in Adults 18-34 (271,000 vs. 245,000) and by 10% in Adults 18-49 (754,000 vs. 683,000), besting the CBS late-night program for the 10th week running in Adults 18-34 and for the 9th time in the last 10 weeks in Adults 18-49.

During the recently completed 2011 February sweep, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" drew 1.68 million viewers and 728,000 Adults 18-49 viewers, marking the show's 2nd-best February sweep since 2007. In fact, "JKL" was up in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 over the previous February for the 2nd time in the last 3 sweep periods for the month.

· "JKL" beat CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" during the month in both Adults 18-34 (+11% -- 259,000 vs. 233,000) and Adults 18-49 (+6% -- 728,000 vs. 690,000), topping the CBS program in both young adult demos for the 2nd time in the last 3 February sweep periods. In fact, "JKL" has topped Ferguson in 5 of the last 6 February sweeps in Adults 18-34.

Late-Night Rank (Week of February 28, 2011):

TOTAL VIEWERS A18-34(000) A18-49(000) A25-54(000)

ABC 2,280,000 295,000 880,000 1,070,000

CBS 2,620,000 322,000 917,000 1,190,000

NBC 2,390,000 292,000 896,000 1,080,000

Late-Night Rank (February 2011 Sweep):

TOTAL VIEWERS A18-34(000) A18-49(000) A25-54(000)

ABC 2,310,000 290,000 879,000 1,340,000

CBS 2,690,000 296,000 925,000 1,680,000

NBC 2,420,000 315,000 908,000 1,390,000

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for week of 2/28/11, or as dated. Most Current National Program Ratings for February 2011 Sweep (2/3-3/2/11, February 2010 Sweep (2/4-3/3/10) and November 2010 Sweep (10/28-11/24/10). Sweep periods (November, February, May and July). Comparisons based on 000s. ABC Late-Night = "Nightline" and "JKL"; CBS Late-Night = "Letterman" and "Ferguson"; NBC Late-Night = "Tonight Show," "Fallon" and "Carson Daly."