ABC Posts Its Top Sunday in 4 Weeks

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

Up against CBS' Academy of Country Music Awards on the night, ABC took second place in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In viewers and young adults, ABC turned in its strongest Sunday in 1 month - since 3/6/11.

During the 7 o'clock hour, ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos ranked #1 in Adults 18-49, Men 18-49 and Women 18-49. The broad-appealing also show made ABC the top-rated broadcaster in the hour with Kids 2-11.

Building sharply lead-in at 8pm in viewers (+3.1 million) and young adults (+63%) and gaining audience from start to finish against the opening hour of CBS' ACM Awards, ABC's Secret Millionaire defeated its regular competition in the hour by wide margins. Once again, ABC's freshman Secret Millionaire soared over its freshman unscripted time-period competition, outdelivering NBC's America's Next Great Restaurant by 5.8 million viewers and by 88% in Adults 18-49. Generating sizeable year-over-year growth for ABC in the hour for its 5th time in 5 telecasts, Secret Millionaire boosted the time period by 2.8 million viewers and by 30% in Adults 18-49 over the year-ago night (4/4/10) with original programming. Secret Millionaire was up week to week with Men 18-49, Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

On its first original telecast in 4 weeks, ABC's Desperate Housewives returned as the #1 regular show in the 9 o'clock hour with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

During the 10 o'clock hour on the heels of its big Tuesday debut, a special airing of ABC's Body of Proof gained substantial additional sampling on Sunday night. Retaining nearly all of its lead-in from Desperate Housewives (95%), Body of Proof attracted ABC's biggest non-Oscar audience in the hour in nearly 4 months - since 12/12/10.

Quick Take for Sunday, April 3, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Marks its Strongest Sunday in 4 Weeks with Viewers and Young Adults

ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" Finishes No. 1 in its Slot in Adults 18-49

Continuing to Surge from its Lead-in and Improve its Hour Year to Year, ABC's "Secret Millionaire" Dominates NBC's "Next Great Restaurant"

On its First Original Telecast in 1 Month, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" Returns As the No. 1 Regular Program in its Time Period in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

A Special Sunday Airing of "Body of Proof" Garners Substantial Additional Sampling Following its Big Tuesday Debut, Holding Nearly All of its "Housewives" Lead-in

Sunday Night (7:00-11:00 p.m.)

Up against CBS' "Academy of Country Music Awards" on the night, ABC took second place in Total Viewers (8.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.2/6).

· In viewers and young adults, ABC turned in its strongest Sunday in 1 month - since 3/6/11.

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

During the 7 o'clock hour, ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" ranked No. 1 in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5), Men 18-49 and Women 18-49. The broad-appealing also show made ABC the top-rated broadcaster in the hour with Kids 2-11.

"Secret Millionaire" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Building sharply on its lead-in at 8pm in viewers (+3.1 million) and young adults (+63%) and gaining audience from start to finish against the opening hour of CBS' "ACM Awards," ABC's "Secret Millionaire" defeated its regular competition in the hour by wide margins. Once again, ABC's freshman "Secret Millionaire" soared over its freshman unscripted time-period competition, outdelivering NBC's "America's Next Great Restaurant" by 5.8 million viewers (9.7 million vs. 3.9 million) and by 86% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/7 vs. 1.4/4).

· Generating sizeable year-over-year growth for ABC in the hour for its 5th time in 5 telecasts, "Secret Millionaire" boosted the time period by 2.8 million viewers and by 30% in Adults 18-49 over the year-ago night with original programming (4/4/10 = 6.9 million and 2.0/6).

· "Secret Millionaire" was up week to week with Men 18-49, Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

"Desperate Housewives" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

On its first original telecast in 4 weeks, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" returned as the No. 1 regular show in the 9 o'clock hour with Total Viewers (8.8 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/7-tie).

"Body of Proof" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

During the 10 o'clock hour on the heels of its big Tuesday debut, a special airing of ABC's "Body of Proof" gained substantial additional sampling on Sunday night. Retaining nearly all of its lead-in from "Desperate Housewives" (95% - 8.4 million vs. 8.8 million), "Body of Proof" attracted ABC's biggest non-"Oscar" audience in the hour in nearly 4 months - since 12/12/10.

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 40% currently, from 36% 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), 4/3/11.