ABC's "Food Revolution" Opens Solidly/"Body Of Proof" Grows in Week 3

Below is some early info on ABC's Tuesday night, ahead of the regular press release.

With the 2nd-season premiere of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution, DWTS Results Show and Body of Proof, ABC finished as the 2nd-most-watched network on Tuesday night to CBS, topping NBC by 4.1 million viewers and Fox by 7.1 million viewers.

· Building year to year for the 4th consecutive week, the Net grew its audience from the same night last year (4/13/10) by 1.0 million viewers, over an all-original schedule (DWTS Results/Lost/V).

From 8-9pm against CBS' top-rated NCIS and the first hour of NBC's 2-hour The Biggest Loser: Couples, ABC's Season 2 opener of Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution improved over its Season 1 average by 8% in Total Viewers and built over its year-ago April season finale (on 4/23/10) by 1.3 million viewers and by 8% in Adults 18-49. In addition, the ABC unscripted series grew its Adult 18-49 audience by from its first half-hour to its second half-hour by 7%.

· Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution produced the series' 2nd-most-watched regular telecast, behind only its first-season premiere (on 3/26/10).

ABC's DWTS Results Show finished as the most-watched TV show in the 9 o'clock hour for the 3rd consecutive week. In addition, the ABC dancing results show stood as Tuesday's #1 TV show across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard was the third celebrity to be eliminated from the show this season.

· DWTS Results Show generated sizeable year-over-year increases, jumping by 25% in Total Viewers and by 20% in Adults 18-49 over the same night last year.

In the 10 o'clock hour against established first-run dramas on CBS (The Good Wife) and NBC (Parenthood), ABC's Body of Proof ranked #1 for the 3rd week in a row in Total Viewers and key Adults (AD18-49/AD25-54). In fact, ABC's Body of Proof beat out CBS' The Good Wife (+25%) and NBC's Parenthood (+25%) by strong margins among Adults 18-49.

· Increasing its lead-in retention out of DWTS Results for the 2nd week running (83% vs. 75% the prior week), Body of Proof grew its Adult 18-49 audience week to week (+4%). The show was also up week to week in Adults 18-34 (+15%) and with key Women: W18-34 (+11%) and W18-49 (+6%)

· The new drama improved the hour year to year for ABC by 5.6 million viewers, by 14% in Adults 18-49 and by 31% in Adults 25-54, over the year-ago night with an original V coming out of an original Lost.

Quick Take for Tuesday, April 12, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Gaining 1.0 Million Viewers, ABC is Up Year to Year for the 4th Week in a Row

ABC's "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" Opens Season 2 with the Series' 2nd-Most-Watched Regular Telecast, Building Solidly on its Year-Ago Finale

The Most-Watched TV Show in the 9pm Hour for the 3rd Straight Week, ABC's "DWTS Results Show" Continues to Post Year-Over-Year Increases

Up Week to Week and Improving the Time Slot Year to Year, ABC's "Body of Proof" Beats CBS' and NBC's Original Dramas in the 10pm Hour for the 3rd Week Running

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

With the 2nd-season premiere of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," "DWTS Results Show" and "Body of Proof," ABC (10.6 million) finished as the 2nd-most-watched network on Tuesday night to CBS, outdrawing NBC by 4.1 million viewers (6.5 million) and Fox by 7.1 million viewers (3.5 million).

· Building year to year for the 4th consecutive week, the Net grew its audience from the same night last year by 1.0 million viewers (9.6 million on 4/13/10) over an all-original schedule ("DWTS Results"/"Lost"/"V").

"Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

From 8:00-9:00 p.m. against CBS' top-rated "NCIS" and the first hour of NBC's 2-hour "The Biggest Loser: Couples," ABC's Season 2 opener of "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" improved over its Season 1 average (4.9 million) by 8% in Total Viewers and built over its year-ago April season finale (on 4/23/10) by 1.3 million viewers (5.3 million vs. 4.0 million) and by 8% in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4 vs. 1.3/4). In addition, the ABC unscripted series grew its Adult 18-49 audience from its first half-hour to its second half-hour by 7% (1.4/4 to 1.5/4).

· "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution" produced the series' 2nd-most-watched regular telecast, behind only its first-season premiere (on 3/26/10).

"DWTS Results Show" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

ABC's "DWTS Results Show" finished as the most-watched (15.5 million) TV show in the 9 o'clock hour for the 3rd consecutive week. In addition, the ABC dancing results program registered as Tuesday's No. 1 TV show across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). Boxing legend Sugar Ray Leonard was the third celebrity to be eliminated from the show this season.

· "DWTS Results Show" continued to generate year-over-year increases, building by 14% in Total Viewers and by 7% in Adults 18-49 over the same night last year (13.6 million and 2.8/8 on 4/13/10).

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

In the 10 o'clock hour against established first-run dramas on CBS ("The Good Wife") and NBC ("Parenthood"), ABC's "Body of Proof" ranked No. 1 for the 3rd week in a row in Total Viewers (11.2 million) and key Adults: AD18-49 (2.5/7) and AD25-54 (3.4/8). In fact ABC's "Body of Proof" outdelivered CBS' "The Good Wife" (+25% - 2.0/5) and NBC's "Parenthood" (+25% - 2.0/5) by strong margins among Adults 18-49.

· Increasing its lead-in retention out of "DWTS Results" for the 2nd week running (83% vs. 75% the prior week), "Body of Proof" grew its Adult 18-49 audience week to week (+4%). The show was also up week to week in Adults 18-34 (+15%) and with key Women: W18-34 (+11%) and W18-49 (+6%)

· The new drama improved the hour year to year for ABC by 5.6 million viewers, by 14% in Adults 18-49 and by 31% in Adults 25-54, over the year-ago night with an original "V" coming out of an original "Lost " ("V" on 4/13/10 = 5.6 million, 2.2/6 and 2.6/7).

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), 4/12/11.