ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Draws its 2nd-Largest Audience This Season

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

During the week of May 9, 2011, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live grew its weekly numbers for the 2nd consecutive week to draw its 2nd-largest overall audience of the season in late-night. Building on the previous week by 5% in Total Viewers, JKL attracted its largest weekly audience in 6 months - since w/o 11/22/10. In addition, JKL saw increases over the year-ago week in viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+5%). Increasing its overall audience over the same week last year for the 9th consecutive week, JKL posted the largest yearly increase of any late-night entertainment broadcast program in Total Viewers.

· On average for the season to date (34 weeks), JKL is up from the same point a year ago in viewers (+4%) and young adults (+3%). In fact, among Adults 18-49, NBC's Fallon (-3%) and The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (-15%) and CBS' Ferguson (-11%) and Late Show with David Letterman (-11%) are all down through the comparable weeks last year.

· ABC's JKL saw double-digit gains over NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon in Total Viewers (+10%), marking the ABC's late-night program's 7th win in 8 weeks over the NBC late-night program.

· For the 9th week in a row, JKL drew a larger overall audience than CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (+14%). JKL beat Ferguson by a solid 13% in Adults 18-49, topping the CBS late-night program by double-digit percentages in 4 of 5 nights of the week: Tuesday (+25%), Wednesday (+25%), Thursday (+19%) and Friday (+13%).

· With its 2nd-largest margin of victory ever over TBS' Conan, ABC's JKL bested the TBS late-night program by 19% in Adults 18-49.

· Among key Adults 18-49, ABC's JKL beat TBS' Conan (+19%) and Lopez Tonight (+155%), NBC's Last Call with Carson Daly (+40%) and CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (+13%).

· On Tuesday (5/10/11), with guests Nathan Fillion, Romeo, Chelsie Hightower and Calle 13, JKL attracted its 3rd-largest audience on any night in late-night this season, outdrawing NBC's Fallon by a solid 29% in Total Viewers and CBS' Ferguson by a massive 46% on the evening.

· JKL's Monday telecast (5/9/11), which featured guests Rob Lowe, Ty Pennington and Wiz Khalifa, was the ABC late-night program's 5th-most-watched telecast on any night in late-night this season. In fact, posting a season-best on the night in Total Viewers, Monday's telecast drew JKL's largest audience on the night in over 2 years - since 3/2/09. On that evening, JKL outdrew NBC's Fallon by a solid 29% in viewers and CBS' Ferguson by a hefty 34%.

Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming Week of May 9, 2011

ABC is the Most-Watched Network in Late-Night Two Weeks in a Row

ABC's "Nightline" is No. 1 for the Week in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54, Standing as the Most-Watched Show in Late-Night for 12th Straight Week

With its 2nd-Largest Overall Audience This Season, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" Achieves a 6-Month High in Viewers

ABC's "JKL" Outdraws NBC's "Fallon" in Viewers for the 7th Time in 8 Weeks

"JKL" Tops CBS' "Ferguson" by Double-Digits in Adults 18-49 in 4 of 5 Nights

Monday and Tuesday Airings Stand Among "JKL's" Top 5 Most-Watched of the Season in Late-Night

ABC Late-Night (Monday - Friday)

During the week of May 9, 2011, ABC grew its overall audience year to year in late-night by double-digit percent increases (+13% - 2.558 million vs. 2.260 million), building over the same week last year for the 17th time in the last 19 weeks -- including the last 9 weeks. ABC was also the only broadcast network to build over the year-ago week (+3% - 865,000 vs. 842,000) in Adults 18-49 (CBS was down -13%; NBC was down -1%).

· For the 2nd week running and the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks, ABC stood as the No. 1 network in late-night in Total Viewers (2.558 million), outdrawing CBS by 3% (2.482 million) and NBC by 5% (2.441 million).

· ABC beat CBS in late-night by 4% in Adults 18-49 (865,000 vs. 831,000).

"Nightline" (Monday - Friday)

During the week of May 9, 2011, ABC's "Nightline" ranked No. 1 for the second week in a row among Total Viewers (4.273 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.694 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. "Nightline" increased its No. 1 rank in Total Viewers to 12 straight weeks, while taking the top spot in Adults 25-54 for the 11th time in the last 12 weeks.

For the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks, "Nightline" was up over its performance on the same week last year across all key target demos: (+17%), Adults 25-54 (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+2%). In fact, "Nightline" saw year-to-year gains in Total Viewers for the last 13 weeks and in Adults 25-54 in the previous 9 weeks. Further, the ABC program stood as the only late-night program to grow year to year compared to NBC's "The Tonight Show" (flat, -5% and -5%, respectively) and CBS' "The Late Show" (-1%, -5% and -11%, respectively).

Season to date "Nightline" ranks first in late-night among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49. 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 5% in Total Viewers and by 4% in Adults 25-54 compared to the same point last year. Season to date "Nightline" is drawing its largest overall audience in 8 years - since the 2002-03 season.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (Monday - Friday)

During the week of May 9, 2011, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" grew its weekly numbers for the 2nd consecutive week to draw its 2nd-largest overall audience of the season in late-night (1.924 million). Building on the previous week by 5% in Total Viewers (1.840 million on w/o 5/2/11), "JKL" attracted its largest weekly audience in nearly 6 months - since w/o 11/22/10.

In addition, "JKL" was up over the year-ago week (w/o 5/10/10) by 13% in viewers (1.924 million vs. 1.710 million) and by 5% in Adults 18-49 (710,000 vs. 675,000). Increasing its overall audience over the same week last year for the 9th consecutive week, "JKL" posted the largest yearly increase of any late-night entertainment broadcast program in Total Viewers.

· ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" beat NBC's "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" by 10% in Total Viewers (1.924 million vs. 1.753 million), marking the ABC late-night program's 7th win in 8 weeks over the NBC late-night program.

· For the 9th week in a row, "JKL" drew a larger overall audience than CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (+14% - 1.924 million vs. 1.687 million). "JKL" beat "Ferguson" by a solid 13% in Adults 18-49 (710,000 vs. 628,000), topping the CBS late-night program by double-digit percentages in 4 of 5 nights of the week: Tuesday (+25% - 760,000 vs. 610,000), Wednesday (+25% - 710,000 vs. 570,000), Thursday (+19% - 782,000 vs. 655,000) and Friday (+13% - 598,000 vs. 528,000).

· With its 2nd-largest margin of victory ever over TBS' "Conan," ABC's "JKL" bested the TBS late-night program by 19% in Adults 18-49 (710,000 vs. 599,000).

· Among key Adults 18-49, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (710,000) beat TBS' "Conan" by 19% (599,000) and "Lopez Tonight" by 155% (278,000), NBC's "Last Call with Carson Daly" by 40% (506,000), CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" by 13% (628,000).

· On Tuesday (5/10/11), with guests Nathan Fillion, "Dancing with the Stars'" Romeo and Chelsie Hightower and Calle 13, "JKL" attracted its 3rd-largest audience on any night in late-night this season (2.322 million), outdrawing NBC's "Fallon" (1.802 million) by a solid 29% in Total Viewers and CBS' "Ferguson" (1.585 million) by a massive 46% on the evening.

· "JKL's" Monday telecast (5/9/11), which featured guests Rob Lowe, Ty Pennington and Wiz Khalifa, was the ABC late-night program's 5th-most-watched telecast on any night in late-night this season (2.279 million). In fact, posting a season-best on the night in Total Viewers, Monday's telecast drew "JKL's" largest audience on the night in over 2 years - since 3/2/09. On that evening, "JKL" outdrew NBC's "Fallon" (1.765 million) by a solid 29% in viewers and CBS' "Ferguson" (1.699 million) by a hefty 34%.

· On average for the season to date (34 weeks), ABC's "JKL" is up from the same point a year ago in Total Viewers (+4% - 1.735 million vs. 1.664 million) and Adults 18-49 (+3% - 714,000 vs. 690,000). In fact, among Adults 18-49, NBC's "Fallon" (-3% - 811,000 vs. 839,000) and "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" (-15% - 1.269 million vs. 1.499 million) and CBS' "Ferguson" (-11% - 696,000 vs. 778,000) and "The Late Show with David Letterman" (-11% - 1.151 million vs. 1.293 million) are all down through the comparable weeks last year.

Late-Night Rank (Week of May 9): TOTAL VIEWERS A18-49(000)

ABC 2,558,000 865,000

CBS 2,482,000 831,000

NBC 2,441,000 942,000

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for week of 5/9/11 and 5/10/10 or as dated. Live+7 (where available) & Live+SD for Season-to-date 10-11 vs. 09-10 (9/2/10-5/13/11 vs. 9/21/09-5/14/10). 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."

"Nightline" Is #1 for the Week in Total Viewers and Adults 25-54

"Nightline" #1 in Total Viewers for 12th Week In a Row

Season to Date, "Nightline" Ranks First in Late-Night Among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49

Season to date "Nightline" is Drawing its Largest Overall Audience in 8 Years

During the week of May 9, 2011, ABC's "Nightline" ranked No. 1 for the second week in a row among Total Viewers (4.273 million) and Adults 25-54 (1.694 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. "Nightline" increased its No. 1 rank in Total Viewers to 12 straight weeks, while taking the top spot in Adults 25-54 for the 11th time in the last 12 weeks.

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks first in late-night among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49. This is the first time ever 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 +5% in Total Viewers and by +4% in Adults 25-54 compared to the same point last year. Season to date "Nightline" is drawing its largest overall audience in 8 years - since the 2002-03 season.

For the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks, "Nightline" was up over its performance on the same week last year across all key target demos: (+17%), Adults 25-54 (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+2%). In fact, "Nightline" saw year-to-year gains in Total Viewers for the last 13 weeks and in Adults 25-54 in the previous 9 weeks. Further, the ABC program stood as the only late night program to grow year-to-year compared to NBC's "The Tonight Show" (flat, -5% and -5%, respectively) and CBS' "The Late Show" (-1%, -5% and -11%, respectively).

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.

(Week of May 9, 2011)

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

ABC "Nightline" 4,273,000 1,694,000/ 1.4 1,283,000/ 1.0

CBS "Late Show" 3,360,000 1,444,000/ 1.2 1,054,000/ 0.8

NBC "Tonight Show" 4,084,000 1,677,000/ 1.3 1,350,000/ 1.0

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 & Adults 18-49 Live+SD weeks of 5/9/11, 5/2/11 & 5/10/10. Live+7 (where available) & Live+SD for Season-to-date 10-11 vs. 09-10 (9/2/10-5/13/11 vs. 9/21/09-5/14/10).