ABC Wins Season-Ending Sunday/Billboard Music Award Draws Biggest Crowd Since 2003

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

ABC won the final Sunday of the 2010-11 TV Season and May Sweep in Adults 18-49, beating Fox by 18% (w/Comedy season finales), NBC by 24% (w/Celebrity Apprentice season finale), and CBS by 86% (w/Jesse Stone movie).

· ABC posted its top-rated Sunday since the beginning of March in Adults 18-49 - since 3/6/11. Excluding the Academy Awards, the Net scored its highest Adult 18-34 number on the evening since November - since 11/21/10.

During the 7 o'clock hour, ABC's season finale of America's Funniest Home Videos finished as the #1 show in its slot for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49.

ABC's 3-hour broadcast of The 2011 Billboard Music Awards won its 8-11pm time period among Adults 18-49, leading Fox by 7%, NBC by 26% and CBS by 107%. In addition, the wide-appealing music awards show also finished #1 against its broadcast competition in the time period with Adults 25-54, across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54) and Kids 2-11.

· Head-to-head from 9-11pm, ABC's Billboard Music Awards defeated NBC's season finale of Celebrity Apprentice by 7% in Adults 18-49 and by 76% in Adults 18-34.

· Opposite stiff end-of-season/sweep competition, The 2011 Billboard Music Awards produced ABC's top Adult 18-49 number in the time period in nearly 3 months - since 3/6/11.

· Rising over its most-recent telecast in 2006 on Fox with viewers (+28%) and young adults (+7%), The Billboard Music Awards drew its biggest audience since 2003.

Quick Take for Sunday, May 22, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Wins the Final Sunday of the Season Among Adults 18-49 Posting its Strongest Number on the Evening Since Early March

The Season Finale of ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" Finishes No. 1 for the 2nd Week in a Row in the 7pm Hour Among Adults 18-49

ABC's 3-Hour Broadcast of "The 2011 Billboard Music Awards" Wins its Slot and Earns the Net's Top Adult 18-49 Number in the Time Period in Nearly 3 Months

Head to Head, ABC's "Billboard Music Awards" Defeats the Season Finale of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" by 7% in Adults 18-49 and by 76% in Adults 18-34

ABC's Telecast of "The Billboard Music Awards" is Up Over its Most-Recent Telecast on Fox, Producing the Show's Biggest Overall Audience Since 2003

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

ABC won the final Sunday of the 2010-11 TV Season and May Sweep in Adults 18-49 (2.6/7), beating Fox by 18% (2.2/6 - w/Animated Comedy season finales), NBC by 24% (2.1/6 - w/"Celebrity Apprentice" season finale) and CBS by 86% (1.4/4 - w/"Jesse Stone" movie).

· ABC posted its top-rated Sunday since the beginning of March in Adults 18-49 - since 3/6/11. And excluding the "Academy Awards," the Net scored its highest Adult 18-34 number (2.4/7) on the evening since November - since 11/21/10.

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

During the 7 o'clock hour, ABC's conclusion of a 2-part season finale for "America's Funniest Home Videos" finished as the No. 1 show in its slot for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49 (1.5/5-tie).

"The 2011 Billboard Music Awards" (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC's 3-hour broadcast of "The 2011 Billboard Music Awards" won its 8:00-11:00 p.m. time period among Adults 18-49 (2.9/8), leading Fox by 7% (2.7/7), NBC by 26% (2.3/6) and CBS by 107% (1.4/4). In addition, the wide-appealing music awards show also finished No. 1 against its broadcast competition in the time period with Adults 25-54, across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54) and Kids 2-11.

· Head to head from 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "Billboard Music Awards" defeated NBC's season finale of "Celebrity Apprentice" by 7% in Adults 18-49 (3.1/8 vs. 2.9/7) and by 76% in Adults 18-34 (3.0/9 vs. 1.7/5).

· Opposite stiff end-of-season/sweep competition, "The 2011 Billboard Music Awards" produced ABC's top Adult 18-49 number in the time period in nearly 3 months - since 3/6/11.

· Rising over its most-recent telecast in 2006 (on 12/4/06) on Fox with viewers (+28% - 7.8 million vs. 6.1 million) and young adults (+7% - 2.9/8 vs. 2.7/7), "The Billboard Music Awards" drew its biggest audience since 2003 (on 12/10/03).

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 41% 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), 5/22/11.