ABC's "DWTS" Marks Most-Watched-Ever Season/"The Bachelorette" Opens at #1

Featuring the Monday finale of DWTS and the season premiere of The Bachelorette, ABC dominated its 4th consecutive Monday of the 2011 May Sweep, defeating runner-up Fox with its season finales (House/The Chicago Code) by 5.6 million viewers and by 31% in Adults 18-49. For the 4th week in a row, the Net topped its broadcast competition in all 6 half-hours of the night with viewers and young adults. In fact on each of the final 11 weeks of the season, ABC qualified as Monday's most-watched television network and delivered the #1 position on the evening in Adults 18-49 on 10 of 11 weeks.

· The Net boosted its year-to-year May Sweep returns on all 4 Mondays, building by 1.1 million viewers and by 6% with young adults over the same night a year ago (5/24/10).

At 8pm, a 1-hour edition of ABC's Dancing with the Stars made it a perfect 10 for 10, ranking #1 in its time period on all 10 telecasts this season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In its time slot, DWTS drew a larger overall audience than the other nets combined and topped Fox's House Finale by 39% with Adults 18-49. The ABC dancing performance program once again registered as Monday's #1 TV show in Total Viewers (10 of 10 telecasts) and Adults 18-49 (9 of 10 telecasts).

· DWTS rose by double-digit percentages over its year-ago Monday finale, gaining 14% in Total Viewers and 15% in Adults 18-49. In fact DWTS drew its biggest-ever audience for a spring finale.

· On average, Season 12 of DWTS grew over Season 11 in Total Viewers (+4%) and in Adults 18-49 (+7%), finishing out as the franchise's most-watched-ever season overall.

On its 7th season opener, ABC's The Bachelorette finished #1 in its 2-hour time period in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, leading CBS by 27% and 40%, respectively In addition, The Bachelorette was the dominant series in its time slot with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). ABC's The Bachelorette stood the 2nd most-watched TV show of the night, behind only DWTS.

· Building its audience for its 3rd consecutive premiere, it was the most-watched opener overall for The Bachelorette since 2004 - since the premiere of Season 2 on 1/14/04.

Quick Take for Monday, May 23, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is the Most-Watched Net on Mondays in the Final 11 Weeks Of the Season and No. 1 on 10 of 11 Weeks in Adults 18-49

Leading the 8pm Hour, Season Finale of "DWTS" Draws Larger Overall Audience Than its Network Rivals Combined, and Tops Fox's "House" by 39% in Adults 18-49

Building on its Year-Ago Performance by 14% in Viewers and 15% in Young Adults, "DWTS" Draws its Biggest-Ever Audience for a Spring Finale

ABC's Season Premiere of "The Bachelorette" Leads Its 2-Hour Time Slot in Total Viewers and Young Adults

Building on its 3rd Consecutive Premiere, "The Bachelorette" Draws Most-Watched Opener since 2004

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

Featuring the Monday finale of "DWTS" and the season premiere of "The Bachelorette," ABC dominated its 4th consecutive Monday of the 2011 May Sweep, defeating runner-up Fox with its season finales ("House"/"The Chicago Code") by 5.6 million viewers (13.6 million vs. 8.0 million) and by 31% in Adults 18-49 (3.4/9 vs. 2.6/7). For the 4th week in a row, the Net topped its broadcast competition in all 6 half-hours of the night with viewers and young adults. In fact on each of the final 11 weeks of the season, ABC qualified as Monday's most-watched television network overall and delivered the No. 1 position on the evening in Adults 18-49 on 10 of 11 weeks.

· The Net boosted its year-to-year May Sweep returns on all 4 Mondays, building by 1.1 million viewers and by 6% with young adults over the same night a year ago (12.5 million and 3.2/9 on 5/24/10).

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., a 1-hour edition of ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" made it a perfect 10 for 10, ranking No. 1 in its time period on all 10 telecasts this season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In its time slot, "DWTS" drew a larger overall audience than the other nets combined (22.2 million vs. 18.3 million) and topped Fox's House Finale by 39% with Adults 18-49 (4.6/13 vs. 3.3/10) . The ABC dancing performance program once again registered as Monday's No. 1 TV show in Total Viewers (10 of 10 telecasts) and Adults 18-49 (9 of 10 telecasts).

· "DWTS" rose by double-digit percentages over its year-ago Monday finale (19.4 million and 4.0/12), gaining 14% in Total Viewers and 15% in Adults 18-49. In fact "DWTS" drew its biggest-ever audience for a spring finale.

· On average, Season 12 of "DWTS" grew over Season 11 in Total Viewers (+4% - 22.3 million vs. 21.4 million) and in Adults 18-49 (+7% - 4.9/13 vs. 4.6/11), finishing out as the franchise's most-watched-ever season overall.

"The Bachelorette" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

On its 7th season opener, ABC's "The Bachelorette" finished No. 1 in its 2-hour time period in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, leading CBS by 27% (9.3 million vs. 7.3 million) and 40% (2.8/7 vs. 2.0/5), respectively. In addition, "The Bachelorette" was the dominant series in its time slot with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). ABC's "The Bachelorette" stood as the 2nd most-watched TV show of the night, behind only "DWTS."

· Building its audience for its 3rd consecutive premiere, it was the most-watched opener overall for "The Bachelorette" since 2004 - since the premiere of Season 2 on 1/14/04.

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), 5/23/11.