ABC Grows its Summer Wednesday Numbers for the 4th Straight Week

With comedy encores and a special Primetime Nightline: The Casey Anthony Story, ABC grew year to year for the 4th straight Wednesday this summer, building over the year-ago evening (6/23/10) by 23% in Total Viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49 with the same mix of repeat and original programming.

At 8:30pm, ABC's The Middle repeat beat out CBS' repeat Undercover Boss by 10% in Adults 18-49.

At 9pm, ABC's replay Modern Family defeated CBS' replay Criminal Minds by 33% in Adults 18-49. The ABC comedy was up over its year-ago rebroadcast by 14%.

In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's encore Happy Endings improved its time period from the same night last year by 10% in Adults 18-49.

Surging from its lead-in and building throughout its broadcast against NBC's America's Got Talent, ABC's special Primetime Nightline: The Casey Anthony Story took second place in the 10 o'clock hour versus its network rivals with key adults (AD18-49/AD25-54).

· The Primetime Nightline special greatly improved its hour for ABC over the year-ago night with original programming, boosting the time slot by 1.9 million viewers, by 18% in Adults 18-49 and by 50% in Adults 25-54.

Quick Take for Wednesday, June 22, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Up From the Year-Ago Night by Solid Margins in Viewers and Young Adults, ABC Improves its Results Year to Year for the 4th Straight Summer Wednesday

Surging from its Lead-in and Building Throughout its Broadcast, ABC's Special "Primetime Nightline: The Casey Anthony Story" Delivers Big Year-Over-Year Gains

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

With comedy encores and a special "Primetime Nightline: The Casey Anthony Story," ABC grew year to year for the 4th straight Wednesday this summer, building over the year-ago evening (6/23/10) by 23% in Total Viewers (4.3 million vs. 3.5 million) and by 9% in Adults 18-49 (1.2/4 vs. 1.1/4) with the same mix of repeat and original programming.

"The Middle" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" repeat beat out CBS' repeat "Undercover Boss" by 10% in Adults 18-49 (1.1/4 vs. 1.0/3).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's replay "Modern Family" defeated CBS' replay "Criminal Minds" by 33% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5 vs. 1.2/3). The ABC comedy was up over its year-ago rebroadcast by 14% (1.4/4 on 6/23/10).

"Happy Endings" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's encore "Happy Endings" improved its time period from the same night last year by 10% in Adults 18-49 (1.1/3 vs. 1.0/3).

"Primetime Nightline: The Casey Anthony Story" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Surging from its lead-in and building throughout its broadcast against NBC's "America's Got Talent," ABC's special "Primetime Nightline: The Casey Anthony Story" took second place in the 10 o'clock hour versus its network rivals with key adults (AD18-49/AD25-54).

· The "Primetime Nightline" special greatly improved its hour for ABC over the year-ago night with original programming, boosting the time slot by 1.9 million viewers (4.8 million vs. 2.9 million), by 18% in Adults 18-49 (1.3/4 vs. 1.1/4) and by 50% in Adults 25-54 (1.8/4 vs. 1.2/3).

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), 6/22/11.