"ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words" is a Big Draw on Tuesday

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

Opposite NBC with its season finale/premiere line up (season finale of It's Worth What?/Tuesday finale of America's Got Talent/season premiere of Parenthood), ABC marked its strongest non-sports Tuesday since the end of the season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

At 8 o'clock, ABC's Wipeout ranked #1 in Adults 18-49 for the 4th week in a row. Wipeout dominated its original unscripted competition in the hour, outdelivering NBC's season finale of It's Worth What? by 30% in viewers and by 82% in young adults. In addition, the broad-skewing Wipeout made ABC the highest-rated broadcaster in the time period with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11 for the 7th week running.

· Wipeout equaled ABC's top young adult number in the hour since May - since 5/24/11.

Surging from its lead-in at 9pm and gaining audience throughout its 2-hour broadcast, the ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words finished #2 to NBC's combo of America's Got Talent Tuesday finale and Parenthood premiere from 9-11pm among Total Viewers. Building in its second hour, the ABC News Special moved ahead of NBC to become the most-watched TV program from 10-11pm, topping CBS and outdrawing the Talent-led season opener of Parenthood by 28%. With Diane Sawyer reporting, the ABC News Special allowed viewers for the first time to hear actual interviews the former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, recorded for history.

· In Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, the ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words produced the Net's strongest non-sports numbers in the 2-hour time period in nearly 4 months - since 5/24/11, with the season finale of Dancing with the Stars. In fact looking at the Tuesday 9-11pm time period outside of the regular Sept-May TV Season, the program attracted ABC's biggest non-sports audience in 5 years - since September 2006, with the pre-season premiere of Dancing with the Stars on 9/12/06.

Quick Take for Tuesday, September 13, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Marks its Strongest Non-Sports Tuesday Since the End of the Season

At 8pm, ABC's "Wipeout" is No. 1 in Adults 18-49 for the 4th Week Running

Surging from its Lead-in and Gaining Audience Throughout its 2-Hour Broadcast, the "ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: in Her Own Words" Tops the 10pm Hour

The "ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words" Draws the Network's Biggest Post-Season Non-Sports Audience in the Time Slot in 5 Years

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

Opposite NBC with its season finale/premiere lineup (season finale of "It's Worth What?"/Tuesday finale of "America's Got Talent"/season premiere of "Parenthood"), ABC marked its strongest non-sports Tuesday since the end of the season in Total Viewers (7.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.7/5).

"Wipeout" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

At 8 o'clock, ABC's Wipeout ranked No. 1 in Adults 18-49 for the 4th week in a row. "Wipeout" dominated its original unscripted competition in the hour, outdelivering NBC's season finale of "It's Worth What?" by 30% in viewers (6.1 million vs. 4.7 million) and by 82% in young adults (2.0/6 vs. 1.1/4). In addition, the broad-skewing "Wipeout" made ABC the highest-rated broadcaster in the time period with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11 for the 7th week running.

· "Wipeout" equaled ABC's top young adult number in the hour since May - since 5/24/11.

"ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

Surging from its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. and gaining audience throughout its 2-hour broadcast, the "ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words" (8.4 million) finished No. 2 to NBC's combo of "America's Got Talent" Tuesday finale and "Parenthood" premiere from 9:00-11:00 p.m. among Total Viewers. Building in its second hour, the ABC News Special moved ahead of NBC to become the most-watched TV program from 10:00-11:00 p.m., topping CBS and outdrawing the "Talent"-led season opener of "Parenthood" by 28% (8.7 million vs. 6.8 million). With Diane Sawyer reporting, the "ABC News Special" allowed viewers for the first time to hear actual interviews the former first lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, recorded for history.

· In Total Viewers (8.4 million), Adults 25-54 (2.1/5) and Adults 18-49 (1.5/4), the "ABC News Special - Jacqueline Kennedy: In Her Own Words" produced the Net's strongest non-sports numbers in the 2-hour time period in nearly 4 months - since 5/24/11, with the season finale of "Dancing with the Stars." In fact looking at the Tuesday 9:00-11:00 p.m. time period outside of the regular September-May TV Season, the program attracted ABC's biggest non-sports audience in 5 years - since September 2006, with the pre-season premiere of "Dancing with the Stars" on 9/12/06.

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 42% currently, from 38% 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), 9/12/11.