ABC's "Pan Am" Takes Off - First Series to Build on "Housewives" Since 2006

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

Opposite heavy NFL-fueled competition during the 9pm hour on Sunday from NBC (Sunday Night Football) and Fox (NFL overrun-boosted comedy premieres - Family Guy/American Dad), ABC's 8th season premiere of Desperate Housewives towered over CBS' season premiere of The Good Wife by 41% in Adults 18-49. In addition, ABC's Desperate Housewives stood as Sunday's #1 entertainment program with Women 18-49.

middot; Pacing ahead of where it finished out last season, ABC's Desperate Housewives topped its 2011 May Sweep average in Adults 18-49 (+3%).

Building on its Housewives lead-in by 1.1 million viewers and holding 100% of its Adult 18-49 audience opposite NBC's Sunday Night Football, ABC's series debut of Pan Am took flight to stand as the #1 non-sports program in the 10 o'clock hour. In fact, Pan Am became the first program to build on Desperate Housewives in overall viewers since Grey's Anatomy in May 2006 (5/14/06). During the 10pm hour, the new ABC drama beat out the premiere of CBS' time-period veteran CSI: Miami by 9% in Total Viewers and by 41% in Adults 18-49.

middot; Improving the hour year to year in viewers (+14%) and young adults (+7%) over the year-ago opener of Brother & Sisters, Pan Am posted ABC's best season-opening numbers in the time period in 3 years - since 9/28/08. In addition, Pan Am produced ABC's biggest audience in the slot with an hour-long series telecast in more than 2-1/2 years - since 3/1/09.

Quick Take for Sunday, September 25, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Up Over its May Sweep Average, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" Beats CBS' Season Opener of "The Good Wife" in the 9pm Hour by 41% in Adults 18-49

Becoming the First Show to Build on "Housewives" in Total Viewers Since '06, ABC's "Pan Am" Takes Off as Sunday's Most-Watched Scripted Show Overall

"Pan Am" Debuts with ABC's Top Season Premiere Results in the Hour in 3 Years And Stands as ABC's Most-Watched Series Telecast in the Slot Since March 2009

"Desperate Housewives" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Opposite heavy NFL-fueled competition during the 9:00 p.m. hour on Sunday from NBC ("Sunday Night Football") and Fox (NFL overrun-boosted comedy premieres - "Family Guy"/"American Dad"), ABC's 8th season premiere of "Desperate Housewives" towered over CBS' season premiere of "The Good Wife" by 41% in Adults 18-49 (3.1/7 vs. 2.2/5). In addition, the ABC drama qualified as Sunday's No. 1 entertainment program with Women 18-49.

· Pacing ahead of where it finished out last season, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" topped its 2011 May Sweep average in Adults 18-49 (+3% - 3.1/7 vs. 3.0/7).

DVR Playback Note: Sunday's biggest gainer during the 2010-11 TV season via time-shifting, "Desperate Housewives" increased by 2.0 million viewers and by an additional 9-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+26%) from the first reported L+SD numbers to finalized L+7 Day numbers.

"Pan Am" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Building on its "Housewives" lead-in by 1.1 million viewers and holding 100% of its Adult 18-49 audience opposite NBC's "Sunday Night Football" in the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's series debut of "Pan Am" took flight as Sunday's most-watched scripted TV show. In fact, "Pan Am" became the first program to build on "Desperate Housewives" in overall viewers since "Grey's Anatomy" in May 2006 (on 5/14/06). The No. 1 non-sports program during the 10:00 p.m. hour, the new ABC drama beat out the premiere of CBS' time-period veteran "CSI: Miami" by 9% in Total Viewers (10.9 million vs. 10.0 million) and by 41% in Adults 18-49 (3.1/8 vs. 2.2/5).

· Improving the hour year to year in viewers (+14%) and young adults (+7%) over the year-ago opener of "Brother & Sisters" (9.5 million and 2.9/8), "Pan Am" posted ABC's best season-opening numbers in the time period in 3 years - since 9/28/08. In addition, "Pan Am" produced ABC's biggest audience in the slot with an hour-long series telecast in more than 2-1/2 years - since 3/1/09.

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), 9/25/11.