ABC Sunday Series Mark Strong Retention Against NFL-Fueled Competition

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

Building audience for ABC opposite CBS' big NFL overrun in the 7 o'clock hour, the season opener of America's Funniest Home Videos grew over its season finale in Total Viewers and hit its top Women 18-34 number since early May (on 5/1/11).

Increasing over its lead-in at 8pm against an NFL overrun-inflated CBS and NBC's Sunday Night Football (NY Jets-Baltimore Ravens), ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition outdrew Fox's animated comedies in the hour by 1.3 million viewers.

· The unscripted series retained 100% of its week-ago season premiere audience with Adults 18-34 and was up with Kids 2-11 (+7%).

Despite CBS' decided lead-in advantage coming into the 9 o'clock hour from the NFL overrun carryover, ABC's Desperate Housewives built on its lead-in to beat The Good Wife by a wide margin for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49 (+21%). In addition, the ABC drama qualified as Sunday's #1 entertainment program with Women 18-49 for the 2nd week running.

· Housewives delivered strong retention of the prior week's season opener with Total Viewers (91%), Adults 18-49 (91%) and Adults 18-34 (96%). DVR Playback Note: Sunday's biggest gainer during the 2010-11 TV season via time-shifted viewing, Desperate Housewives increased by 2.0 million viewers and by 9-tenths of an Adult 18-49 rating point (+26%) from the first reported L+SD numbers to finalized L+7 Day numbers.

Continuing to exhibit improved year-to-year lead-in retention for ABC in the 10pm hour against NBC's NFL coverage, ABC's Pan Am defeated CBS' time-period veteran CSI: Miami by 14% among Adults 18-49, ranking as the #1 entertainment show in the slot for the 2nd consecutive week. The new ABC drama also finished as the top entertainment program in its slot in Adults 25-54 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· In its second telecast, Pan Am retained an impressive 91% of its strong week-earlier debut numbers with Adults 18-34 and 90% with Women 18-34.

Quick Take for Sunday, October 2, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Rising over its Season Finale in May, "America's Funniest Home Videos" Opener Builds Audience for ABC During the 7pm Hour Opposite CBS' Big NFL Overrun

ABC's "Home Edition" Outdraws Fox's Animated Comedies by 1.3 Million Viewers

Retaining Nearly All of its Week-Ago Season Premiere Audience, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" Beats CBS' "The Good Wife" by 21% in Adults 18-49

Continuing to Exhibit Improved Lead-in Retention for ABC Year to Year, "Pan Am" Is the No. 1 Non-Sports Show in its Hour in Adults 18-49 for the 2nd Week Running

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

Building audience for ABC opposite CBS' big NFL overrun in the 7 o'clock hour, the season opener of "America's Funniest Home Videos" grew over its season finale in Total Viewers (6.4 million vs. 6.3 million) and hit its top Women 18-34 number since early May (on 5/1/11).

"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Increasing over its lead-in at 8:00 p.m. against an NFL overrun-inflated CBS and NBC's "Sunday Night Football" (NY Jets-Baltimore Ravens), ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" outdrew Fox's animated comedies ("The Simpsons"/"The Cleveland Show") in the hour by 1.3 million viewers (7.1 million vs. 5.8 million).

· The ABC unscripted series retained 100% of its week-ago season premiere audience with Adults 18-34 and was up with Kids 2-11 (+7%).

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

Despite CBS' decided lead-in advantage coming into the 9 o'clock hour from the NFL overrun carryover, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" built on its lead-in to beat "The Good Wife" by a wide margin for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49 (+21% - 2.9/7 vs. 2.4/5). In addition, the ABC drama qualified as Sunday's No. 1 entertainment program with Women 18-49 for the 2nd week running.

· "Housewives" delivered strong retention of the prior week's season opener with Total Viewers (91%), Adults 18-49 (91%) and Adults 18-34 (96%).

DVR Playback Note: Sunday's biggest gainer during the 2010-11 TV season via time-shifted viewing, "Desperate Housewives" increased by 2.0 million viewers and by 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.)

Continuing to exhibit improved year-to-year lead-in retention for ABC in the 10:00 p.m. hour against NBC's NFL coverage, ABC's "Pan Am" defeated CBS' time-period veteran "CSI: Miami" by 14% among Adults 18-49 (2.5/6 vs. 2.2/5), ranking as the No. 1 entertainment show in the slot for the 2nd consecutive week. The new ABC drama also finished as the top entertainment program in its slot in Adults 25-54 (tie) and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· In its second telecast, "Pan Am" retained an impressive 91% of its strong week-earlier debut numbers with Adults 18-34 and 90% with Women 18-34.

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 Program Ratings), 10/02/11.