ABC's Sunday Line-up Holds Strong Against Big NFL Competition

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

Jumping by 2.0 million viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49 from its first half-hour to its second half-hour opposite Fox's enormous NFL overrun (Cowboys-Patriots) during the 7pm hour, America's Funniest Home Videos was up week to week by 7% in Adults 18-49.

Building sharply on its lead-in at 8pm against Fox's NFL overrun-boosted The X-Factor and NBC's Sunday Night Football (Vikings-Bears), ABC's Extreme Makeover: Home Edition posted week-to-week gains with Adults 18-34 (+8%) and Women 18-34 (+6%)

During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's Desperate Housewives jumped by 42% over its lead-in against Sunday Night Football to beat out CBS' The Good Wife by a wide margin (+29%) for the 4th consecutive telecast in Adults 18-49. In addition, the ABC drama qualified as Sunday's #1 scripted telecast in Adults 18-49 and the night's top-rated entertainment broadcast with Women 18-49 for the 4th week running.

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's Pan Am finished #2 to NBC's Sunday Night Football with Women 18-34, running as the top-drama in the hour for the 4th week in a row. In addition, the new ABC drama showed strong week-to-week retention of its Adult 18-49 audience (95%).

Quick Take for Sunday, October 16, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Surging from Start to Finish Against Fox's Enormous NFL Overrun in the 7pm Hour, ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" Builds Week Over Week in Adults 18-49

Building Sharply on its Lead-in Opposite "Sunday Night Football" and Fox's NFL-Boosted "The X-Factor," ABC's "Home Edition" is Up Week to Week in Key Demos

Sunday's No. 1 Scripted Series, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" Jumps 42% Over its Lead-in to Beat CBS' "The Good Wife" for the 4th Straight Week in Adults 18-49

Posting a Strong 95% Retention of its Adult 18-49 Audience Week to Week, ABC's "Pan Am" is the No. 1 Drama in its Slot in Women 18-34 for the 4th Straight Week

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

Jumping by over 2.0 million viewers (5.4 million to 7.5 million) and by 50% in Adults 18-49 (1.2/3 to 1.8/5) from its first half-hour to its second half-hour opposite Fox's enormous NFL overrun (Cowboys-Patriots) during the 7:00 p.m. hour, ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" was up week to week by 7% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/4 vs. 1.4/4).

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

Building sharply on its lead-in at 8:00 p.m. against Fox's NFL overrun-boosted "The X-Factor" and NBC's "Sunday Night Football" (Vikings-Bears), ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" posted week-to-week gains in Adults 18-34 (+8% - 1.4/4 vs. 1.3/4) and Women 18-34 (+6% - 1.8/5 vs. 1.7/5).

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

During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "Desperate Housewives" jumped by 42% over its lead-in (2.7/6 vs. 1.9/5) against "Sunday Night Football" to beat out CBS' "The Good Wife" (2.1/5) by a wide margin (+29%) for the 4th consecutive telecast in Adults 18-49. In addition, the ABC drama qualified as Sunday's No. 1 scripted telecast in Adults 18-49 and the night's top-rated entertainment broadcast with Women 18-49 for the 4th week running.

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

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Pan Am" was No. 2 to NBC's "Sunday Night Football" in Women 18-34 (1.7/4-tie), running as the top-drama in the hour for the 4th week in a row. In addition the new drama showed strong week-to-week retention of its Adult 18-49 audience (95% - 1.8/4 vs. 1.9/5).

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), 10/16/11.