ABC's "Dancing" Marks a Best-Since-Premiere Performance

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

Growing week to week, ABC stood as Monday's most-watched TV network, topping CBS by a season-best 4.4 million viewers (HIMYM/2 Broke Girls/Two and a Half Men/Mike & Molly/Hawaii Five-0), Fox by 8.2 million viewers (Terra Nova/House) and NBC by 11.8 million viewers (The Sing Off/Rock Center with Brian Williams). ABC finished as Monday's #1 network in Total Viewers for the 8th week running this season. In addition among Adults 18-49, ABC once again beat out Fox by a strong margin on Monday (+15%) and continued to more than double NBC's young adult delivery on the evening (+138%).

· ABC drew its biggest audience on the evening in 7 weeks and equaled its top Adult 18-49 number in 6 weeks - 9/19/11 and 9/26/11, respectively.

Building audience from its first to second hour, Dancing with the Stars made ABC the most-watched net in its time slot for the 8th consecutive week. ABC's broad-skewing dance performance show, finished as the #2 broadcast in the slot in AD18-49, AD25-54 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49), while ranking #1 with Women 25-54 and Kids 2-11. ABC's Dancing qualified as Monday's most-watched TV show overall for its 5th consecutive broadcast.

· Surging week to week in viewers (+10%) and young adults (+21%), DWTS marked best-since premiere results on both counts.

For the 8th week in a row this season, ABC's Castle ran as the most-watched scripted show during Monday's 10 o'clock hour. Castle overshadowed NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams in the hour, more than tripling the NBC newsmagazine in Total Viewers (+223%) and more than doubling its Adult 18-49 number (+150%). Castle once again registered as Monday's most-watched drama series, outdrawing CBS' Hawaii Five-0 by 13%, Fox's House by 51% and Fox's Terra Nova by 47%.

· The fourth season ABC drama grew its overall audience year to year 6th time in 8 broadcasts this season.

Quick Take for Monday, November 7, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Stands as Monday's Most-Watched Net for the 8th Straight Week, Topping CBS by a Season-Best 4.4 Million Viewers

ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" Scores Best-Since-Premiere Numbers In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

ABC's "Castle" Ranks as Monday's Most-Watched Scripted Series In the 10 O' Clock Hour for the 8th Week in a Row

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

Growing week to week, ABC stood as Monday's most-watched TV network (15.8 million), topping CBS by a season-best 4.4 million viewers (11.4 million - "HIMYM"/"2 Broke Girls"/"Two and a Half Men"/"Mike & Molly"/"Hawaii Five-0"), Fox by 8.2 million viewers (7.6 million - "Terra Nova"/"House") and NBC by 11.8 million viewers (4.0 million - "The Sing Off"/"Rock Center with Brian Williams"). ABC finished as Monday's No. 1 network in Total Viewers for the 8th week running this season. In addition among Adults 18-49 (3.1/8), ABC once again beat out Fox by a strong margin on Monday (+15% - 2.7/6) and continued to more than double NBC's young adult delivery on the evening (+138% - 1.3/3).

· ABC drew its biggest audience on the evening in 7 weeks and equaled its top Adult 18-49 number in 6 weeks - 9/19/11 and 9/26/11, respectively.

"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-10:00 p.m.)

Building audience from its first to second hour, "Dancing with the Stars" made ABC the most-watched net in its time slot for the 8th consecutive week. ABC's broad-skewing dance performance show finished as the No. 2 broadcast show in the slot with AD18-49, AD25-54 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49), while ranking No. 1 with Women 25-54 and Kids 2-11. ABC's "Dancing" qualified as Monday's most-watched TV show overall for its 5th consecutive broadcast.

· Surging week to week in viewers (+10% - 18.0 million vs. 16.3 million) and young adults (+21% - 3.4/8 vs. 2.8/7), "DWTS" marked best-since premiere results on both counts.

"Castle" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

For the 8th week in a row this season, ABC's "Castle" ran as the most-watched scripted show during Monday's 10 o'clock hour. "Castle" overshadowed NBC's "Rock Center with Brian Williams" in the hour, more than tripling the NBC newsmagazine in Total Viewers (+223% - 11.3 million vs. 3.5 million) and more than doubling its Adult 18-49 number (+150% - 2.5/6 vs. 1.0/3). "Castle" once again registered as Monday's most-watched drama series, outdrawing CBS' "Hawaii Five-0" by 13% (10.0 million), Fox's "House" by 51% (7.7 million) and Fox's "Terra Nova" by 47% (7.5 million).

· The fourth-season ABC drama grew its overall audience year to year for the 6th time in 8 broadcasts this season (10.8 million on 11/8/10).

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 43% 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), 11/8/11.