ABC Surges by 31% Year to Year on Monday in Adults 18-49

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

With encore animated holiday specials, You Deserve It and a repeat airing of Castle, ABC posted impressive year-over-year growth on Monday, jumping over the year-ago evening with an all-original schedule by 31% in Adults 18-49. In addition, with its mix of repeat and original programming, ABC outperformed NBC's first-run Monday lineup (including the 2-hour finale of The Sing Off) by 13% in the key young adult sales demo.

At 8pm, ABC's rebroadcast of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas took second place in its half-hour with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, beating out Fox's first-run Terra Nova and the opening half-hour of NBC's The Sing Off finale. The animated holiday special finished a definitive #1 in it slot with Kids 2-11, drawing the Net's top number in the time slot in almost 2 years - since 12/7/09.

· ABC's telecast of Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas was up over last year's airing by double-digit percentages with viewers (+12%) and young adults (+14%).

Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8:30pm (+4%), ABC's encore telecast of Shrek the Halls ranked #2 in its half-hour with viewers and young adults, outdelivering Fox's original drama and NBC's unscripted season ender. Standing as the #1 TV program of the night with Kids 2-11, the animated Christmas special scored ABC's highest number in the time period in nearly 2 years - since 12/7/09.

· Like its lead-in, Shrek the Halls grew over its year-ago broadcast with Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+8%).

During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's You Deserve It improved its hour year over year by 8% in Adults 18-49, outdelivering original programming on the same night last year (Skating with the Stars/CMA Country Christmas).

· Building on its premiere coming out of the DWTS finale, ABC's You Deserve It spiked over its week-ago series debut with Adults 18-34 (+20%) and Men 18-34 (+60%).

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's repeat Castle beat out NBC's original Rock Center with Brian Williams with both Total Viewers (+10%) and Adults 18-49 (+8%).

Quick Take for Monday, November 28, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's Monday Delivery Jumps by 31% in Adults 18-49 Year Over Year

Up Year to Year, ABC's Replays of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" And "Shrek the Halls" Outdeliver First-Run Programming on Fox and NBC

ABC's "You Deserve It" Improves its Hour Year to Year with Adults 18-49, While Spiking Over its Week-Ago Series Debut in Adults 18-34 and Men 18-34

ABC's "Castle" Repeat Beats NBC's "Rock Center" in Viewers and Young Adults

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

With encore animated holiday specials, "You Deserve It" and a repeat airing of "Castle," ABC posted impressive year-over-year growth on Monday, jumping over the year-ago evening with an all-original schedule by 31% in Adults 18-49 (1.7/4 vs. 1.3/3 on 11/29/10). In addition, with its mix of repeat and original programming, ABC outperformed NBC's first-run Monday lineup (including the 2-hour finale of "The Sing Off") by 13% in the key young adult sales demo (1.7/4 vs. 1.5/4).

"Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's rebroadcast of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" took second place in its half-hour with Total Viewers (7.7 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.5/7), beating out Fox's first-run "Terra Nova" (7.1 million and 2.2/6) and NBC's "The Sing Off" finale (7.1 million and 1.8/5). The animated holiday special finished a definitive No. 1 in it slot with Kids 2-11 (3.1/9), drawing the Net's top number in the time slot in almost 2 years - since 12/7/09.

· ABC's telecast of "Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas" was up over last year's airing (6.9 million and 2.2/6 on 11/30/10) by double-digit percentages with viewers (+12%) and young adults (+14%).

"Shrek the Halls" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8:30 p.m. (+4%), ABC's encore telecast of "Shrek the Halls" ranked No. 2 in its half-hour with viewers (7.7 million) and young adults (2.6/6), outdelivering Fox's original drama (7.3 million and 2.2/5) and NBC's unscripted finale (6.3 million and 1.7/4). Standing as the No. 1 TV program of the night with Kids 2-11 (4.0/13), the animated Christmas special scored ABC's highest number in the time period in nearly 2 years - since 12/7/09.

· Like its lead-in, "Shrek the Halls" grew over its year-ago broadcast (7.4 million and 2.4/6 on 11/30/10) with Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+8%).

"You Deserve It" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "You Deserve It" improved its hour year over year by 8% in Adults 18-49, outdelivering original programming on the same night last year (1.4/3 vs. 1.3/3 for "Skating with the Stars"/"CMA Country Christmas").

· Building on its premiere coming out of the "DWTS" finale, ABC's "You Deserve It" spiked over its week-ago series debut with Adults 18-34 (+20%) and Men 18-34 (+60%).

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

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's repeat "Castle" beat out NBC's original "Rock Center with Brian Williams" in both Total Viewers (+10% - 5.5 million vs. 5.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+8% - 1.3/3 vs. 1.2/3).

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), 11/28/11.