ABC Scores Big Year-to-Year Gains on Monday

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

Featuring animated holiday specials, You Deserve It and Castle, ABC scored substantial year-over-year gains on Monday, building on the same night last year by 1.4 million viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49. With a mix of repeat and original programming, ABC beat out NBC's first-run lineup (The Sing Off Holiday Special/Rock Center with Brian Williams) on the evening by 67% with viewers and by 80% with young adults.

At 8pm, ABC's annual rebroadcast of A Charlie Brown Christmas earned second place in its half-hour with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, holding strong advantages over Fox's American Country Awards (+28%/+56%) and the opening half-hour of NBC's The Sing Off special (+94%/+133%). The animated holiday special finished as the #1 broadcast program in its time period with Kids 2-11, pulling the Net's top number in the slot since November 2009 - since 11/30/09.

· ABC's telecast of A Charlie Brown Christmas increased over last year's airing by 1.0 million viewers and by 8% in Adults 18-49.

At 8:30pm, ABC's premiere telecast of Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice ranked #2 in its half-hour among Adults 18-49, beating out Fox's awards show (+5%) and NBC's music special (+100%). Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice built on its lead-in with Teens 12-17 (+6%) and Kids 2-11 (+3%), standing as the night's #1 broadcast program on the latter measure. In addition, the show marked ABC's 2nd-highest Kids 2-11 rating in the half-hour in the past 2 years - since 12/7/09

· Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice produced huge time-period improvement for ABC, outdelivering original programming on the same night last year (Skating with the Stars) by 79% in Total Viewers and by 175% in Adults 18-49.

During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's You Deserve It boosted its time slot year over year by in both Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%).

Catapulting over its lead-in at 10pm in viewers and young adults (+122%/+100%), ABC's Castle more than doubled the numbers for NBC's original Rock Center with Brian Williams in Total Viewers (+135%) and Adults 18-49 (+122%).

· Castle was up over its year-ago telecast with viewers (+5%) and young adults (+5%).

Quick Take for Monday, December 5, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is Up Year to Year by 1.4 Million Viewers and by 50% in Adults 18-49

ABC's Rebroadcast "A Charlie Brown Christmas" Beats Original Programming On Fox and NBC in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

Premiere of "Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice" Produces Huge Time Period Improvement for ABC Year to Year

ABC's "You Deserve It" Posts Increases in the 9pm Hour Over the Same Night Last Year in Viewers and Young Adults

Growing Year to Year in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC's "Castle" More Than Doubles NBC's "Rock Center"

Monday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.) Featuring animated holiday specials, "You Deserve It" and "Castle," ABC scored substantial year-over-year gains on Monday, building on the same night last year (12/6/11) by 1.4 million viewers (6.5 million vs. 5.1 million) and by 50% in Adults 18-49 (1.8/5 vs. 1.2/3). With a mix of repeat and original programming, ABC beat out NBC's first-run lineup ("The Sing Off Holiday Special"/"Rock Center with Brian Williams") on the evening by 67% with viewers and by 80% with young adults (3.9 million and 1.0/3).

"A Charlie Brown Christmas" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's annual rebroadcast of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" earned second place in its half-hour with Total Viewers (9.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/8), holding strong advantages over Fox's "American Country Awards" (+28%/+56% - 7.1 million and 1.8/5) and the opening half-hour of NBC's "The Sing Off Special" (+94%/+133% - 4.7 million and 1.2/3). The animated holiday special finished as the No. 1 broadcast program in its time period with Kids 2-11 (3.9/12), pulling the Net's top number in the slot since November 2009 - since 11/30/09.

· ABC's telecast of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" increased over last year's airing by 1.0 million viewers and by 8% in Adults 18-49 (8.1 million vs. 2.6/7 on 12/7/10).

"Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m., ABC's premiere telecast of "Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice" ranked No. 2 in its half-hour among Adults 18-49 (2.2/6), beating out Fox's awards show (+5% - 2.1/5) and NBC's music special (+100% - 1.1/3). "Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice" built on its lead-in with Teens 12-17 (+6%) and Kids 2-11 (+3%), standing as the night's No. 1 broadcast program on the latter measure. In addition, the show marked ABC's 2nd-highest Kids 2-11 rating in the half-hour in the past 2 years - since 12/7/09

· "Disney Prep & Landing 2: Naughty vs. Nice" produced huge time-period improvement for ABC, outdelivering original programming on the same night last year ("Skating with the Stars") by 79% in Total Viewers and by 175% in Adults 18-49 (3.9 million and 0.8/2).

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

During the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "You Deserve It" boosted its time slot year over year in both Total Viewers (+9% - 3.6 million vs. 3.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (+11% - 1.0/2 vs. 0.9/2).

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

Catapulting over its lead-in at 10:00 p.m. in viewers and young adults (+122%/+100%), ABC's Castle more than doubled the numbers for NBC's original "Rock Center with Brian Williams" in Total Viewers (+135% - 8.0 million vs. 3.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (+122% - 2.0/6 vs. 0.9/2).

· Castle was up over its year-ago telecast (7.6 million and 1.9/5) with viewers (+5%) and young adults (+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 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), 12/5/11.