ABC's Wednesday Comedy Block Wins Adults 18-49/"Modern Family" is the #1 TV Show

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

With its Wednesday schedule returning to regular originals for the first time in 3 weeks (following pre-Thanksgiving specials and then a week of repeats), ABC finished in a virtual 3-way tie for #1 with CBS and Fox among Adults 18-49, as all 3 nets paced within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share.

· ABC ranked #1 from 8-10pm with its 2-hour comedy block, edging out CBS (+3%) and beating Fox's primetime line up by double digits (+13% over 90-minute The X Factor/I Hate My Teenage Daughter). ABC's Modern Family stood as the definitive #1 TV show of the night, topping the #2 show by an impressive 47% in the key young adult sales demo (CBS' Criminal Minds tied for #2).

At 8pm, ABC's The Middle dominated its comedy competition, beating out NBC's Up All Night by 3.8 million viewers and by 56% in Adults 18-49. In addition, the ABC comedy ranked #2 in the half-hour among Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, beating out CBS' Survivor: South Pacific by strong margins.

· For its 10th straight first-run broadcast this season, The Middle grew year to year with Adults 18-49 (+17%).

At 8:30pm, ABC's Suburgatory held 100% of its Adult 18-49 lead-in and built by double digits with Adults 18-34 (+14%) and Women 18-34 (+16%). Finishing a strong #2 in its slot to the second half-hour of The X Factor, ABC's Suburgatory defeated Survivor by a resounding 60% in Adults 18-34 and by 61% in Women 18-34.

· Suburgatory scored its best numbers since the beginning of November with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· For the new ABC comedy's 9th time in as many original airings, Suburgatory significantly improved its half-hour over the year-ago comedy (Better with You) with viewers (+13%) and young adults (+27%).

Gaining on its lead-in at 9pm to win its time slot by huge margins over The X Factor (+47%) and Criminals Minds (+56%), ABC's Modern Family registered as Wednesday's #1 TV program in Adults 18-49 for the 9th straight first-run telecast this season.

· Bettering its year-ago performance on each first-run airing this season, Modern Family surged year to year by 1.0 million viewers and by 19% in Adults 18-49.

During the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's Happy Endings toppled its X Factor-fueled comedy competition, overshadowing Fox's I Hate My Teenage Daughter by 1.1 million viewers and by 38% in Adults 18-49. Winning its time period with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, the ABC sophomore comedy qualified as the #1 scripted series in its slot for its 9th consecutive original broadcast on both measures.

· ABC's Happy Endings improved its slot over the year-ago night by 12% in Adults 18-49.

From 10-11pm, ABC freshman drama Revenge ran in a near tie for first place in its hour among Adults 18-49 with CBS' veteran CSI (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point), while ranking #1 in the hour with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· ABC's Revenge marked a 5-week high with Women 18-34.

· On average this season, Revenge is delivering huge year-over-year improvement for ABC during Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour, boosting the time slot by 91% in Total Viewers and by 143% in Adults 18-49 over original drama series programming during the same weeks last year. In fact, Revenge is ABC's top series in the hour in over 4 years with viewers and young adults - since Lost during the 2006-07 TV Season.

Quick Take for Wednesday, December 7, 2011 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's 2-Hour Comedy Block Wins in Adults 18-49, Delivering the No. 1 TV Show

Up Over the Year-Ago Night, ABC's "The Middle" Crushes NBC's "Up All Night"

ABC Freshman Comedy "Suburgatory" Defeats CBS' "Survivor" by Wide Margins Among Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, Achieving a 5-Week High on Both Measures

"Modern Family" is Wednesday's No. 1 TV Show for its 9th Straight Original Airing

"Happy Endings" Topples Fox's "X Factor"-Fueled "I Hate My Teenage Daughter"

At 10pm, ABC Rookie Drama "Revenge" Defeats Veteran Dramas on CBS and NBC In Adults 18-34 and Key Women, Producing Enormous Year-to-Year Time Slot Gains

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

With its Wednesday schedule returning to regular originals for the first time in 3 weeks (following pre-Thanksgiving specials and then a week of repeats), ABC (3.0/8) finished in a virtual 3-way tie for No. 1 with CBS (3.1/8) and Fox (3.0/8) among Adults 18-49, as all 3 nets paced within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share.

· ABC (3.4/9) ranked No. 1 from 8:00-10:00 p.m. with its 2-hour comedy block, edging out CBS (+3% - 3.3/9) and beating Fox's primetime lineup by double digits (+13% over 90-minute "The X Factor"/"I Hate My Teenage Daughter" � 3.0/8). ABC's "Modern Family" (5.0/13) stood as the definitive No. 1 TV show of the night, topping the No. 2 show by an impressive 47% in the key young adult sales demo (CBS' "Criminal Minds" � 3.4/8).

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" dominated its comedy competition, beating out NBC's "Up All Night" by 3.8 million viewers (8.8 million vs. 5.0 million) and by 56% in Adults 18-49 (2.8/8 vs. 1.8/5). In addition, the ABC comedy ranked No. 2 in the half-hour among Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, beating out CBS' "Survivor: South Pacific" by strong margins.

· For its 10th straight first-run broadcast this season, "The Middle" grew year to year with Adults 18-49 (+17%).

"Suburgatory" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m., ABC's "Suburgatory" held 100% of its Adult 18-49 (2.8/8) lead-in and built by double digits with Adults 18-34 (+14% - 2.4/8 vs. 2.1/7) and Women 18-34 (+16% - 2.9/8 vs. 2.5/8). Finishing a strong No. 2 in its slot to the second half-hour of "The X Factor," ABC's Suburgatory defeated CBS' "Survivor" by a resounding 60% in Adults 18-34 and by 61% in Women 18-34.

· "Suburgatory" scored its best numbers since the beginning of November with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49) � since 11/2/11.

· For the new ABC comedy's 9th time in as many original airings, "Suburgatory" significantly improved its half-hour over the year-ago comedy ("Better with You") with viewers (+13%) and young adults (+27%).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Gaining on its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. to win its time slot by huge margins over "The X Factor" (+47% - 3.4/9) and "Criminals Minds" (+56% - 3.2/8), ABC's "Modern Family" (5.0/13) registered as Wednesday's No. 1 TV program in Adults 18-49 for its 9th straight first-run telecast this season.

· Bettering its year-ago performance on each first-run airing this season, "Modern Family" surged year to year by 1.0 million viewers and by 19% in Adults 18-49.

"Happy Endings" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

During the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's "Happy Endings" toppled its "X Factor"-fueled comedy competition, overshadowing Fox's "I Hate My Teenage Daughter" by 1.1 million viewers (6.5 million vs. 5.4 million) and by 38% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/7 vs. 2.1/5). Winning its time period with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, the ABC sophomore comedy qualified as the No. 1 scripted series in its slot for its 9th consecutive original broadcast on both measures.

· ABC's "Happy Endings" improved its slot over the year-ago night by 12% in Adults 18-49.

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

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC freshman drama "Revenge" ran in a near-tie for first place in its hour among Adults 18-49 with CBS' veteran "CSI" (2.4/6 vs. 2.5/7 - pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point), while ranking No. 1 in the hour with Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· ABC's "Revenge" marked a 5-week high with Women 18-34 � since 11/2/11.

· On average this season, "Revenge" is delivering huge year-over-year improvement for ABC during Wednesday's 10 o'clock hour, boosting the time slot by 91% in Total Viewers (10.1 million vs. 5.3 million) and by 143% in Adults 18-49 (3.4/9 vs. 1.4/4) over original drama series programming during the same weeks last year. In fact, "Revenge" is ABC's top series in the hour in over 4 years with viewers and young adults � since "Lost" during the 2006-07 TV Season.

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 Program Ratings), 12/07/11.