ABC's "Kimmel" Delivers its Most-Watched Week in 8 Weeks

Some early points on Jimmy Kimmel Live's weekly numbers, ahead of the regular press release:

During the week of January 16, 2012, ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live was up over the prior week by 5% in Total Viewers to attract its biggest audience in 8 weeks - since the week of 11/21/11. In addition, JKL posted the largest week-to-week increase of any late-night talk show (broadcast or cable) in Adults 18-49 (+8%) to hit a 7-week high - since w/o 11/28/11. JKL also grew its overall audience over the same week last year (+3%).

· ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live (M-F 12am) outperformed CBS' The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (M-F 12:35am) by 18% in Total Viewers and by 19% in Adults 18-49, marking the 15th time in the 18 weeks of the season for the ABC late-night program to beat the CBS program in both Nielsen measures.

· For the season to date (18 weeks), Jimmy Kimmel Live is building its overall audience through the same weeks last year by 3% in Total Viewers, growing the most year to year of any late-night talk show (broadcast or cable).

Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Late-Night Programming Week of January 16, 2012

With its Strongest Performance in 2 Months, ABC is the Week's No. 1 Network in Late-Night in Both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

ABC's "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Late-Night in Total Viewers and Key Adults

ABC's "JKL" Scores its Best Numbers in Viewers and Adults 18-49 Since November

ABC Late-Night (Monday - Friday)

With its lineup of "Nightline" and "Jimmy Kimmel Live" during the week of January 16, 2012, ABC scored its best numbers in late-night in 2 months in both Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 - since the week of 11/21/11. Posting its 4th straight week of growth, ABC was up by 9% in viewers (2.392 million vs. 2.199 million) and by 14% in young adults (859,000 vs. 751,000) to deliver the largest week-to-week gains among the 3 broadcast networks. (CBS was up +1%/+1%, respectively; NBC was up +3%/+2%, respectively).

ABC also saw increases over the same week last year (2.317 million and 837,000 on 1/17/11) of 3% in Total Viewers and 3% in Adults 18-49, standing as the only broadcaster to post year-to-year gains in either Nielsen measure (CBS was down -12%/-8%, respectively; NBC was down -1%/-13%, respectively).

· ABC stood as the most-watched network in late-night in Total Viewers (2.392 million), beating both CBS (2.385 million) and NBC (2.374 million).

· ABC also finished No. 1 in late-night in Adults 18-49 (859,000), leading CBS by 4% (824,000) and NBC by 7% (801,000).

"Nightline" (Monday - Friday)

For the week of January 16, 2012, ABC's "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers (4.190 million), Adults 25-54 (1.755 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.345 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. In fact, it was the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks that the ABC late-night program has taken the top spot in both key adult demos.

Growing for the 4th consecutive week, "Nightline" improved by double-digits over the previous week across all key target demos: Total Viewers (+16%), Adults 25-54 (+19%) and Adults 18-49 (+26%) to hit 8-week highs in all 3 measures - since w/o 11/21/11. In fact, it was "Nightline's" 2nd-strongest performance of the season.

The ABC late-night program improved on the year-ago week in Total Viewers (+8%), Adults 25-54 (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+12%). Compared to NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show," "Nightline" stood as the only late-night program to grow year to year in all 3 demos.

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in late-night among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, ahead of both NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." This marks the 2nd straight year that the ABC program is taking the top spot in overall viewers and in the key adult news demo.

"Jimmy Kimmel Live" (Monday - Friday)

During the week of January 16, 2012, ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" was up over the prior week by 5% in Total Viewers (1.745 million vs. 1.666 million) to attract its biggest audience in 8 weeks - since the week of 11/21/11. In addition, "JKL" posted the largest week-to-week increase of any late-night talk show (broadcast or cable) in Adults 18-49 (+8% - 684,000 vs. 632,000) to hit a 7-week high - since w/o 11/28/11. "JKL" also grew its overall audience over the same week last year (+3% - 1.689 million on w/o 1/17/11).

· ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live" (M-F 12:00 a.m.) outperformed CBS' "The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson" (M-F 12:35 a.m.) by 18% in Total Viewers (1.745 million vs. 1.483 million) and by 19% in Adults 18-49 (684,000 vs. 575,000), marking the 15th time in 18 weeks this season that the ABC late-night program beat the CBS program in both Nielsen measures. In fact, "JKL" has topped "Ferguson" in Total Viewers in 17 of the 18 weeks this season.

· Season to date (18 weeks), "Jimmy Kimmel Live" is building its overall audience through the same weeks last year by 3% in Total Viewers (1.780 million vs. 1.722 million), growing the most year to year of any late-night talk show (broadcast or cable).

Late-Night Rank (Week of Jan 16): TOTAL VIEWERS A18-49(000)

ABC 2,392,000 859,000

CBS 2,385,000 824,000

NBC 2,374,000 801,000

Note: Due to the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday (1/16/12), ABC's and NBC's Monday telecasts were coded as specials and are excluded from the weekly average.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Live + Same Day National Program Ratings for week of 1/16/12, 1/9/12 & 1/17/11 or as dated. Most Current: 11-2012 Season (9/19 - 1/22/12) and 2010-2011 Season (9/20 - 1/23/11). Comparisons based on 000s. ABC Late-Night = "Nightline" and "JKL"; CBS Late-Night = "Letterman" and "Ferguson"; NBC Late-Night = "Tonight Show," "Fallon" and "Carson Daly."

Ratings report for ABC News' Nightline For week of January 16

ABC's "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49

Growing for the 4th Consecutive Week, "Nightline" Improves by Double-Digits Over the Previous Week Across Key Target Demos

Season to Date, "Nightline" Ranks No. 1 in Late-Night Among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49

For the week of January 16, 2012, ABC's "Nightline" ranked No. 1 in Total Viewers (4.190 million), Adults 25-54 (1.755 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.345 million), according to Nielsen Media Research. In fact, it was the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks that the ABC late night program has taken the top spot in both key adult demos.

Growing for the 4th consecutive week, "Nightline" improved by double-digits over the previous week across all key target demos: Total Viewers (+16%), Adults 25-54 (+19%) and Adults 18-49 (+26%), to hit 8-week highs in all 3 measures - since w/o 11/21/11. In fact, it was "Nightline's" 2nd-strongest performance of the season.

The ABC latenight program improved on the year-ago week in Total Viewers (+8%), Adults 25-54 (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+12%). Compared to NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show," "Nightline" stood as the only late-night program to grow year to year in all 3 demos.

Season to date, "Nightline" ranks No. 1 in late-night among Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49, ahead of both NBC's "The Tonight Show" and CBS' "The Late Show." This marks the 2nd straight year that the ABC program is taking the top spot in overall viewers and in the key adult news demo.

Note: Due to the Martin Luther King holiday (1/16/12), ABC's and NBC's Monday telecasts were coded as specials and are excluded from the weekly average.

ABC News' "Nightline" is anchored by Cynthia McFadden, Terry Moran and Bill Weir. John Donvan and Juju Chang are correspondents. Jeanmarie Condon is the Executive Producer. The program airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m., ET on the ABC Television Network.

(Week of January 16, 2012)

TOTAL VIEWERS A25-54(000)/ Rtg A18-49(000)/ Rtg

ABC "Nightline" 4,190,000 1,755,000/ 1.5 1,345,000/ 1.1

CBS "Late Show" 3,349,000 1,433,000/ 1.2 1,091,000/ 0.9

NBC "Tonight Show" 3,892,000 1,537,000/ 1.3 1,185,000/ 0.9

Source: The Nielsen Company, NTI Total Viewers and Adults 25-54 Live + SD weeks of 1/16/12, 1/9/12 & 1/17/11. Most Current: 2011-2012 Season (9/2/11 - 1/22/12) and 2010-2011 Season (9/20/10 - 1/23/11).