ABC's "Once Upon a Time" Draws Its Top Audience in 11 Weeks

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

During the 7 o'clock hour opposite the NFL's 2012 Pro Bowl, ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos ranked as the dominant #1 non-sports program in Adults 18-49, leading runner-up CBS' 60 Minutes by 27%.

· ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos attracted its biggest audience since November (2nd-largest of the season) and equaled its top Adult 18-49 number since early-May - since 11/27/11 and 5/1/11, respectively.

Rising week to week and building sharply on its lead-in against the football game (+48% in viewers/+79% in young adults), ABC freshman drama Once Upon a Time emerged as Sunday's #1 non-sports TV program among Adults 18-49. During the 8 o'clock hour, ABC's Once Upon a Time outdelivered CBS' Undercover Boss by 13% and Fox's animated comedies by 48% (The Simpsons/Napoleon Dynamite).

· Growing week to week in Viewers (+16%) and Adults 18-49 (+6%), Once Upon a Time produced its most-watched telecast overall in 11 weeks - since 11/13/11. In addition, the Disney-owned drama surged by 24% over the prior week in Teens 12-17 to match the series' 2nd-highest-ever number.

· Although facing the Pro Bowl this year, Once Upon a Time delivered big time-period increases for ABC in the hour, growing over the year-ago night with original programming by 2.3 million viewers and by 42% in Adults 18-49.

From 9-11pm, ABC's Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Smile as Big as the Moon was up from the last Hallmark Hall of Fame movie (on 11/27/11), gaining 7% in Total Viewers and surging 36% in Adults 18-49.

· With A Smile as Big as the Moon, the Network pulled in its largest audience in the 2-hour time period since November - since 11/20/11.

Quick Take for Sunday, January 29, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Standing as the Top Non-Sports Show at 7pm in Adults 18-49, ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" Equals its Highest Rating Since May

Sunday's No. 1 Non-Sports TV Program in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" Attracts its Biggest Audience in 11 Weeks and the Series' 2nd-Best-Ever Teen Number

ABC's "Hallmark Hall of Fame" is Up Over the Franchise's Most Recent Movie, Drawing the Network's Biggest Audience in the Time Period Since November

"America's Funniest Home Videos" (7:00-8:00 p.m.)

During the 7 o'clock hour, opposite the NFL's 2012 Pro Bowl, ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" ranked as the dominant No. 1 non-sports program in Adults 18-49, leading runner-up CBS' "60 Minutes" by 27% (1.9/5 vs. 1.5/4).

· ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" attracted its biggest audience (7.3 million) since November (2nd-largest of the season) and equaled its top Adult 18-49 number since early-May - since 11/27/11 and 5/1/11, respectively.

"Once Upon a Time" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Rising week to week and building sharply on its lead-in against the football game (+48% in viewers/+79% in young adults), ABC freshman drama "Once Upon a Time" emerged as Sunday's No. 1 non-sports TV program among Adults 18-49 (3.4/8). During the 8 o'clock hour, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" outdelivered CBS' "Undercover Boss" by 13% (3.0/7) and Fox's animated comedies by 48% ("The Simpsons"/"Napoleon Dynamite" = 2.3/5).

· Growing week to week in Viewers (+16%) and Adults 18-49 (+6%), "Once Upon a Time" (10.8 million) produced its most-watched telecast overall in 11 weeks - since 11/13/11. In addition, the Disney-owned drama surged by 24% over the prior week in Teens 12-17 to match the series' 2nd-highest-ever number.

· Although facing the Pro Bowl this year, "Once Upon a Time" delivered big time-period increases for ABC in the hour, growing over the year-ago night with original programming by 2.3 million viewers and by 42% in Adults 18-49 ("Home Edition" = 8.5 million and 2.4/6 on 1/30/11).

"Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Smile as Big as the Moon" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

From 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "Hallmark Hall of Fame: A Smile as Big as the Moon" was up from the last "Hallmark Hall of Fame" movie (on 11/27/11), gaining 7% in Total Viewers (6.9 million vs. 6.4 million) and surging 36% in Adults 18-49 (1.5/4 vs. 1.1/2).

· With "A Smile as Big as the Moon," the Network pulled in its largest audience in the 2-hour time period since November - since 11/20/11.

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 39% at the same point in 2011. 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), 01/29/12.