ABC's "Once Upon a Time" is Sunday's #1 TV Show/"Firelight" is ABC's Top Hallmark Hall of Fame Yet

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

With a mix of repeat and original programming opposite mostly original competition, ABC ranked #1 on Sunday night in Adults 18-49, tying CBS' all-original lineup and leading Fox by 12% and NBC's first-run lineup by 27%.

ABC's repeat America's Funniest Home Videos earned second place in the 7 o'clock hour to CBS' original 60 Minutes, beating out NBC's original Dateline by 1.7 million viewers and by 17% in Adults 18-49.

· Surging over its last encore in Total Viewers (+26%) and Adults 18-49 (+40%), AFHV posted its strongest repeat performance in more than 4 months - since 12/18/11.

Growing over its last original 3 weeks ago, ABC's Once Upon a Time more than doubled its lead-in at 8pm (+107%) to win its hour for its 7th consecutive original broadcast in Adults 18-49. From 8-9pm, the freshman ABC drama outran CBS' Amazing Race XX by 16%, Fox's 25th Anniversary Special by 61% and NBC's Harry's Law by 222%. Television's highest-rated new drama this season, Once Upon a Time once again registered as Sunday night's #1 TV show in the key young adult sales demo.

· Building over its last original in Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%), Once Upon a Time posted its most-watched telecast in 6 weeks and matched a 7-week high with young adults - since 3/11/12 and 3/4/12, respectively. Jumping 20% in young men from its last first run airing, Once Upon a Time equaled a 10-week high with Men 18-34 - since 2/12/12.

· Continuing to dramatically improve its time slot, Once Upon a Time boosted its hour for ABC year to year by 1.0 million viewers and by 32% in Adults 18-49 over first-run programming on the same night last year.

From 9-11pm, ABC's Hallmark Hall of Fame: Firelight finished #2 in its 2-hour time period with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, while ranking #1 across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· Firelight was up from the last Hallmark Hall of Fame movie (on 1/29/12) in Total Viewers (+12%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%), standing as ABC's best performance yet with the movie franchise.

· With Firelight, the Network pulled in its largest audience in the 2-hour time period in 5 weeks - since 3/18/12.

Quick Take for Sunday, April 22, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Finishes No. 1 on Sunday Among Adults 18-49 and Across All Key Women

ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" Marks its Best Repeat Results in 4 Months

Sunday's No. 1 TV Show and the Season's Top-Rated New Drama in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" is Up Over its Last Original to Hit a 7-Week High

From 9-11pm, ABC's "Hallmark Hall of Fame: Firelight" Ranks No. 2 in Viewers And Young Adults, while Delivering the No. 1 Position Across All Key Women

"Firelight" Emerges as ABC's Top "Hallmark Hall of Fame" Movie and Draws the Network's Biggest Audience in the Time Period in 5 Weeks

Sunday Night (7:00-11:00 p.m.)

With a mix of repeat and original programming opposite mostly original competition, ABC (1.9/5) ranked No. 1 on Sunday night in Adults 18-49, tying CBS' all-original lineup and leading Fox by 12% (1.7/5) and NBC's first-run lineup by 27% (1.5/4). The Net also finished No. 1 on the night across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54) and was the top-rated broadcaster with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

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

ABC's repeat "America's Funniest Home Videos" earned second place in the 7 o'clock hour to CBS' original "60 Minutes," beating out NBC's original "Dateline" by 1.7 million viewers (5.9 million vs. 4.2 million) and by 17% in Adults 18-49 (1.4/4 vs. 1.2/4).

· Surging over its last encore in Total Viewers (+26%) and Adults 18-49 (+40%), ABC's "AFHV" posted its strongest repeat performance in more than 4 months - since 12/18/11.

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

Growing over its last original 3 weeks ago, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" more than doubled its lead-in at 8:00 p.m. (+107%) to win its hour for its 7th consecutive original broadcast in Adults 18-49 (2.9/8). From 8:00-9:00 p.m., the freshman ABC drama outran CBS' "Amazing Race XX" by 16% (2.5/7), Fox's "25th Anniversary Special" by 61% (1.8/5) and NBC's "Harry's Law" by 222% (0.9/3). Television's highest-rated new drama this season, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" once again registered as Sunday night's No. 1 TV show in the key young adult sales demo.

· Building over its last original in Total Viewers (+5% - 8.8 million vs. 8.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (+4% - 2.9/8 vs. 2.8/8), "Once Upon a Time" marked its most-watched telecast in 6 weeks and matched a 7-week high with young adults - since 3/11/12 and 3/4/12, respectively. Jumping 20% in young men from its last first run airing, "Once Upon a Time" equaled a 10-week high with Men 18-34 - since 2/12/12.

· Continuing to dramatically improve its time slot, "Once Upon a Time" boosted its hour for ABC year to year by 1.0 million viewers and by 32% in Adults 18-49 over first-run programming on the year-ago night ("Home Edition" on 4/24/11 = 7.8 million and 2.2/6).

"Hallmark Hall of Fame: Firelight" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

From 9:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "Hallmark Hall of Fame: Firelight" finished No. 2 in its 2-hour time period with Total Viewers (7.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (1.6/4-tie), while ranking No. 1 across all key Women demos (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54). Building from its first hour to its second hour in viewers and young adults, "Firelight" (7.8 million) emerged as the most-watched TV show in the 10 o'clock hour, outdrawing CBS' "NYC 22" (+4% - 7.5 million) and pulling in 1.3 million more viewers than NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" (6.5 million).

· "Firelight" was up from the last "Hallmark Hall of Fame" movie ("A Smile as Big as the Moon" on 1/29/12 = 6.8 million and 1.5/4) in Total Viewers (+12%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%), standing as ABC's best performance yet with the movie franchise.

· With "Firelight," the Net attracted its largest audience in the 2-hour time period in 5 weeks - since 3/18/12.

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 40% 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), 04/22/12.