ABC Wins its 4th Straight Sunday, as Finales of "Once Upon a Time" and "Housewives" Surge

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

ABC ranked #1 for the 4th consecutive Sunday in Adults 18-49, dominating CBS (with the 3-hours of Survivor: One World finale coverage) by 22%, Fox by 65% and NBC by 115%. In fact, the Net led all 8 half-hours of the evening in the key young adult sales demo. ABC was also Sunday's most-watched network overall and continued to rank #1 on the evening with Adults 25-54 and across all key Women demos.

· ABC's finales of Once Upon a Time and Desperate Housewives tied as the night's #1 TV show in Adults 18-49, while the series ender of Desperate Housewives was also Sunday's most-watched TV show.

· Building for the 2nd week in a row with viewers (+25%) and up for the 4th straight Sunday in young adults (+17%), ABC turned in its top-rated Sunday with regular programming in more than 1-1/2 years in Adults 18-49 - since 10/3/10. Additionally, the Net was up over the same Sunday last year for the 2nd consecutive week in Adults 18-49 (+12%).

Airing Part 1 of its two-part season finale, ABC's America's Funniest Home Videos won the 7 o'clock hour for the 3rd week in a row in Adults 18-49, outdelivering CBS' 60 Minutes by 33%, Fox's animated comedies by 45% and NBC's Dateline by 100%.

TV's #1 new drama for the 2011-12 season, ABC's season finale of Once Upon a Time dominated the 8 o'clock hour in Adults 18-49, finishing #1 in its slot for its 10th straight first-run telecast. From 8-9pm, Once Upon a Time defeated the opening hour of CBS' Survivor finale by a strong 19%, Fox's animated comedies (The Simpsons/Bob's Burgers) by 78% and more than tripled the delivery of NBC's Harry's Law (+220%). The Disney-owned drama capped out its initial season as Sunday's #1 TV show for the 4th week running in Adults 18-49 (tied w/Desperate Housewives finale).

· During its freshman season run, Once Upon a Time generated impressive time-slot gains for ABC year to year, up by 27% in Total Viewers and by 67% in Adults 18-49, to register as the Net's most-watched series in the hour in 4 years - since 2007-08.

· Up week to week in Total Viewers (+6%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%), Once Upon a Time marked a 10-week high on both measures - since 3/4/12. In addition, the show grew to its highest Teen 12-17 number since January - since 1/29/12.

Finishing out the night from 9-11pm, the series finale of ABC's Desperate Housewives posted a definitive victory in its 2-hour time period among Adults 18-49, beating out the conclusion of Survivor and the Reunion show by 19% and NBC's 2-hour Celebrity Apprentice by 78%. Building in each half-hour of its finale, Housewives stood as Sunday's most-watched TV show overall, easily topping CBS' Survivor finale.

· Spiking week to week in viewers (+21%) and young adults (+19%), Desperate Housewives hit season highs to mark its best performance in well over 1 year - since 3/6/11.

· In viewers and young adults, Housewives turned in ABC's best performance in the time period since Fall 2010 with regular programming - since 10/3/10 and 11/7/10, respectively.

Quick Take for Sunday, May 13, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Wins its 4th Straight Sunday in Adults 18-49, Leading Each Half-Hour of Prime and Earning its Top Sunday with Regular Programming in 1-1/2 Years

"AFHV" Takes First Place in its Slot Among Adults 18-49 for the 3rd Week in a Row

TV's No. 1 New Drama for the '11-12 Season in Adults 18-49, ABC's Season Finale of "Once Upon a Time" Hits 10-Week High to Win its Slot for its 10th Straight Original

Sunday's Most-Watched TV Show, ABC's Series Finale of "Desperate Housewives" Dominates its Competition and Scores the Series' Highest Numbers in Over 1 Year

"Housewives" Finale Marks ABC's Best Series Results in the Time Slot Since Fall '10

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

ABC ranked No. 1 for the 4th consecutive Sunday in Adults 18-49 (2.8/8), dominating CBS (with the 3-hours of "Survivor: One World" finale coverage) by 22% (2.3/7), Fox by 65% (1.7/5) and NBC by 115% (1.3/4). In fact, the Net led all 8 half-hours of the evening in the key young adult sales demo. ABC was also Sunday's most-watched network (9.5 million) overall and continued to rank No. 1 on the evening with Adults 25-54 and across all key Women demos.

· ABC's finales of "Once Upon a Time" and "Desperate Housewives" tied as the night's No. 1 TV show in Adults 18-49, while the series ender of "Desperate Housewives" was also Sunday's most-watched TV show.

· Building for the 2nd week in a row with viewers (+25%) and up for the 4th straight Sunday in young adults (+17%), ABC turned in its top-rated Sunday with regular programming in more than 1-1/2 years in Adults 18-49 - since 10/3/10. Additionally, the Net was up over the same Sunday last year for the 2nd consecutive week in Adults 18-49 (+12% - 2.5/7 on 5/15/11).

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

Airing Part 1 of its two-part season finale, ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" won the 7 o'clock hour for the 3rd week in a row in Adults 18-49 (1.6/6), outdelivering CBS' "60 Minutes" by 33% (1.2/5), Fox's animated comedies by 45% (1.1/4) and NBC's "Dateline" by 100% (0.8/3).

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

TV's No. 1 new drama for the 2011-12 season, ABC's season finale of "Once Upon a Time" dominated the 8 o'clock hour in Adults 18-49, finishing No. 1 in its slot for its 10th straight first-run telecast. In its time period, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" (3.2/10) defeated the opening hour of CBS' "Survivor" finale by a strong 19% (2.7/8), Fox's animated comedies ("The Simpsons"/"Bob's Burgers") by 78% (1.8/6), and more than tripled the delivery of NBC's "Harry's Law" (+220% - 1.0/3). The Disney-owned drama capped out its initial season as Sunday's No. 1 TV show for the 4th week running in Adults 18-49.

· During its freshman season run, "Once Upon a Time" generated impressive time-slot gains for ABC year to year, up by 27% in Total Viewers (11.6 million vs. 9.1 million) and by 67% in Adults 18-49 (4.0/10 vs. 2.4/6), to register as the Net's most-watched series in the hour in 4 years - since 2007-08.

· Up week to week in Total Viewers (+6% - 9.5 million vs. 9.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (+7% - 3.2/10 vs. 3.0/8), "Once Upon a Time" marked a 10-week high on both measures - since 3/4/12. In addition, the show grew to its highest Teen 12-17 number since January - since 1/29/12.

"Desperate Housewives" (9:00-11:00 p.m.)

Finishing out the night from 9:00-11:00 p.m., the series finale of ABC's "Desperate Housewives" posted a definitive victory in its 2-hour time period among Adults 18-49 (3.2/8), beating out the conclusion of "Survivor" and the "Reunion Show" by 19% (2.7/7) and NBC's 2-hour "Celebrity Apprentice" by 78% (1.8/5). Building audience in each half-hour of its finale, "Housewives" stood as Sunday's most-watched TV show overall, easily topping CBS' "Survivor" finale (11.1 million vs. 10.2 million).

· Spiking week to week in viewers (+21%) and young adults (+19%), "Desperate Housewives" hit season highs to mark its best performance in well over 1 year - since 3/6/11.

· In viewers and young adults, "Housewives" turned in ABC's best performance in the time period since Fall 2010 with regular programming - since 10/3/10 and 11/7/10, respectively.

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 44% currently, from 41% 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), 05/13/12.