ABC's Sunday Opens Strong as Only Net Up Year to Year

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

With a series re-cap of Once Upon a Time, leading into its sophomore season premiere, followed by the sophomore opener of Revenge and the debut of 666 Park Avenue, up against NBC's Sunday Night Football and an NFL-overrun boosted Fox, ABC beat out CBS' season premiere Sunday by 29% in Adults 18-49. ABC's sophomore season opener of Once Upon a Time stood as the night's #1 non-sports program in Adults 18-49.

· Despite airing a clip show in the 7pm hour, ABC was the only net to grow over season-premiere Sunday last year in Adults 18-49 (+8%).

2012-13 Season Premiere Week Adult 18-49 Rankings: ABC will finish season premiere week with the #1 scripted series/comedy in Modern Family, the #1 drama in Grey's Anatomy and the #1 new comedy in The Neighbors.

More than doubling its lead-in (+111%), ABC's season opener of Once Upon a Time dominated its non-sports competition in the 8 o'clock hour in Adults 18-49 to emerge as Sunday's top-rated entertainment show. In its time period, ABC's Once Upon a Time defeated Fox's NFL-driven animated comedy premieres (The Simpsons/Bob's Burgers) by 23% and CBS' season premiere of The Amazing Race by 52%. The Disney-owned drama ranked as the #1 TV program of the night overall across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54)

· Once Upon a Time paced well ahead of its freshman season finale in May, pulling in its biggest audience since November and equaling its best Adult 18-49 number since last October - since 11/13/11 and 10/30/11. In addition the show hit series highs with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, while marking its 2nd-highest-ever rating with Teens 12-17.

Leading its entertainment competition in the 9 o'clock hour among Adults 18-49, ABC's sophomore season premiere of Revenge topped Fox's animated comedy openers (Family Guy/American Dad) by 10% and impressively beat out CBS' time-period established The Good Wife season premiere by 78%.

· Up sharply from its first season closer, Revenge scored the series' 2nd-highest ratings ever in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, while earning new series highs with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

Ranking as the #1 non-sports program in the 10pm hour, ABC's series debut of 666 Park Avenue defeated CBS' premiere of veteran The Mentalist by 25% in Adults 18-34 and by 5% in Adults 18-49.

· 666 Park Avenue topped ABC's 2011-12 season averages in the time period by 25% in Total Viewers and by 22% in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Sunday, September 30, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

Delivering Impressive Results with its Sunday Drama Openings, ABC is the Only Net to Grow Year to Year Among Adults 18-49

ABC Finishes Season Premiere Week with the No. 1 Scripted Show, The No. 1 Drama and the No. 1 New Comedy Among Adults 18-49

Sunday's No. 1 Scripted Show in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" Opens its Sophomore Season with its Strongest Rating Since Last October

Opening Strong on its New Night and Time, ABC's "Revenge" Premieres With the Series' 2nd-Highest-Ever Numbers in Viewers and Young Adults

"666 Park Avenue" Debuts as the No. 1 Non-Sports Program in the 10pm Hour, Beating CBS' "The Mentalist" and Improving its Time Period Over Last Season

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

With a series recap of "Once Upon a Time" leading into its sophomore season premiere, followed by the sophomore opener of "Revenge" and the debut of "666 Park Avenue," up against NBC's Sunday Night Football and an NFL-overrun boosted Fox, ABC beat out CBS' season premiere Sunday by 29% in Adults 18-49 (2.7/7 vs. 2.1/5). ABC's sophomore season opener of "Once Upon a Time" stood as the night's No. 1 non-sports program in Adults 18-49.

· Despite airing a clip show in the 7:00 p.m. hour, ABC was the only net to grow over season-premiere Sunday last year in Adults 18-49 (+8%).

2012-13 Season Premiere Week Adult 18-49 Rankings: ABC will finish season premiere week with the No. 1 scripted series/comedy in "Modern Family," the No. 1 drama in "Grey's Anatomy" and the No. 1 new comedy in "The Neighbors."

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

More than doubling its lead-in (+111%), ABC's season opener of "Once Upon a Time" dominated its non-sports competition in the 8 o'clock hour in Adults 18-49 to emerge as Sunday's top-rated scripted show. In its time period, ABC's "Once Upon a Time" (3.8/10) defeated Fox's NFL-driven animated comedy premieres ("The Simpsons"/"Bob's Burgers" = 3.1/8) by 23% and CBS' season premiere of "The Amazing Race" by 52% (2.5/6). The Disney-owned drama ranked as the No. 1 TV program of the night overall across all key Women demographics (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

· "Once Upon a Time" paced well ahead of its freshman season finale in May, pulling in its biggest audience since November and equaling its best Adult 18-49 number since last October � since 11/13/11 and 10/30/11. In addition the show hit series highs with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34, while marking its 2nd-highest-ever rating with Teens 12-17.

"Revenge" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)

Leading its entertainment competition in its new Sunday 9 o'clock time slot among Adults 18-49, ABC's sophomore season premiere of "Revenge" (3.2/7) topped Fox's animated comedy openers ("Family Guy"/"American Dad" = 2.9/7) by 10% and impressively beat out the season opener of CBS' time-period established "The Good Wife" by 78% (1.8/4).

· Up sharply from its first season closer on Wednesday in May, "Revenge" scored the series' 2nd-highest ratings ever in Total Viewers (9.5 million) and Adults 18-49, while earning new series highs with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

"666 Park Avenue" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Ranking as the No. 1 non-sports program in the 10:00 p.m. hour, ABC's series debut of "666 Park Avenue" defeated CBS' premiere of veteran "The Mentalist" by 25% in Adults 18-34 (1.5/4 vs. 1.2/3) and by 5% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/5 vs. 2.1/5).

· "666 Park Avenue" topped ABC's 2011-12 season averages in the time period by 25% in Total Viewers and by 22% in Adults 18-49. In fact among Adults 18-49 the new show posted the Net's best performance with a Sunday 10 o'clock series since March � since 3/11/12.

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 46% currently, from 42% 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), 09/30/12.