ABC's "Dancing with the Stars: The Results" Tops the 8pm Hour with the Net's Biggest Audience in 1 Year

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

Shifting back into its new 8pm slot, ABC's DWTS: All-Stars - The Results Show finished as the most-watched TV show in its hour, beating NBC's The Voice in head-to-head competition and ranking as Tuesday's top unscripted series for the 4th week in a row. In addition, the ABC dancing results show earned 2nd place in the hour across all key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54). Bristol Palin was the next celebrity dancer to be eliminated from the competition this season.

· From 8-9pm, ABC's DWTS: The Results beat out Fox's comedy block (Raising Hope/Ben & Kate) by a resounding 40% in Adults 18-49. Additionally, Dancing outdelivered Fox's "young skewing" comedies among Adults 18-34 (+8%).

· Despite moving back into an earlier time slot with lower overall TV usage levels, The Results exhibited strong retention of its week-ago 9pm telecast in Total Viewers (95%), Adults 18-49 (95%) and Adults 18-34 (100%).

· DWTS: All Stars - The Results drew ABC's largest audience in the hour in over 1 year and its top Adult 18-49 rating in 8 months - since 10/11/11 and 2/7/12, respectively.

Quick Take for Tuesday, October 16, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

The Most-Watched TV Show in its New 8pm Slot, ABC's "DWTS: The Results Show" Tops "The Voice" to Stand as the No. 1 Unscripted Series for the 4th Straight Tuesday

"DWTS: All-Stars - The Results Show" Generates ABC's Biggest Audience In the Time Period in Over 1 Year and Hits an 8-Month High with Adults 18-49

"DWTS: All-Stars -- The Results Show" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)

Shifting back into its new 8:00 p.m. slot, ABC's "DWTS: All-Stars - The Results Show" finished as the most-watched TV show in its hour, beating NBC's "The Voice" in head-to-head competition (12.7 million vs. 12.1 million) and ranking as Tuesday's top unscripted series for the 4th week in a row. In addition, the ABC dancing results program earned 2nd place in the hour across all key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54). Bristol Palin was the next celebrity dancer to be eliminated from the competition this season.

· From 8:00-9:00 p.m., ABC's "DWTS: The Results Show" beat out Fox's comedy block ("Raising Hope"/"Ben & Kate") by a resounding 40% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6 vs. 1.5/4). Additionally, "Dancing" outdelivered Fox's "young skewing" comedies among Adults 18-34 (+8% - 1.3/4 vs. 1.2/4).

· Despite moving back into an earlier time slot with lower overall TV usage levels, "The Results Show" exhibited strong retention of its week-ago 9:00 p.m. telecast in Total Viewers (95%), Adults 18-49 (95%) and Adults 18-34 (100%).

· "DWTS: All Stars - The Results Show" drew ABC's largest audience in the hour in over 1 year and its top Adult 18-49 rating in 8 months - since 10/11/11 and 2/7/12, 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 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), 10/16/12.