ABC's "Modern Family" is Wednesday's #1 Show/"Suburgatory" Opens to 9-Month Highs

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

· ABC's Modern Family stood as Wednesday's #1 TV show for its 3rd straight telecast this season in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.

· From 8-9pm, ABC's The Middle and The Neighbors continued to dominate NBC's comedies in the hour (Animal Practice/Guys with Kids) in viewers and young adults.

· Up for the 2nd straight week, ABC's The Middle grew over its week-ago telecast in viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%). The Middle won its half hour in Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49), while standing as the top-rated broadcast program in the slot with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

· Ranking #2 at 8:30pm in viewers and young adults, ABC's The Neighbors grew its overall audience week to week (+2%). The show was also up over the prior week in Adults 18-34 (+8%), Teens 12-17 (+25%) and Kids 2-11 (+13%), for its best numbers yet in its time period. The show hit a series high with Kids 2-11, even topping its post-Modern Family opener.

· At 9pm, ABC's Modern Family built its overall audience from the previous week to lead its hour by wide margins and to finish as Wednesday's definitive #1 program. The show was also up week to week with Adults 25-54 (+2%), Teens 12-17 (+18%) and Kids 2-11 (+25%).

· In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's sophomore season opener of Suburgatory took second in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, while winning its slot with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Suburgatory scored its highest numbers in over 9 months - since 1/11/12.

· Holding a strong 89% of its Total Viewer lead-in during the 10pm hour opposite CBS' time period veteran CSI, ABC's Nashville continued to dominate its freshman drama competition in the slot. For the 2nd week in row, Nashville beat out NBC's Chicago Fire by wide margins, leading by 15% in viewers and by 33% in Adults 18-49. In addition, the new ABC drama won its hour for the 2nd week in row with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34. The new show retained a solid 76% of its big week-ago debut audience coming out of Modern Family.

· ABC's Nashville is a big gainer in DVR playback. Based on Live + 3 Day data for last Wednesday (10/10/12), Nashville shot up over its Live + Same Day numbers by +2.7 million viewers on average and spiked by +1.1 rating points (+39%) in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Wednesday, October 17, 2012 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC's "Modern Family" is Wednesday's No. 1 TV Show for its 3rd Straight Telecast

ABC's "The Middle" is Up for the 2nd Straight Week in Viewers and Young Adults

Growing its Overall Audience Week to Week, ABC's "The Neighbors" Continues to Dominate its NBC Freshman Comedy Competition at 8:30pm

Soaring to the Top of its Slot, "Modern Family" Gains Week to Week in Viewers

ABC's "Suburgatory" Opens its Sophomore Season at 9-Month Highs

During the 10pm Hour, ABC's "Nashville" Dominates NBC's "Chicago Fire" And Wins its Slot for the 2nd Week Running in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34

Wednesday Night (8:00-11:00 p.m.)

ABC finished a strong second on Wednesday in Total Viewers (8.0 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.6/7 - pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point for the lead), while ranking No. 1 on the evening with Adults 18-34 (tie) and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· For its 3rd straight telecast this season, ABC's "Modern Family" stood as Wednesday's No. 1 TV show in Total Viewers (12.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.6/12).

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" ran in a near tie with CBS' "Survivor" for No. 1 in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8 vs. 2.6/8). In addition the ABC comedy won its half hour in Adults 18-34, Men 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49), while standing as the top-rated broadcast program in the slot with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

· Up for the 2nd straight week, ABC's "The Middle" grew over its week-ago telecast in viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

"The Neighbors" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)

At 8:30 p.m., ABC's "The Neighbors" once again dominated its freshman comedy competition, beating NBC's "Guys with Kids" by 2.2 million viewers (6.5 million vs. 4.3 million) and by 36% in Adults 18-49 (1.9/5 vs. 1.4/4).

· Building its overall audience week to week (+2%), "The Neighbors" was also up in Adults 18-34 (+8%), Teens 12-17 (+25%) and Kids 2-11 (+13%), for its best numbers yet in its time period. The ABC family comedy hit a series high with Kids 2-11, even topping its post-"Modern Family" opener.

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m.)

Shooting to the top of its 9:00 p.m. slot in viewers and young adults, ABC's "Modern Family" beat out runner-up CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 53% in Adults 18-49 (4.6/12 vs. 3.0/8).

· "Modern Family" saw its overall audience grow from the previous week, also increasing with Adults 25-54 (+2%), Teens 12-17 (+18%) and Kids 2-11 (+25%).

"Suburgatory" (9:30-10:00 p.m.)

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's sophomore season opener of "Suburgatory" earned second in Total Viewers (7.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.8/7), while winning its slot with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, "Suburgatory" scored its highest numbers in over 9 months - since 1/11/12.

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

Holding a strong 89% of its Total Viewer lead-in during the 10:00 p.m. hour opposite CBS' time period veteran "CSI," ABC's "Nashville" continued to dominate its freshman drama competition in the slot. For the 2nd week in row, "Nashville" beat out NBC's "Chicago Fire" by wide margins, leading by 15% in viewers (6.8 million vs. 5.9 million) and by 33% in Adults 18-49 (2.0/6 vs. 1.5/4). In addition, the new ABC drama won its hour for the 2nd week in row with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.

· "Nashville" retained a solid 76% of its big week-ago debut audience coming out of "Modern Family."

· ABC's "Nashville" is a big gainer in DVR playback. Based on Live + 3 Day data for last Wednesday (10/10/12), "Nashville" shot up over its Live + Same Day numbers by +2.7 million viewers on average and spiked by +1.1 rating points (+39%) in Adults 18-49.

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), 10/17/12.