ABC Earns Second Place on Sunday

With a mix of repeat (AFHV) and original programming up against nearly all first-run competition, ABC finished as the 2nd-most-watched net on Sunday to CBS and paced within 1-tenth of a tie for first in Adults 18-49.

Surging over its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8pm (+57%), ABC's Once Upon a Time tied CBS' Amazing Race for #1 in the hour. The ABC drama won its time slot with key Women (W18-34/W18-49) to rank as Sunday's highest-rated broadcast series. Once Upon a Time held 100% of its week-ago Fast Affiliate Adult 18-49 rating. Please Note: Once Upon a Time is seeing much bigger ratings growth after day of air, up sharply over last Fall and the year-ago Spring. The Adult 18-49 increases for Once Upon a Time from L+SD to L+7 have gone from 42% last Fall up to 52% this Spring, and is also showing a much bigger gain than the same point last Spring (39%). The ABC drama is posting similar playback increases in Total Viewers, gaining 36% this Spring, as compared to 31% in the Fall and 29% last Spring.

In the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's Revenge beat out its CBS drama competition by 20% in Adults 18-49, leading The Good Wife on every original head-to-head matchup in the hour. In addition, the sophomore drama made ABC the #1 broadcaster in the time period with key Women (W18-49/W25-54). Season to date, Revenge is up 17% in Adults 18-49 over the same point in its freshman season.

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's Red Widow retained 91% of its Adult 18-49 audience week to week, with 100% retention in Women 18-49. Based on the first round of Live + 7 Day data for the show that became available this morning, Red Widow spiked over its Live +Same Day numbers by 2.5 million viewers (7.1 million to 9.6 million) and by 40% in Adults 18-49 (1.5 rating to a 2.1 rating).

Quick Take for Sunday, March 17, 2013 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Earns Second Place on Sunday Night in Total Viewers and Young Adults

Spiking Over its Lead-in, "Once Upon a Time" is No. 1 in its Hour with Adults 18-49

"Once Upon a Time" Sees Bigger Gains in L+7 This Spring Over Fall or Last Spring

"Revenge" Beats CBS' "The Good Wife" and NBC's "Apprentice" in Adults 18-49

ABC's "Red Widow" Surges in First Round of Live + 7 Day Ratings for the Show

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

With a mix of repeat ("AFHV") and original programming up against nearly all first-run competition, ABC finished as the 2nd-most-watched net (6.1 million) on Sunday to CBS and paced within 1-tenth of a tie for first in Adults 18-49 (1.6/4 vs. 1.7/5).

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

Surging over its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8:00 p.m. (+57%), ABC's "Once Upon a Time" (2.2/6) tied CBS' "Amazing Race" for No. 1 in the hour. The ABC drama won its time slot with key Women (W18-34/W18-49) to rank as Sunday's highest-rated broadcast series. "Once Upon a Time" held 100% of its week-ago Fast Affiliate Adult 18-49 rating.

Please Note: "Once Upon a Time" is seeing much bigger ratings growth after day of air, up sharply over last Fall and the year-ago Spring. The Adult 18-49 increases for "Once Upon a Time" from L+SD to L+7 have gone from 42% last Fall up to 52% this Spring, and is also showing a much bigger gain than the same point last Spring (39%). The ABC drama is posting similar playback increases in Total Viewers, gaining 36% this Spring, as compared to 31% in the Fall and 29% last Spring.

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

In the 9 o'clock hour, ABC's "Revenge" (1.8/4) beat out its CBS drama competition by 20% in Adults 18-49, leading "The Good Wife" on every original head-to-head matchup in the hour. The ABC drama also defeated the opening hour of NBC's "Celebrity Apprentice" (1.7/4) in the key young adult sales demo (+6%). Additionally, the sophomore drama made ABC the No. 1 broadcaster in the time period with key Women (W18-49/W25-54).

· Season to date, "Revenge" is up 17% in Adults 18-49 over the same point in its freshman season.

"Red Widow" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Red Widow" retained 91% of its Adult 18-49 (1.0/3) audience week to week, with 100% retention in Women 18-49.

· Based on the first round of Live + 7 Day data for the show that became available this morning, "Red Widow" spiked over its Live +Same Day numbers by 2.5 million viewers (7.1 million to 9.6 million) and by 40% in Adults 18-49 (1.5 rating to a 2.1 rating).

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 47% currently, from 43% 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, 03/17/13.