ABC's "Billboard Music Awards" Scores Most-Watched Telecast in 13 Years

ABC Sunday Prime (8-11pm - 9.5 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49): With the season closer of America's Funniest Home Videos and the 2014 Billboard Music Awards, ABC dominated the final Sunday of the season/May Sweep in Adults 18-49 (#1 in all 8 half-hours), more than doubling runner-up CBS with its season finales (+114% - 3.0/9 vs. 1.4/4). In fact, the Net won all 4 Sundays of the May Sweep in Adults 18-49 and on average was up 9% on the night May to May (1.9/6 vs. 1.7/5). ABC was also the most-watched network overall on the evening, outdrawing CBS (9.5 million vs. 9.2 million). Excluding only the night of the Academy Awards, ABC marked its strongest Sunday since November in viewers and young adults - since 11/24/13. ABC's Billboard Music Awards was the #1 TV show of the night in viewers and young adults.

America's Funniest Home Videos (7-8pm - 6.6 million and 1.6/6 in AD18-49): Building its overall audience by 8% week to week and holding steady in Adults 18-49, ABC's 24th season finale of America's Funniest Home Videos equaled a season high with young adults. The ABC video clip show ranked #1 in the hour for the 4th week in a row with Adults 18-49.

2014 Billboard Music Awards (8-11pm - 10.5 million and 3.5/10 in AD18-49): ABC's 3-hour telecast of the 2014 Billboard Music Awards delivered an across-the-board win, topping its 8-11pm time slot in Total Viewers, all key Adults (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54), Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11. Surging by 1.0 million viewers year to year (10.5 million vs. 9.5 million) to deliver its 2nd year of growth, The Billboard Music Awards scored its most-watched telecast in 13 years and equaled an 11-year high in Adults 18-49 - since 2001 and 2003, respectively.

Quick Take for Sunday, May 18, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Dominates the Final Sunday of the Season in Adults 18-49, Winning All 4 Sundays of the Sweep and Growing 9% May to May

ABC's "America's Funniest Home Videos" Finishes Out its 24th Season at No. 1 in its Hour in Adults 18-49 for 4 Weeks Straight and Equals a Season High

ABC's "Billboard Music Awards" is Sunday's No. 1 TV Show, with its Most-Watched Telecast in 13 Years, an 11-Year High in Adults 18-49 and a 10-Year High in Teens

ABC Sunday Prime (7:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.5 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49):

With the season closer of "America's Funniest Home Videos" and the "2014 Billboard Music Awards," ABC dominated the final Sunday of the season/May Sweep in Adults 18-49 (No. 1 in all 8 half-hours), more than doubling runner-up CBS with its season finales (+114% - 3.0/9 vs. 1.4/4). In fact, the Net won all 4 Sundays of the May Sweep in Adults 18-49 and on average was up 9% on the night May to May (1.9/6 vs. 1.7/5). ABC was also the most-watched network overall on the evening, outdrawing CBS (9.5 million vs. 9.2 million). ABC's "Billboard Music Awards" was the No. 1 TV show of the night in viewers and young adults.

· Excluding only the night of the Academy Awards, ABC marked its strongest Sunday since November in viewers and young adults - since 11/24/13.

"America's Funniest Home Videos" (7:00-8:00 p.m. - 6.6 million and 1.6/6 in AD18-49):

Building its overall audience by 8% week to week (6.6 million vs. 6.1 million) and holding steady in Adults 18-49 (1.6/6), ABC's 24th season finale of "America's Funniest Home Videos" equaled a season high with young adults. The ABC video clip show ranked No. 1 in the hour for the 4th week in a row with Adults 18-49.

"2014 Billboard Music Awards" (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 10.5 million and 3.5/10 in AD18-49):

ABC's 3-hour telecast of the "2014 Billboard Music Awards" delivered an across-the-board win, topping its 8:00-11:00 p.m. time slot in Total Viewers, all key Adults (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54), Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11.

· Surging by 1.0 million viewers year to year (10.5 million vs. 9.5 million) to deliver its 2nd year of growth, the "Billboard Music Awards" scored its most-watched telecast in 13 years and equaled an 11-year high in Adults 18-49 - since 2001 and 2003, respectively. In addition, the annual show was also up for the 2nd year with Teens 12-17 (+6%) to deliver its top rating in 10 years - since 2004.

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 49% currently, from 47% at the same point in 2013. 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, 05/18/14.