ABC's Thursday Dramas Grow - Strongest Start on the Night in 5 Years

Thursday Night (10/23/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 13.4 million/3.7 rating and Live + 7 = 14.6 million/3.9 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 14.6 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.3 million/4.6 rating

How to Get Away with Murder: Live + 3 = 14.4 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.1 million/4.3 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

· ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 9.5 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49): Up against a big CBS Thursday Night Football game, ABC more than doubled its closest non-sports competition on the night (NBC) in Total Viewers (+126% - 9.5 million vs. 4.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (+155% - 2.8/9 vs. 1.1/3). For the 5th straight week, ABC delivered Thursday's Top 3 entertainment shows with Scandal (10.0 million and 3.0/9), How to Get Away with Murder (9.9 million and 3.0/9) and Grey's (8.6 million and 2.5/8). The Net was up week to week in Adults 18-49 (+4%), as all three of its dramas made gains: Grey's (+4%), Scandal (+3%) and How to Get Away with Murder (+7%).

· ABC's Scandal (3.0/9), HTGAWM (3.0/9) and Grey's (2.5/8 - tied w/Criminal Minds) are tracking as the week's highest-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· For the 5th consecutive week this season, ABC's Thursday was up year to year (7.2 million and 2.3/7 on 10/24/13). Season to date, ABC is up by double digits from the same point last season in Total Viewers (+34% - 12.6 million vs. 9.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (+22% - 3.9/12 vs. 3.2/9) for its strongest start on the night in 5 years - since the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

Scandal is Up Year to Year/HTGAWM Improves the 10pm Hour

Thursday Night (10/23/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 13.4 million/3.7 rating and Live + 7 = 14.6 million/3.9 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 14.6 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.3 million/4.6 rating

How to Get Away with Murder: Live + 3 = 14.4 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.1 million/4.6 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 9.5 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49): Up against a big CBS Thursday Night Football game, ABC more than doubled its closest non-sports competition on the night (NBC) in Total Viewers (+126% - 9.5 million vs. 4.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (+155% - 2.8/9 vs. 1.1/3). For the 5th straight week, ABC delivered Thursday's Top 3 entertainment shows with Scandal (10.0 million and 3.0/9), How to Get Away with Murder (9.9 million and 3.0/9) and Grey's (8.6 million and 2.5/8). The Net was up week to week in Adults 18-49 (+4%), as all three of its dramas made gains: Grey's (+4%), Scandal (+3%) and How to Get Away with Murder (+7%).

· ABC's Scandal (3.0/9), HTGAWM (3.0/9) and Grey's (2.5/8 - tied w/Criminal Minds) are tracking as the week's highest-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· For the 5th consecutive week this season, ABC's Thursday was up year to year (7.2 million and 2.3/7 on 10/24/13). Season to date, ABC is up by double digits from the same point last season in Total Viewers (+34% - 12.6 million vs. 9.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (+22% - 3.9/12 vs. 3.2/9) for its strongest start on the night in 5 years - since the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 8.6 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49): At 8pm, Grey's Anatomy delivered 3-week highs (since 10/2/14) and dominated its closest series competition (NBC's The Biggest Loser: Glory Days) by 3.9 million viewers (8.6 million vs. 4.7 million) and by 108% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8 vs. 1.2/4).

Scandal (9-10pm - 10.0 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49): Increasing from its lead-in at 9pm, ABC's Scandal (10.0 million and 3.0/9) outdrew NBC's comedies in the hour by 6.2 million viewers and tripled their Adult 18-49 delivery (Bad Judge/A to Z = 3.8 million and 1.0/3). The ABC drama nearly quadrupled Fox's competing Gracepoint in the hour with Adults 18-49 (+275% over 0.8/2). Scandal built week to week and grew from its own year-ago telecast at 10pm by 16% in Total Viewers and by 3% in Adults 18-49 (8.6 million and 2.9/8 on 10/24/13).

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 9.9 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49): Retaining 100% of its young adult lead-in at 10pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder increased its winning advantages over NBC's Parenthood to 141% in Total Viewers (9.9 million vs. 4.1 million) and 150% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/9 vs. 1.2/4). HTGAWM once again topped the year-ago telecast of Scandal in the hour, rising by 1.3 million viewers and by 3% with young adults.

Quick Take for Thursday, October 23, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC More than Doubles its Nearest Non-Sports Competition on Thursday, As the Net is Delivering its Strongest Performance on the Night in 5 Years

"Grey's Anatomy" Builds to 3-Week Highs in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

"Scandal" is Up Week to Week and Year to Year in Viewers and Young Adults

"HTGAWM" Builds Week to Week and Improves its Hour Year to Year for ABC

Thursday Night (10/23/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 13.4 million/3.7 rating and Live + 7 = 14.6 million/3.9 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 14.6 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.3 million/4.6 rating

"HTGAWM:" Live + 3 = 14.4 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.1 million/4.6 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.5 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49):

Up against a big CBS Thursday Night Football game, ABC more than doubled its closest non-sports competition on the night (NBC) in Total Viewers (+126% - 9.5 million vs. 4.2 million) and Adults 18-49 (+155% - 2.8/9 vs. 1.1/3). For the 5th straight week, ABC delivered Thursday's Top 3 entertainment shows. The Net was up week to week in Adults 18-49 (+4%), as all three of its dramas made gains: "Grey's" (+4%), "Scandal" (+3%) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (+7%).

· ABC's "Scandal" (3.0/9), "HTGAWM" (3.0/9) and "Grey's" (2.5/8 - tied w/"Criminal Minds") are tracking as the week's highest-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· For the 5th consecutive week this season, ABC's Thursday was up year to year (7.2 million and 2.3/7 on 10/24/13). Season to date, ABC is up by double digits from the same point last season in Total Viewers (+34% - 12.6 million vs. 9.4 million) and Adults 18-49 (+22% - 3.9/12 vs. 3.2/9) for its strongest start on the night in 5 years - since the beginning of the 2009-10 season.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 8.6 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., "Grey's Anatomy" delivered 3-week highs (since 10/2/14) and dominated its closest series competition (NBC's "The Biggest Loser: Glory Days") by 3.9 million viewers (8.6 million vs. 4.7 million) and by 108% in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8 vs. 1.2/4).

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 10.0 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49):

Increasing from its lead-in at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" (10.0 million and 3.0/9) outdrew NBC's comedies in the hour by 6.2 million viewers and tripled their Adult 18-49 delivery ("Bad Judge"/"A to Z" = 3.8 million and 1.0/3). The ABC drama nearly quadrupled Fox's competing drama "Gracepoint" in the hour with Adults 18-49 (+275% over a 0.8/2).

· "Scandal" built week to week and grew from its own year-ago telecast at 10:00 p.m. by 16% in Total Viewers and by 3% in Adults 18-49 (8.6 million and 2.9/8 on 10/24/13).

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.9 million and 3.0/9 in AD18-49):

Retaining 100% of its young adult lead-in at 10:00 p.m., ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" was up week to week and increased its winning advantages over NBC's "Parenthood" to 141% in Total Viewers (9.9 million vs. 4.1 million) and 150% in Adults 18-49 (3.0/9 vs. 1.2/4).

· "HTGAWM" once again topped the year-ago telecast of "Scandal" in the hour, rising by 1.3 million viewers and by 3% with young adults.

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 48% 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.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2013-14 season for premiere telecast or an average for originals (excluding the premiere).

Returning shows: Profile based on same show (either premiere or averages for originals).

New Series: Based on similar series.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings, 10/23/14.