ABC Wins 2nd Straight Thursday - Up Year to Year and Week to Week

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 9.0 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49): ABC won its 2nd straight Thursday of the November Sweep in Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS by 17% (2.7/8 vs. 2.3/7). In addition, the Net more than doubled the young adult results for NBC (+108% - 1.3/4) and Fox (+170% - 1.0/3). ABC was up week to week in viewers (+11%) and young adults (+8%).

· ABC's Scandal (2.9/9), How to Get Away with Murder (2.8/9) and Grey's (2.4/7) stood as Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49 (over CBS' Elementary, NBC's Parenthood and Fox's Bones and Gracepoint). Scandal and HTGAWM trailed only CBS' The Big Bang Theory as the highest-rated shows of the night and are once again tracking as the week's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· HTGAWM (+4%) was up week to week in Adults 18-49, while Scandal and Grey's were on par with their most recent telecasts.

· The Net built sharply from the year-ago November Sweep Thursday (7.0 million and 2.1/6 on 11/7/13), spiking 29% in viewers and 29% in young adults. And season to date, ABC's Thursday is up by double digits from the same point last year in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 18-49 (+21%) for its best season start on the night in 5 years - since the comparable weeks of the 2009-10 season.

Scandal Tops its Year-Ago Telecast and Murder is Up Week to Week

Thursday Night (11/06/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 12.6 million/3.5 rating and Live + 7 = 13.6 million/3.8 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 14.3 million/4.2 rating and Live + 7 = 15.0 million/4.4 rating

How to Get Away with Murder: Live + 3 = 13.4 million/4.0 rating and Live + 7 = 14.1 million/4.2 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 9.0 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49): ABC won its 2nd straight Thursday of the November Sweep in Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS by 17% (2.7/8 vs. 2.3/7). In addition, the Net more than doubled the young adult results for NBC (+108% - 1.3/4) and Fox (+170% - 1.0/3). ABC was up week to week in viewers (+11%) and young adults (+8%).

· ABC's Scandal (2.9/9), How to Get Away with Murder (2.8/9) and Grey's (2.4/7) stood as Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49 (over CBS' Elementary, NBC's Parenthood and Fox's Bones and Gracepoint). Scandal and HTGAWM trailed only CBS' The Big Bang Theory as the highest-rated shows of the night and are once again tracking as the week's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· The Net built sharply from the year-ago November Sweep Thursday (7.0 million and 2.1/6 on 11/7/13), spiking 29% in viewers and 29% in young adults. And season to date, ABC's Thursday is up by double digits from the same point last year in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 18-49 (+21%) for its best season start on the night in 5 years - since the comparable weeks of the 2009-10 season.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 8.0 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49): At 8pm, despite facing Big Bang for the first time, Grey's Anatomy returned from the prior week's pre-emption steady in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 2.5/8). Grey's dominated its drama competition in the hour (Fox's Bones) by 2.4 million viewers (8.0 million vs. 5.6 million) and by 85% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 1.3/4).

Scandal (9-10pm - 9.8 million and 2.9/9 in AD18-49): At 9pm, ABC's Scandal shot to the top of its hour in Adults 18-49 (2.9/9), outdelivering CBS' comedies by 45% (Two and a Half Men/The McCarthys = 2.0/6), NBC's comedies by 190% (Bad Judge/A to Z = 1.0/3) and Fox's Gracepoint by 314% (0.7/2). Versus its Fast Affiliate numbers, the ABC drama gained 7% in viewers week to week (9.8 million vs. 9.2 million) and held steady in Adults (2.9/9 vs. 3.0/9), while building on its own year-ago telecast at 10pm (8.7 million and 2.8/8 on 11/7/13) in viewers (+13%) and young adults (+4%).

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 9.2 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49): From 10-11pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder (2.8/9) equaled its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49, surpassing CBS' Elementary by 100% (1.4/4) and NBC's Parenthood by 100% (1.4/5). The new ABC drama was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot for the 2nd week running (9.2 million). HTGAWM grew week to week in Total Viewers (+6%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

· On average, HTGAWM is both the season's #1 broadcast drama and top-rated new series with Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Thursday, November 6, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Wins 2nd Straight Thursday of the November Sweep in Adults 18-49, Spiking 29% from the Year-Ago Night and Gaining 8% Week to Week

"Grey's" Returns Steady in Adults 18-49 and Dominates its Drama Competition

"Scandal" Shoots to the Top of the 9pm Hour and Grows Year to Year

"HTGAWM" Ties its Combined NBC and CBS Drama Competition in Adults 18-49 From 10-11pm, and Increases Week to Week in Viewers and Young Adults

Thursday Night (11/06/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 12.6 million/3.5 rating and Live + 7 = 13.6 million/3.8 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 14.3 million/4.2 rating and Live + 7 = 15.0 million/4.4 rating

"HTGAWM:" Live + 3 = 13.4 million/4.0 rating and Live + 7 = 14.1 million/4.2 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.0 million and 2.7/8 in AD18-49):

ABC won its 2nd straight Thursday of the November Sweep in Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS by 17% (2.7/8 vs. 2.3/7). In addition, the Net more than doubled the young adult results for NBC (+108% - 1.3/4) and Fox (+170% - 1.0/3). ABC was up week to week in viewers (+11%) and young adults (+8%).

· ABC's "Scandal" (2.9/9), "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.8/9) and "Grey's" (2.4/7) stood as Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49 (over CBS' "Elementary," NBC's "Parenthood" and Fox's "Bones" and "Gracepoint"). "Scandal" and "HTGAWM" trailed only CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" as the highest-rated shows of the night and are once again tracking as the week's top-rated broadcast dramas in Adults 18-49.

· The Net built sharply from the year-ago November Sweep Thursday (7.0 million and 2.1/6 on 11/7/13), spiking 29% in viewers and 29% in young adults. And season to date, ABC's Thursday is up by double digits from the same point last year in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 18-49 (+21%) for its best season start on the night in 5 years - since the comparable weeks of the 2009-10 season.

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 8.0 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., despite facing "Big Bang Theory" for the first time, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" returned from the prior week's pre-emption steady in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 2.5/8). "Grey's" dominated its drama competition in the hour (Fox's "Bones") by 2.4 million viewers (8.0 million vs. 5.6 million) and by 85% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 1.3/4).

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 9.8 million and 2.9/9 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" shot to the top of its hour in Adults 18-49 (2.9/9), outdelivering CBS' comedies by 45% ("Two and a Half Men"/"The McCarthys" = 2.0/6), NBC's comedies by 190% ("Bad Judge"/"A to Z" = 1.0/3) and Fox's "Gracepoint" by 314% (0.7/2).

· Versus its Fast Affiliate numbers, the ABC drama gained 7% in viewers week to week (9.8 million vs. 9.2 million) and held steady in Adults (2.9/9 vs. 3.0/9), while building on its own year-ago telecast at 10:00 p.m. (8.7 million and 2.8/8 on 11/7/13) in viewers (+13%) and young adults (+4%).

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 9.2 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49):

From 10:00-11:00 p.m., ABC's "How to Get Away with Murder" (2.8/9) equaled its combined drama competition in Adults 18-49, surpassing CBS' "Elementary" by 100% (1.4/4) and NBC's "Parenthood" by 100% (1.4/5). The new ABC drama was the most-watched TV show overall in the slot for the 2nd week running (9.2 million). "Murder" grew week to week in Total Viewers (+6%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

· On average, "HTGAWM" is both the season's No. 1 broadcast drama and top-rated new series with 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 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, 11/06/14.