ABC's Wednesday Lineup Returns with the Top 2 TV Shows in AD18-49

ABC Wednesday Prime (8-11pm - 7.4 million and 2.1/6 in AD18-49): Returning to its regular Wednesday lineup after the prior week's CMA Awards preemption, ABC took 2nd in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6) to The Voice-driven NBC with its 8-9pm special to lead off its night, while beating CBS by 5% (2.0/6) and Fox by 75% (1.2/4). ABC's Modern Family (3.1/9) and black-ish (2.5/7 -tied with The Voice) ranked as the Top 2 TV shows of the night in Adults 18-49.

· Season to date, ABC's Wednesday comedy block is up year to year in viewers (+11%) and young adults (+12%), leading the 2-hour time period by 16% in Adults 18-49 over its nearest competition (CBS).

... more to come.

The Middle and Nashville Hit Season Highs in Viewers - Goldbergs Scores 2nd Biggest-Ever Audience

Wednesday (11/12/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

The Middle: Live + 3 = 9.7 million/2.3 rating and Live + 7 = 10.3 million/2.4 rating

The Goldbergs: Live + 3 = 10.9 million/2.9 rating and Live + 7 = 11.7 million/3.1 rating

Modern Family: Live + 3 = 14.0 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.5 million/4.8 rating

black-ish: Live + 3 = 9.6 million/3.0 rating and Live + 7 = 10.1 million/3.1 rating

Nashville: Live + 3 = 9.1 million/2.3 rating and Live + 7 = 10.1 million/2.5 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8-11pm - 7.4 million and 2.1/6 in AD18-49): Returning to its regular Wednesday lineup after the prior week's CMA Awards preemption, ABC took 2nd in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6) to The Voice-driven NBC with its 8-9pm special to lead off its night, while beating CBS by 5% (2.0/6) and Fox by 75% (1.2/4). ABC's Modern Family (3.1/9) and black-ish (2.5/7 -tied with The Voice) ranked as the Top 2 TV shows of the night in Adults 18-49.

· Season to date, ABC's Wednesday comedy block is up year to year in viewers (+11%) and young adults (+12%), leading the 2-hour time period by 16% in Adults 18-49 over its nearest competition (CBS).

The Middle (8-8:30pm - 8.1 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49): At 8pm, ABC's The Middle was the #1 scripted show in Adults 18-49 and was up over its most recent delivery two weeks ago (1.9/6 vs. 1.8/6). The ABC comedy ranked #1 in the half-hour in Teens 12-17, beating NBC's The Voice by 67% (1.5/7 vs. 0.9/4). The Middle hit a new season-high in Total Viewers (8.1 million) with its most-watched telecast since February - since 2/5/14.

The Goldbergs (8:30-9pm - 7.5 million and 2.1/6 in AD18-49): At 8:30pm, ABC's The Goldbergs built on its Adult 18-49 lead-in for 6th straight telecast this season (+11%) to rank as the #1 scripted show in its slot. The ABC comedy continued to greatly improve its half-hour year to year with young adults (+17% over Back in the Game on 11/13/13 = 1.8/5). In addition, The Goldbergs topped its year-ago Tuesday airing coming out of S.H.I.E.L.D. (on 11/12/13) for its 5th consecutive telecast in Total Viewers (+47% - 7.5 million vs. 5.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (+24% - 2.1/6 vs. 1.7/5). In fact, the show drew its 2nd-largest audience ever, behind only its series premiere on 9/24/13.

Modern Family (9-9:30pm - 9.8 million and 3.1/9 in AD18-49): At 9pm, ABC's Modern Family jumped 48% from its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm to defeat its nearest competition by 29% (3.1/9 vs. 2.4/7 - NBC's L&O: SVU).

black-ish (9:30-10pm - 7.9 million and 2.5/7 in AD18-49): In the 9:30pm half-hour, ABC's black-ish ranked as the #1 series in its slot for its 5th straight telecast with Adults 18-49 (2.5/7). black-ish boosted its half-hour year to year for ABC by 2.1 million viewers and by 25% in Adults 18-49 (Super Fun Night on 11/13/13 = 5.8 million and 2.0/6).

Nashville (10-11pm - 5.6 million and 1.4/5 in AD18-49): During the 10pm hour, ABC's Nashville delivered a new season high in Total Viewers (5.6 million) with its largest audience since last December - since 12/4/13. Nashville tied CBS' Stalker in the hour among Adults 18-49 (1.4/5), while beating the CBS drama in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women.

Quick Take for Wednesday, November 12, 2014 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

"Modern Family" and "black-ish" Rank as Wednesday's Top 2 Shows in Adults 18-49

"The Middle" Surges to Deliver Its Most-Watched Telecast Since February

"The Goldbergs" Hits a Season High with Its 2nd-Largest-Ever Audience

"Modern Family" Jumps Over Its Lead-in to Dominate Its Slot in Adults 18-49

"black-ish" Greatly Improves Its Time Period Year to Year for ABC

"Nashville" Attracts Its Biggest Overall Audience Since Last December

Wednesday (11/12/14) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"The Middle": Live + 3 = 9.7 million/2.3 rating and Live + 7 = 10.3 million/2.4 rating

"The Goldbergs": Live + 3 = 10.9 million/2.9 rating and Live + 7 = 11.7 million/3.1 rating

"Modern Family": Live + 3 = 14.0 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.5 million/4.8 rating

"black-ish": Live + 3 = 9.6 million/3.0 rating and Live + 7 = 10.1 million/3.1 rating

"Nashville": Live + 3 = 9.1 million/2.3 rating and Live + 7 = 10.1 million/2.5 rating

Live + Same Day Fast Affiliate Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.4 million and 2.1/6 in AD18-49):

Returning to its regular Wednesday lineup after the prior week's CMA Awards preemption, ABC took 2nd in Adults 18-49 (2.1/6) to "The Voice"-driven NBC with its 8:00-9:00 p.m. special to lead off its night while beating CBS by 5% (2.0/6) and Fox by 75% (1.2/4). ABC's "Modern Family" (3.1/9) and "black-ish" (2.5/7 -tied with "The Voice") ranked as the Top 2 TV shows of the night in Adults 18-49. In fact, "Modern Family" was Wednesday's top-rated TV series for its 7th-straight telecast this season.

· Season to date, ABC's Wednesday comedy block is up year to year in viewers (+11%) and young adults (+12%), leading the 2-hour time period by 16% in Adults 18-49 over its nearest competition (CBS).

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m. - 8.1 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" was the No. 1 scripted show in Adults 18-49 and was up over its most recent delivery two weeks ago (1.9/6 vs. 1.8/6). The ABC comedy ranked No. 1 in the half-hour in Teens 12-17, beating NBC's "The Voice" by 67% (1.5/7 vs. 0.9/4).

· Surging by more than 1 million viewers from most recent airing (8.1 million vs. 7.0 million), "The Middle" hit a new season-high with its most-watched telecast since February - since 2/5/14.

"The Goldbergs" (8:30-9:00 p.m. - 7.5 million and 2.1/6 in AD18-49):

At 8:30 p.m., ABC's "The Goldbergs" built on its Adult 18-49 lead-in for 6th-straight telecast this season (+11%) to rank as the No. 1 scripted show in its slot. The ABC comedy continued to greatly improve its half-hour year to year with young adults (+17% over "Back in the Game" on 11/13/13 = 1.8/5).

· "The Goldbergs" topped its year-ago Tuesday airing, coming out of "S.H.I.E.L.D." (on 11/12/13), for its 5th-consecutive telecast in Total Viewers (+47% - 7.5 million vs. 5.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (+24% - 2.1/6 vs. 1.7/5). In fact, the show drew its 2nd-largest audience ever, behind only its series premiere on 9/24/13.

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m. - 9.8 million and 3.1/9 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Modern Family" jumped 48% from its Adult 18-49 lead-in to defeat its nearest competition by 29% (3.1/9 vs. 2.4/7 - NBC's "L&O: SVU").

"black-ish" (9:30-10:00 p.m. - 7.9 million and 2.5/7 in AD18-49):

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's "black-ish" ranked as the No. 1 series in its slot for its 5th-straight telecast with Adults 18-49 (2.5/7). "black-ish" boosted its half-hour year to year for ABC by 2.1 million viewers and by 25% in Adults 18-49 ("Super Fun Night" on 11/13/13 = 5.8 million and 2.0/6).

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.6 million and 1.4/5 rating in AD18-49):

During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Nashville" delivered a new season high in Total Viewers (5.6 million) with its largest audience since last December - since 12/4/13. "Nashville" tied CBS' "Stalker" in the hour among Adults 18-49 (1.4/5) while beating the CBS drama in Adults 18-34 and across all key Women (W18-34/W18-49/W25-54).

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 for 11/12/14.