ABC Is #1 on Each Thursday of the February Sweep for the First Time in 8 Years

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 8.8 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49): ABC ranked #1 on all 4 Thursdays of the February Sweep in Adults 18-49 (2.8/9-tie) for the first time in 8 years - since 2007. The Net also led all 4 Thursdays of the 2014 November Sweep. Despite increased competition from CBS' debut/finale lineup, the Net was up week to week with young adults (2.8/9 vs. 2.7/9), as Grey's Anatomy (+9%), Scandal (+3%) and How to Get Away with Murder (+4%) each posted gains. Scandal was the night's #2 TV show, behind only Big Bang Theory.

· ABC's Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Grey's once again finished as Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49. Head to head at 8pm and 9pm, ABC's Grey's and Scandal increased their winning advantages week to week over NBC's The Slap (+213% vs. +109% last week) and The Blacklist (+88% vs. +82% last week), while HTGAWM beat its combined 10pm drama competition for the 4th week in a row (+17%).

ABC is Thursday's Most-Social Net, with all 3 TGIT Programs Up by Double Digits Week to Week

Social Highlights for Thursday, 2/19/15:

ABC's TGIT line-up made it the most social network on Thursday, with Scandal at #1 (321,696 tweets), HTGAWM at #2 (140,606 tweets) and Grey's at #3 (98,441 tweets). All three series noticed double-digit increases week to week in social activity.

Rank Network(s) Program 2/19/2015 % Chg
1 ABC Scandal 321,696 14%
2 ABC How to Get Away w/ Murder 140,606 49%
3 ABC Grey's Anatomy 98,441 32%
4 CW Vampire Diaries 81,599 8%
5 FOX American Idol 29,585 43%
6 CBS Two and Half Men 24,823 NA
7 NBC Blacklist 9,470 6%
8 CBS Odd Couple 8,510 NA
9 CBS Big Bang Theory 8,090 NA
10 CW Reign 6,375 13%
11 NBC The Slap 5,639 -71%
12 FOX Backstrom 5,068 -22%
13 CBS Elementary 2,113 -63%
14 NBC Allegiance 1,068 -24%

ABC's TGIT Lineup Grows Against Strong Competition

Thursday (02/19/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 12.5 million/3.7 rating and Live + 7 = 13.6 million/4.0 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 13.8 million/4.6 rating and Live + 7 = 14.5 million/4.8 rating

HTGAWM: Live + 3 = 14.3 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.4 million/4.8 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 8.8 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49): ABC ranked #1 on all 4 Thursdays of the February Sweep in Adults 18-49 (2.8/9-tie) for the first time in 8 years - since 2007. The Net also led all 4 Thursdays of the 2014 November Sweep. Despite increased competition from CBS' debut/finale lineup, the Net was up week to week with young adults (2.8/9 vs. 2.7/9), as Grey's Anatomy (+9%), Scandal (+3%) and How to Get Away with Murder (+4%) each posted gains.

· ABC's Scandal, How to Get Away with Murder and Grey's once again finished as Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49. Head to head at 8pm and 9pm, ABC's Grey's and Scandal increased their winning advantages week to week over NBC's The Slap (+213% vs. +109% last week) and The Blacklist (+88% vs. +82% last week), while HTGAWM beat its combined 10pm drama competition for the 4th week in a row (+17%). Scandal was the night's #2 TV show, behind only CBS's Big Bang Theory.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 8.1 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49): At 8pm opposite The Big Bang Theory and The Odd Couple series debut, ABC's Grey's Anatomy beat Fox's American Idol in Adults 18-49 (+19% - 2.5/8 vs. 2.1/7). In the hour, Grey's more than doubled NBC's The Slap in viewers (+108% - 8.1 million vs. 3.9 million) and more than tripled it in Adults 18-49 (+213% - 2.5/8 vs. 0.8/3). Grey's grew week to week in Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+9%) to deliver its best numbers since its mid-season return (on 1/29/15). In addition, despite its earlier time period, Grey's was up over its comparable mid-season telecast last year by 4% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 on 3/20/14)

Scandal (9-10pm - 9.5 million and 3.2/9 in AD18-49): At 9pm, ABC's Scandal (3.2/9) won its hour among Adults 18-49, over CBS' series finale of Two and a Half Men (3.1/9), NBC's The Blacklist (1.7/5) and Fox's Backstrom (0.9/3). Scandal also outdrew NBC's The Blacklist in the hour by 2.0 million viewers (9.5 million vs. 7.5 million), up from a 1.1 million viewer advantage the prior week. Scandal built week to week in viewers (+2%) and young adults (+3%). For the 4th consecutive week, Scandal grew over its comparable mid-season telecast last year (9.1 million and 2.9/9 on 3/20/14) in Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+10%).

How to Get Away with Murder (10-11pm - 8.8 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49): From 10-11pm, ABC's How to Get Away with Murder (2.8/9) dominated its hour in Adults 18-49, besting its CBS (+87% - Elementary = 1.5/5) and NBC (+211% - Allegiance = 0.9/3) drama competition. In fact it was the 4th straight week for the ABC freshman series to outdeliver its combined drama competition in the key sales demo. The freshman drama was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot for its 8th consecutive original airing. Hitting its top results since its mid-season return (on 1/20/15), Murder was up week to week in Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

Quick Take for Thursday, February 19, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is No. 1 on Each Thursday of the February Sweep for the First Time in 8 Years

"Grey's" is Up to its Top Results Since its Return and Beats "Idol" in Adults 18-49

Dominating "Blacklist," "Scandal" is Up Year to Year for its 4th Straight Telecast

"Murder" Grows to its Best Numbers Since its Mid-Season Return and Beats its Combined 10pm Drama Competition for the 4th Week in a Row

Thursday (02/19/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 12.5 million/3.7 rating and Live + 7 = 13.6 million/4.0 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 13.8 million/4.6 rating and Live + 7 = 14.5 million/4.8 rating

"HTGAWM:" Live + 3 = 14.3 million/4.4 rating and Live + 7 = 15.4 million/4.8 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.8 million and 2.8/9 in AD18-49):

ABC ranked No. 1 on all 4 Thursdays of the February Sweep in Adults 18-49 (2.8/9-tie) for the first time in 8 years - since 2007. The Net also led all 4 Thursdays of the 2014 November Sweep. Despite increased competition from CBS' debut/finale lineup, the Net was up week to week with young adults (2.8/9 vs. 2.7/9), as "Grey's Anatomy" (+9%), "Scandal" (+3%) and "How to Get Away with Murder" (+4%) each posted gains.

· ABC's "Scandal," "How to Get Away with Murder" and "Grey's" once again finished as Thursday's Top 3 dramas in Adults 18-49. Head to head at 8:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Grey's" and "Scandal" increased their winning advantages week to week over NBC's "The Slap" (+213% vs. +109% last week) and "The Blacklist" (+88% vs. +82% last week), while "HTGAWM" beat its combined 10:00 p.m. drama competition for the 4th week in a row (+17%). "Scandal" was the night's No. 2 TV show, behind only CBS' "The Big Bang Theory."

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 8.1 million and 2.5/8 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m. opposite "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Odd Couple" series debut, ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" beat Fox's "American Idol" in Adults 18-49 (+19% - 2.5/8 vs. 2.1/7). Also in the hour, "Grey's" more than doubled NBC's "The Slap" in viewers (+108% - 8.1 million vs. 3.9 million) and more than tripled it in young adults (+213% - 2.5/8 vs. 0.8/3).

· "Grey's" grew week to week in Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+9%) to deliver its best numbers since its mid-season return (on 1/29/15). In addition, despite its earlier time period this year, the ABC drama was up over its comparable mid-season telecast last year by 4% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 on 3/20/14).

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 9.5 million and 3.2/9 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Scandal" (3.2/9) won its hour among Adults 18-49, over CBS' series finale of "Two and a Half Men" (3.1/9), NBC's "The Blacklist" (1.7/5) and Fox's "Backstrom" (0.9/3). "Scandal" also outdrew NBC's "The Blacklist" in the hour by 2.0 million viewers (9.5 million vs. 7.5 million), up from a 1.1 million viewer advantage the prior week.

· "Scandal" built week to week in viewers (+2%) and young adults (+3%). And for the 4th consecutive week, "Scandal" grew over its comparable mid-season telecast last year (9.1 million and 2.9/9 on 3/20/14) in Total Viewers (+4%) and Adults 18-49 (+10%).

"How to Get Away with Murder" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 8.8 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) dominated its hour in Adults 18-49, besting its CBS (+87% - "Elementary" = 1.5/5) and NBC (+211% - "Allegiance" = 0.9/3) drama competition. The freshman drama was also the most-watched TV show overall in the slot for its 8th consecutive original airing (8.8 million).

· Hitting its top results since its mid-season return (on 1/20/15), "Murder" was up week to week in Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).

A note about DVR penetration: DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample is currently at 49% in U.S. TV Homes. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which are increasingly not reflected in the overnight Live + Same Day numbers. As a result, the Live + 7 Day ratings are the most accurate measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Projections Rationale:

Lifts vs. L+SD are based on the 2014-15 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 Program Ratings, 02/19/15.