All 3 ABC Thursday Dramas Grow in AD18-49

Thursday (04/16/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

Grey's Anatomy: Live + 3 = 11.8 million/3.1 rating and Live + 7 = 12.7 million/3.4 rating

Scandal: Live + 3 = 11.4 million/3.4 rating and Live + 7 = 12.0 million/3.6 rating

American Crime: Live + 3 = 7.2 million/1.7 rating and Live + 7 = 7.7 million/1.9 rating

ABC Thursday Prime (8-11pm - 6.6 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49): ABC ran a strong second on Thursday in Adults 18-49 to CBS (1.9/6 vs. 2.1/7), more than doubling 3rd-place Fox with an original drama lineup (+111% - 0.9/3).

· ABC's Scandal (2.4/8) and Grey's (2.1/8) were Thursday's Top 2 dramas in Adults 18-49, while Scandal returned from the prior week's preemption as the night's #2 TV show, behind only CBS' The Big Bang Theory. Scandal and Grey's were Thursday's Top 2 TV shows with Women 18-34, outdelivering Big Bang Theory.

Grey's Anatomy (8-9pm - 7.6 million and 2.1/8 in AD18-49): At 8pm against CBS' The Big Bang Theory and The Odd Couple, ABC's Grey's Anatomy dominated its drama competition in the hour, beating Fox's Bones by 62% in Total Viewers (7.6 million vs. 4.7 million) and by 110% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/8 vs. 1.0/4). Grey's was up from its last original in the time period two weeks ago in Total Viewers (+14%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%). The ABC drama was steady with last week's telecast in the 9pm hour.

Scandal (9-10pm - 7.9 million and 2.4/8 in AD18-49): Building on its lead-in at 9pm (+14%), ABC's Scandal returned to win its slot among Adults 18-49 (2.4/8), leading by double digits over runner-up CBS' comedies (+14% - 2.1/7) and by strong triple digits over Fox's Backstrom (+243% - 0.7/2). Scandal gained 8% in viewers and 14% in young adults from its last telecast to deliver its best number in 4 weeks - since 3/19/15.

American Crime (10-11pm - 4.4 million and 1.1/4 in AD18-49): At 10pm, ABC freshman American Crime grew week to week by 22% in Adults 18-49 (1.1/4 vs. 0.9/3) and ranked #1 in the hour with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49) The ABC freshman drama is seeing increasing TV playback. In the Live + 3 Day ratings for last week's telecast, American Crime jumped by a series-best +56% in Adults 18-49 from its L+SD rating (from a 0.9 rating to a 1.4 rating in L+3) and added on another +1.5 million viewers to its next-day tally (4.4 million to 5.9 million in L+3).

Quick Take for Thursday, April 16, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

"Grey's" Builds by Double Digits on its Most Recent Original 8pm Airing

ABC's "Scandal" Returns Up and Wins its Hour Among Adults 18-49

ABC's "American Crime" Spikes 22% Week to Week in Adults 18-49

Thursday (04/16/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections

"Grey's Anatomy:" Live + 3 = 11.8 million/3.1 rating and Live + 7 = 12.7 million/3.4 rating

"Scandal:" Live + 3 = 11.4 million/3.4 rating and Live + 7 = 12.0 million/3.6 rating

"American Crime:" Live + 3 = 7.2 million/1.7 rating and Live + 7 = 7.7 million/1.9 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Thursday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.6 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49):

ABC ran a strong second on Thursday in Adults 18-49 to CBS (1.9/6 vs. 2.1/7), more than doubling 3rd-place Fox with an original drama lineup (+111% - 0.9/3).

· ABC's "Scandal" (2.4/8) and "Grey's Anatomy" (2.1/8) were Thursday's Top 2 dramas in Adults 18-49, while "Scandal" returned from the prior week's preemption as the night's No. 2 TV show, behind only CBS' "The Big Bang Theory." In addition, "Scandal" and "Grey's" were Thursday's Top 2 TV shows with Women 18-34, outdelivering "Big Bang Theory."

"Grey's Anatomy" (8:00-9:00 p.m. - 7.6 million and 2.1/8 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m. against CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" and "The Odd Couple," ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" dominated its drama competition in the hour, beating Fox's "Bones" by 62% in Total Viewers (7.6 million vs. 4.7 million) and by 110% in Adults 18-49 (2.1/8 vs. 1.0/4).

· "Grey's" was up by double digits from its last original in the time period two weeks ago in Total Viewers (+14%) and Adults 18-49 (+11%). The ABC drama was steady with the prior week's special telecast in the 9:00 p.m. hour.

"Scandal" (9:00-10:00 p.m. - 7.4 million and 2.1/7 in AD18-49):

Building on its lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+14%), ABC's "Scandal" returned to win its slot in Adults 18-49 (2.4/8), leading by double digits over runner-up CBS' comedies (+14% - 2.1/7) and by strong triple digits over Fox's "Backstrom" (+243% - 0.7/2).

· "Scandal" gained 8% in viewers and 14% in young adults from its last telecast to deliver its best numbers in 4 weeks - since 3/19/15.

"American Crime" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.4 million and 1.1/4 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC freshman "American Crime" spiked by 22% week to week in Adults 18-49 (1.1/4 vs. 0.9/3) and ranked No. 1 in the hour with Adults 18-34 and key Women (W18-34/W18-49).

· The ABC freshman drama is seeing increasing TV playback. In the Live + 3 Day ratings for last week's telecast, "American Crime" jumped by a series-best +56% in Adults 18-49 from its L+SD rating (from a 0.9 rating to a 1.4 rating in L+3) and added on another +1.5 million viewers to its next-day tally (4.4 million to 5.9 million in L+3).

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 Ratings, 04/16/15.