ABC Wins First 2 Wednesdays of the May Sweep for the First Time in 15 Years - black-ish Jumps to a 5-Week High in AD18-49

ABC Wednesday Prime (8-11pm - 6.5 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49): ABC won Wednesday for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49 (1.9/6), leading the first two Wednesdays of any May Sweep for the first time in 15 years - since May 2000. Airing 3 of the Top 4 series on the night with Adults 18-49, Modern Family was Wednesday's #1 TV show for its 5th straight original, black-ish was the #2 series (surging to a 5-week high), while The Goldbergs came in at #4 (tie), behind only Survivor.

· The Net's May Sweep Wednesday grew year to year for the 2nd week in a row (5.6 million and 1.6/5 on 5/7/14), jumping by double digits in Total Viewers (+16%) and Adults 18-49 (+19%). And season to date, ABC's Wednesday is building in both Total Viewers (+12%) and Adults 18-49 (+8%) from the same point last year

The Middle (8-8:30pm - 6.9 million and 1.7/6 in AD18-49): At 8pm against Survivor, The Middle outdelivered Fox's Idol for the 7th week running in the half-hour among Adults 18-49 (+21% - 1.7/6 vs. 1.4/5) and beat its scripted competition on NBC by 89% (0.9/4 for The Mysteries of Laura). The show was up from the year-ago night in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+13%). Season to date, The Middle is up in both Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%) from the same point last year.

The Goldbergs (8:30-9pm - 6.8 million and 1.9/7 in AD18-49): Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8:30pm (+12%), The Goldbergs topped Idol in the slot for its 8th consecutive original (+27% - 1.9/7 vs. 1.5/5) and nearly doubled NBC's The Mysteries of Laura (+90% - 1.0/3). Season to date, the ABC sophomore comedy is running well ahead of its year-ago averages in Adults 18-49, improving its Wednesday half-hour year to year by 50% and topping its own performance on Tuesday at 9pm by 17%.

Modern Family (9-9:30pm - 8.5 million and 2.9/9 in AD18-49): Shooting up from its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+53%), ABC's Modern Family moved up to win its half-hour by 53% over its closest competition (2.9/9 vs. 1.9/6 - CBS' Criminal Minds finale). Modern Family was up week to week in viewers (+6%) and even in Adults 18-49. The show also topped its year-ago telecast in viewers (+2%) and young adults (+4%). Season to date, Modern Family is up 3% in Total Viewers and steady in Adults 18-49.

black-ish (9:30-10pm - 6.9 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49): In the 9:30pm slot, ABC's black-ish jumped 15% to a 5-week high (since 4/1/15) with Adults 18-49 and ranked #1 in its half-hour for the 3rd week in a row, beating runner-up Criminal Minds by 28% (2.3/7 vs. 1.8/6). Season to date, black-ish is improving its half-hour for ABC by 3.0 million viewers and by 43% in Adults 18-49 over the comparable weeks last year.

Nashville (10-11pm - 5.0 million and 1.2/4 in AD18-49): During the 10pm hour, Nashville tied CBS' CSI: Cyber in Adults 18-49 (1.2/4). The ABC drama was also up over its year-ago telecast by 11% in Total Viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49. The program grew week to week in viewers (+6%) and on par with young adults. Season to date, Nashville is gaining 7% in Total Viewers and even in Adults 18-49.

Quick Take for Wednesday, May 6, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC Wins the First 2 Wednesdays of the May Sweep for the First Time in 15 Years

"The Middle" Grows 13% in Adults 18-49 from the Same Night Last Year

"The Goldbergs" Dominates "Idol" and Marks Big Year-to-Year Improvement

"Modern Family" Is Wednesday's No. 1 TV Show for Its 5th-Consecutive Original

"black-ish" Wins Its Slot and Spikes 15% to a 5-Week High in Adults 18-49

"Nashville" Tops Its Year-Ago Telecast in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49

Wednesday (05/06/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections:

"The Middle": L3 = 8.6 mil/2.1 rtg, L7 = 9.2 mil/2.2 rtg and Multiplatform+35 Day = 2.5 rtg

"The Goldbergs": L3 = 9.0 mil/2.5 rtg, L7 = 9.7 mil/2.6 rtg and Multiplatform+35 Day = 3.0 rtg

"Modern Family": L3 = 12.7 mil/4.2 rtg, L7 = 14.1 mil/4.6 rtg and Multiplatform+35 Day = 5.9 rtg

"black-ish": L3 = 9.4 mil/3.0 rtg, L7 = 10.1 mil/3.3 rtg and Multiplatform+35 Day = 4.1 rtg

"Nashville": Live + 3 = 7.8 mil/1.9 rtg, L7 = 8.5 mil/2.1 rtg and Multiplatform+35 Day = 2.6 rtg

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.5 million and 1.9/6 in AD18-49):

ABC won Wednesday for the 2nd week in a row in Adults 18-49 (1.9/6), leading the first two Wednesdays of any May Sweep for the first time in 15 years - since May 2000. Airing 3 of the Top 4 series on the night with Adults 18-49, "Modern Family" was Wednesday's No. 1 TV show for its 5th-straight original, "black-ish" was the No. 2 series (surging to a 5-week high), while "The Goldbergs" came in at No. 4 (tied w/"Criminal Minds"), behind only "Survivor."

· The Net's May Sweep Wednesday grew year to year for the 2nd week in a row (5.6 million and 1.6/5 on 5/7/14), jumping by double digits in Total Viewers (+16%) and Adults 18-49 (+19%). And season to date, ABC's Wednesday is building in both Total Viewers (+12%) and Adults 18-49 (+8%) from the same point last year

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m. - 6.9 million and 1.7/6 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m. against "Survivor," ABC's "The Middle" outdelivered Fox's "American Idol" for the 7th week running in the half-hour among Adults 18-49 (+21% - 1.7/6 vs. 1.4/5) and beat its scripted competition on NBC by 89% (0.9/4 - "The Mysteries of Laura").

· "The Middle" was up from the year-ago night in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+13%). And season to date, the show is growing in both Total Viewers (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%) from the same point last year.

"The Goldbergs" (8:30-9:00 p.m. - 6.8 million and 1.9/7 in AD18-49):

Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 8:30 p.m. (+12%), "The Goldbergs" topped "Idol" in the slot for its 8th-consecutive original (+27% - 1.9/7 vs. 1.5/5) and nearly doubled NBC's "The Mysteries of Laura" (+90% - 1.0/3).

· Season to date, the ABC sophomore comedy is running well ahead of its year-ago averages in Adults 18-49, improving its Wednesday half-hour year to year by 50% and topping its own performance on Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. by 17%.

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m. - 8.5 million and 2.9/9 in AD18-49):

Shooting up from its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9:00 p.m. (+53%), ABC's "Modern Family" moved up to win its half-hour by 53% over its closest competition (2.9/9 vs. 1.9/6 - CBS' "Criminal Minds" finale). "Modern Family" was up week to week in viewers (+6%) and even in Adults 18-49.

· The show topped its year-ago telecast in viewers (+2%) and young adults (+4%). Season to date, "Modern Family" is up 3% in Total Viewers and steady in Adults 18-49.

"black-ish" (9:30-10:00 p.m. - 6.9 million and 2.3/7 in AD18-49):

In the 9:30 p.m. slot, ABC's "black-ish" jumped 15% to a 5-week high (since 4/1/15) with Adults 18-49 and ranked No. 1 in its half-hour for the 3rd week in a row, beating runner-up "Criminal Minds" by 28% (2.3/7 vs. 1.8/6).

· Season to date, "black-ish" is improving its half-hour for ABC by 3.0 million viewers and by 43% in Adults 18-49 over the comparable weeks last year.

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.0 million and 1.2/4 in AD18-49):

During the 10 o'clock hour, "Nashville" tied CBS' "CSI: Cyber" in Adults 18-49 (1.2/4) and won its hour over NBC's "Chicago PD" with key Women (W18-34/W18-49). "Nashville" grew week to week in viewers (+6%) and was on par with young adults.

· The ABC drama built on its year-ago telecast by 11% in Total Viewers and by 9% in Adults 18-49. Season to date, "Nashville" is gaining 7% in viewers and even in young adults.

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.

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 Nielsen measure to gauge the size of the TV audience.

Source: The Nielsen Company, Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings for 05/06/15.