All 5 of ABC's Wednesday Series Build on their Season Finales - black-ish ties its Best Number Since November

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8-11pm - 7.1 million and 2.1/7 in AD18-49): Opposite competition from the big return for Fox's Empire, CBS' season premiere of Survivor and the finale of Big Brother and NBC's drama premieres, ABC's Modern Family (3.1/10) ran a strong #2 on Wednesday night in Adults 18-49 to Empire, while The Goldbergs (2.4/8) and black-ish (2.4/7) finished #3, tying Survivor and Rosewood's debut. In fact from 8-10pm, ABC's Wednesday comedy block took second in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8) to Fox's premiere lineup (Rosewood/Empire), beating CBS (2.4/8) and NBC (1.4/5). Each of ABC's comedies earned second in their respective half-hours.

· Despite the heightened competition from Fox, each of ABC's series built on their May finales in viewers and young adults. In addition, The Middle, The Goldbergs and Nashville were all steady with their year-ago season openers in Adults 18-49, while the two comedies were up in Total Viewers. Please Note: Modern Family and black-ish did not have to compete against Empire on their year-ago premieres.

· In viewers and young adults, ABC marked its strongest Wednesday with series programming since March - since 3/4/15.

The Middle (8-8:30pm - 8.2 million and 2.1/8 in AD18-49): At 8pm, The Middle was up over its year-ago premiere in Total Viewers (+11%) and steady in Adults 18-49. The Middle jumped from its May finale (7.0 million and 1.8/7 on 5/13/15) in Total Viewers (+17%) and Adults 18-49 (+17%), marking its best results since early-March (3/4/15).

The Goldbergs (8:30-9pm - 7.6 million and 2.4/8 in AD18-49): Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in (+14%) at 8:30pm, ABC's The Goldbergs topped its year-ago premiere in Total Viewers (+9%) and was even in Adults 18-49. The Goldbergs built on its May finale (6.7 million and 2.0/7 on 5/13/15) in Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+20%) to its highest numbers since the beginning of March (3/4/15).

Modern Family (9-9:30pm - 9.3 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49): Spiking over its lead-in against the first half-hour of Fox's Empire premiere at 9pm in Adults 18-49 (+29%), ABC's Modern Family surged from its May finale (7.2 million and 2.3/8 on 5/20/15) in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 18-49 (+35%) to draw its biggest audience since early April (4/1/15) and top young adult number since the start of March (3/4/15).

black-ish (9:30-10pm - 7.3 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49): Like its lead-in at 9:30pm, ABC's black-ish spiked over its May finale (5.4 million and 1.6/5 on 5/20/15) in Total Viewers (+35%) and Adults 18-49 (+50%) to earn its most-watched telecast since April (4/1/15) and tie its highest young adult number since last November (11/19/14).

Nashville (10-11pm - 5.0 million and 1.3/4 in AD18-49): ABC's most-heavily recorded returning show on a percentage basis, ABC's Nashville was up from its May finale (on 5/13/15) in Total Viewers (+8% - 5.0 million vs. 4.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (+8% - 1.3/4 vs. 1.2/4). The ABC drama was steady with its year-ago premiere in Adults 18-49 (1.4/5 on 9/24/14).

... ratings projections to follow

Wednesday (9/23/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections, including Multiplatform + 35 Days

The Middle: L3 = 10.2 million/2.6 rating, L7 = 11.0 million/2.8 rating and MP+35 = 4.0 rating

The Goldbergs: L3 = 10.2 million/3.2 rating, L7 = 11.0 million/3.5 rating and MP+35 = 4.5 rating

Modern Family: L3 = 13.3 million/4.4 rating, L7 = 14.6 million/4.9 rating and MP+35 = 6.3 rating

Black-ish: Live + 3 = 10.1 million/3.2 rating, L7 = 10.6 million/3.4 rating and MP+35 = 4.0 rating

Nashville: Live + 3 = 7.8 million/2.0 rating, L7 = 8.5 million/2.1 rating and MP+35 = 2.8 rating

Quick Take for Wednesday, September 23, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

All 5 of ABC's Wednesday Series Return Up from their Season Finales

"The Middle" Tops Last Year's Season Premiere by 11% in Total Viewers

"The Goldbergs" Builds on its Lead-in to Post its Best Rating Since Early-April

"Modern Family" Surges at 9pm to Rank as Wednesday's No. 2 TV Show to "Empire"

"black-ish" Equals its Highest Adult 18-49 Rating Since Last November

"Nashville" Gains on its Season Finale and Holds Steady with its Year-Ago Premiere

Wednesday (09/23/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections:

"The Middle": L3 = 10.2 million/2.6 rating, L7 = 11.0 million/2.8 rating and MP+35 = 4.0 rating

"The Goldbergs": L3 = 10.2 million/3.2 rating, L7 = 11.0 million/3.5 rating and MP+35 = 4.5 rating

"Modern Family: L3 = 13.3 million/4.4 rating, L7 = 14.6 million/4.9 rating and MP+35 = 6.3 rating

"black-ish": Live + 3 = 10.1 million/3.2 rating, L7 = 10.6 million/3.4 rating and MP+35 = 4.0 rating

"Nashville": Live + 3 = 7.8 million/2.0 rating, L7 = 8.5 million/2.1 rating and MP+35 = 2.8 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 7.1 million and 2.1/7 in AD18-49):

Opposite competition from the big return for Fox's "Empire," CBS' season premiere of "Survivor" and the finale of "Big Brother" and NBC's drama premieres, ABC's "Modern Family" (3.1/10) was the No. 2 TV show on Wednesday night in Adults 18-49 to "Empire," while "The Goldbergs" (2.4/8) and "black-ish" (2.4/7) tied at No. 3 with "Survivor" and the "Rosewood" debut. In fact from 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's Wednesday comedy block took second in Adults 18-49 (2.5/8) to Fox's premiere lineup ("Rosewood"/"Empire"), beating CBS (2.4/8) and NBC (1.4/5). Each of ABC's comedies earned second in their respective half-hours.

· Despite the heightened competition from Fox, each of ABC's series built on their May finales in viewers and young adults. In addition, "The Middle," "The Goldbergs" and "Nashville" were all steady with their year-ago season openers in Adults 18-49, while the two comedies were up in Total Viewers. Please Note: "Modern Family" and "black-ish" did not have to compete against "Empire" on their year-ago premieres.

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m. - 8.2 million and 2.1/8 in AD18-49):

At 8:00 p.m., "The Middle" was up over its year-ago premiere in Total Viewers (+11%) and steady in Adults 18-49. "The Middle" jumped from its May finale (7.0 million and 1.8/7 on 5/13/15) in Total Viewers (+17%) and Adults 18-49 (+17%), marking its best results since early-March (3/4/15).

"The Goldbergs" (8:30-9:00 p.m. - 7.6 million and 2.4/8 in AD18-49):

Building on its Adult 18-49 lead-in (+14%) at 8:30 p.m., ABC's "The Goldbergs" topped its year-ago premiere in Total Viewers (+9%) and was even in Adults 18-49. "The Goldbergs" built on its May finale (6.7 million and 2.0/7 on 5/13/15) in Total Viewers (+13%) and Adults 18-49 (+20%) to its highest numbers since the beginning of March (3/4/15).

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m. - 9.3 million and 3.1/10 in AD18-49):

Spiking over its lead-in against the first half-hour of Fox's "Empire" premiere at 9:00 p.m. in Adults 18-49 (+29%), ABC's "Modern Family" surged from its May finale (7.2 million and 2.3/8 on 5/20/15) in Total Viewers (+29%) and Adults 18-49 (+35%) to draw its biggest audience since early April (4/1/15) and top young adult number since the start of March (3/4/15).

"black-ish" (9:30-10:00 p.m. - 7.3 million and 2.4/7 in AD18-49):

Like its lead-in at 9:30 p.m., ABC's "black-ish" spiked over its May finale (5.4 million and 1.6/5 on 5/20/15) in Total Viewers (+35%) and Adults 18-49 (+50%) to earn its most-watched telecast since early-April (4/1/15) and tie its highest young adult number since last November (11/19/14).

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 5.0 million and 1.3/4 in AD18-49):

ABC's most-heavily recorded returning show on a percentage basis, "Nashville" was up from its May finale (on 5/13/15) in Total Viewers (+8% - 5.0 million vs. 4.6 million) and Adults 18-49 (+8% - 1.3/4 vs. 1.2/4). The ABC drama was steady with its year-ago premiere in Adults 18-49 (1.4/5 on 9/24/14).

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 48% 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 09/23/15.