ABC's Modern Continues to Close the Gap with Empire - Nashville is Up 20% at 10pm to Tie its Premiere

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8-11pm - 6.0 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49): Following Fox's Empire, ABC once again delivered 4 of the Top 5 next-highest-rated TV shows on Wednesday with Modern Family (2.6/8), The Goldbergs (2.0/7 - just 1-tenth behind Survivor), The Middle (1.9/7) and black-ish (1.8/6). For the 3rd week in row, Modern Family narrowed the Adult 18-49 gap with Empire on the Wednesday, closing it by another 4-tenths of a rating point (-2.0 points vs -2.4 points).

· Holding even week to week, ABC took 2nd place to Fox during Wednesday prime in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6). And from 8-10pm in Adults 18-49, ABC's 2-hour Wednesday comedy block (2.1/7) beat CBS by 11% (1.9/6) and NBC by 75% (1.2/4).

· From 8-9pm, The Middle and The Goldbergs each shot up by double digits week to week in Adults 18-34 (+18%/+17%), hitting season highs.

· At 10pm, ABC's Nashville gained 20% week to week in Adults 18-49 (1.2/4 - tying its premiere to equal a season high), catching CBS' Code Black (1.2/4) and closing the gap with NBC's Chicago PD (1.5/5). Live + 3 Day: Last week's telecast of Nashville skyrocketed +80% over its L+SD Adult 18-49 rating to stand as Wednesday's biggest playback gainer on the broadcast networks. The ABC drama easily outdelivered the L+3 lifts of its 10pm drama competitors on CBS (Code Black = +42%) and NBC (Chicago PD = +53%).

... .ratings projections to follow.

Wednesday (10/14/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections, including Multiplatform + 35 Days

The Middle: L3 = 8.8 million/2.3 rating, L7 = 9.4 million/2.5 rating and MP+35 = 2.8 rating

The Goldbergs: L3 = 8.5 million/2.6 rating, L7 = 9.2 million/2.8 rating and MP+35 = 3.2 rating

Modern Family: L3 = 11.7 million/3.8 rating, L7 = 13.0 million/4.2 rating and MP+35 = 5.4 rating

Black-ish: L3 = 7.8 million/2.4 rating, L7 = 8.4 million/2.6 rating and MP+35 = 3.2 rating

Nashville: L3 = 7.2 million/1.8 rating, L7 = 7.8 million/1.9 rating and MP+35 = 2.5 rating

Quick Take for Wednesday, October 14, 2015 (Fast Affiliate Live + Same Day Ratings)

ABC is No. 2 on Wednesday in Adults 18-49 and Beats CBS by 11% from 8-10pm

ABC's "The Middle" Jumps to a New Season High Among Adults 18-34

"The Goldbergs" Wins its Slot by 17% in Adults 18-34 and Equals a Season Best

Continuing to Cut the Gap with "Empire," "Modern" is Wednesday's No. 2 TV

"black-ish" is Up by Double Digits Week to Week in Men 18-34 and Women 18-34

"Nashville" Gains 20% in Adults 18-49 to Match a Season High

Wednesday (10/14/15) - ABC Total Viewer and Adult 18-49 Projections:

"The Middle": L3 = 8.8 million/2.3 rating, L7 = 9.4 million/2.5 rating and MP+35 = 2.8 rating

"The Goldbergs": L3 = 8.5 million/2.6 rating, L7 = 9.2 million/2.8 rating and MP+35 = 3.2 rating

"Modern Family": L3 = 11.7 million/3.8 rating, L7 = 13.0 million/4.2 rating and MP+35 = 5.4 rating

"black-ish": L3 = 7.8 million/2.4 rating, L7 = 8.4 million/2.6 rating and MP+35 = 3.2 rating

"Nashville": L3 = 7.2 million/1.8 rating, L7 = 7.8 million/1.9 rating and MP+35 = 2.5 rating

Live + Same Day Results:

ABC Wednesday Prime (8:00-11:00 p.m. - 6.0 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

Following Fox's "Empire," ABC once again delivered 4 of the Top 5 next-highest-rated TV shows on Wednesday with "Modern Family" (2.6/8), "The Goldbergs" (2.0/7 - just 1-tenth behind "Survivor"), "The Middle" (1.9/7) and "black-ish" (1.8/6). For the 3rd week in row, "Modern Family" narrowed the Adult 18-49 gap with "Empire" on the Wednesday, closing it by another 4-tenths of a rating point (-2.0 points vs -2.4 points).

· Holding even week to week, ABC took 2nd place to Fox during Wednesday's prime in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6). And from 8:00-10:00 p.m., ABC's 2-hour comedy block (2.1/7) beat CBS by 11% (1.9/6) and NBC by 75% (1.2/4).

"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m. - 7.1 million and 1.9/7 in AD18-49):

ABC's "The Middle" took second in the 8:00 p.m. half-hour among Adults 18-49 (2.0/7) and won the slot over "Survivor" with Adults 18-34 (1.3/6 vs. 1.2/5). "The Middle" was up 18% week to week in Adults 18-34 to deliver a new season high.

"The Goldbergs" (8:30-9:00 p.m. - 6.4 million and 2.0/7 in AD18-49):

Building on its lead-in at 8:30 p.m., ABC's "The Goldbergs" ranked No. 2 in Adults 18-49 and took first place in the half-hour with Adults 18-34 by 17% over "Survivor" (1.4/6 vs. 1.2/5). Like its lead-in, "The Goldbergs" grew week to week in Adults 18-34 to equal a season best.

"Modern Family" (9:00-9:30 p.m. - 7.8 million and 2.6/8 in AD18-49):

At 9:00 p.m., against the first half-hour of "Empire," ABC's "Modern Family" grew over its lead-in by 30% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/8), beating CBS' "Criminal Minds" by 53% (1.7/5) and NBC's "Law & Order: SVU" by 86% (1.4/5).

"black-ish" (9:30-10:00 p.m. - 5.7 million and 1.8/6 in AD18-49):

In the 9:30 p.m. half-hour, ABC's "black-ish" took second in Adults 18-49 (1.8/6) to the conclusion of "Empire." The ABC sophomore comedy grew by double digits week to week with Men 18-34 (+13%) and Women 18-34 (+14%).

"Nashville" (10:00-11:00 p.m. - 4.6 million and 1.2/4 in AD18-49):

At 10:00 p.m., ABC's "Nashville" gained 20% week to week in Adults 18-49 (1.2/4 - tying its premiere to equal a season high), catching CBS' "Code Black" (1.2/4) and closing the gap with NBC's "Chicago PD" (1.5/5).

Live + 3 Day: Last week's telecast of "Nashville" (on 10/7/15) skyrocketed +80% over its L+SD Adult 18-49 rating to stand as Wednesday's biggest playback gainer on the broadcast networks. The ABC drama easily outdelivered the L+3 lifts of its 10:00 p.m. drama competitors on CBS ("Code Black" = +42%) and NBC ("Chicago PD" = +53%).

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 10/14/15.