Week 30: Modern Family strong for ABC

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ABCOverall: During the week of 4/9/12, ABC aired 4 of the Top 15 TV shows in Adults 18-49, including the #1 scripted show with Modern Family, which also outranked NBC’s The Voice for the first time this season in the Live + Same Day averages (Modern Family originals regularly top The Voice in the final Live + 7 Day averages):   Modern Family – #3, Dancing with the Stars – #12, while Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23 and Grey’s Anatomy tied at #14.  For the 2nd time in 3 weeks, ABC’s 20/20 ranked as TV’s #1 newsmagazine in Adults 18-49. In addition, ABC delivered 4 of the Top 15 most-watched programs overall, placing 2 of the Top 5:  DWTS – #3, DWTS Results Show – #5, Modern Family – #11 and Body of Proof – #15.  In fact in viewers, ABC’s Dancing paced ahead of Fox’s Idol-Thurs and NBC’s The Voice for the 4th week in a row.


Monday: With Dancing and a repeat of the Scandal pilot up against all-original programming on the other nets, ABC qualified as the most-watched net on Monday for the 4th week running, outdrawing CBS by 3.5 million viewers NBC by 4.1 million viewers and nearly doubling the audience of Fox (+93%).  In addition among Adults 18-49, ABC beat out Fox’s original drama lineup by 14% on the night.  Monday’s most-watched TV program for the 3rd time in 4 weeks, ABC’s Dancing with the Stars topped its 2-hour time slot for the 4th consecutive week, beating out NBC’s The Voice in head-to-head competition by 5.9 million viewers.  In Adults 18-49, ABC’s Dancing soared above Fox’s combo of Bones and House by 38% in the time period.  While The Voice declined for the 5th straight week to hit a new season low, ABC’s DWTS increased its Adult 18-49 audience week to week by 3%.  In addition, the ABC unscripted series grew over the prior week by 2% in Adults 25-54, by 14% in Teens 12-17 (best-since premiere number) and by 13% in Kids 2-11. Gaining additional sampling after its series debut telecast this past Thursday, ABC’s repeat Scandal topped NBC’s first run Smash by 3% to finish as the 2nd-most-watched TV show in the 10 o’clock hour to CBS original Hawaii Five-0.

Tuesday:  With Last Man Standing, Cougar Town, DWTS Results Show and Body of Proof opposite all-original competition, ABC registered as the 2nd-most-watched TV network on Tuesday to CBS, outdrawing NBC by 3.1 million viewers and Fox by 4.1 million viewers.  At 8pm against CBS’ top-rated NCIS, ABC’s Last Man Standing ranked #2 in viewers, edging out the return of Fox’s Glee and leading NBC’s The Biggest Loser by 12%.   In fact, ABC self-starter Last Man Standing finished as Tuesday’s most-watched comedy overall, attracting 1.6 million more viewers than Fox’s Glee-led New Girl at 9pm. Continuing to improve its time slot year over year, Last Man Standing boosted the half-hour for ABC by 1.4 million viewers and by 29% in Adults 18-49 over season-premiere programming on the year-ago night (Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution). In the 8:30pm half-hour, despite facing the return of Glee to the time slot, ABC’s Cougar Town built by 9% over its last airing 3 weeks ago in Total Viewers, generating its most-watched telecast since its season premiere.  During the 9 o’clock hour, ABC’s DWTS Results Show emerged as the most-watched TV show for the 3rd week in a row, soaring above its NBC unscripted competition (Voice Results) by 4.4 million viewers.  ABC’s dancing results program stood as Tuesday’s #2 TV show overall, behind only CBS’ NCIS.  In addition, the wide-appealing ABC unscripted series ranked #2 in the hour with key Women (W18-49/W25-54). Actress and co-host of ABC’s The View, Sherri Shepherd, was the third celebrity to leave the competition this season.  In the 10pm hour, ABC’s season finale of Body of Proof ranked #1 in Total Viewers, Adults 18-49  and Adults 25-54, leading the time period on each measure for the 2nd week in a row. In addition, the ABC drama won its slot for the 3rd straight week with key Women (W18-49/W25-54).  ABC’s Body of Proof generated its 2nd-most-watched telecast this season.  Additionally, the show tied its best Adult 18-34 number since the beginning of October – since 10/4/11.

Wednesday: With its 8-10pm comedy block returning to all-originals for the first time in 4 weeks (since 3/14/12) followed by a Revenge clip-show, ABC posted its strongest Wednesday since February in viewers and young adults– since 2/29/12.  The Net was up over the same night last year in Total Viewers (+9%) and Adults 18-49 (+4%).  In fact, ABC was the only net to grow its young adult audience year to year.  At 8pm, against CBS’ Survivor: One World and the start of Fox’s 2-hour Idol, ABC’s The Middle outdelivered NBC’s Off their Rockers by 16% in viewers and by 31% in Adults 18-49. In addition, the ABC comedy beat out Survivor for its 5th straight original telecast in Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.  The Middle rose by double digits over its year-ago telecast on the evening, surging by 16% in viewers and by 17% in young adults year to year. Retaining 100% of its young adult lead-in at 8:30pm, ABC’s Suburgatory towered  over its NBC freshman comedy competition in its slot, more than doubling the numbers for Best Friends Forever in Total Viewers (+114%) and Adults 18-49 (+133%). For the 5th time in as many first-run telecasts, the ABC freshman comedy outran the second half of Survivor: One World with Adults 18-34 (+7%) and Women 18-34 (+20%).  Suburgatory delivered big year-over-year improvement for ABC in the half-hour, jumping by 25% in viewers and by 40% in young adults over original comedy programming on the same night last year. Wednesday’s dominant #1 scripted show in Adults 18-49, ABC’s Modern Family doubled its lead-in at 9pm to beat its closest scripted competition by 40% (CBS’ Criminal Minds). In addition, Modern Family finished as Wednesday’s #1 TV program among hard-to-reach Men 18-34, beating out Idol by 17% on the night.  ABC’s Modern Family grew over its year-ago broadcast by 8% in viewers and by 8% in young adults. During the 9:30pm half-hour against the conclusion of Idol, ABC’s debut of Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23 opened as the #1 scripted show in its slot across the 18-34 demographics (A18-34/W18-34/M18-34).  Exhibiting improved lead-in retention for ABC, Don’t Trust the B— in Apartment 23 drew the Net’s biggest audience in the slot in over 3 months and its highest Adult 18-49 number in more than 2 months – since 1/4/12 and 2/8/12, respectively.  In addition, the show improved the half-hour for ABC year to year with in Adults 18-49 (+4%). Holding strong retention of its Modern Family lead-in with viewers and young adults (66%/69%), the new comedy generated ABC’s best retention in the half-hour coming out of an original Modern Family in 1 year – since 4/13/11. During the 10 o’clock hour 1 week before returning to originals, ABC’s Revenge: From the Beginning series recap show defeated NBC’s original Law & Order: SVU in both Total Viewers and Adults 25-54.  In addition, ABC beat the first-run dramas on both CBS and NBC in the hour with Women 18-34.  The Revenge clip-show produced 6-week highs for ABC in the hour with Total Viewers, Adults 25-54 and Adults 18-49.

Thursday: From 8-9pm, up against Fox’s American Idol and CBS comedies, ABC’s Missing once again more than doubled the audience of NBC’s original comedy block (+163% over Community/30 Rock) and tied among Adults 18-49.  Missing’s overall audience grew week to week by 10% to hit a 3-week high.  In addition, the freshman series drew 27% more viewers to the hour for ABC year to year, topping original programming on the year-ago night. More than doubling its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm (+107%), ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy moved up to #1 in its time period among Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.  In fact among Adults 18-49, Grey’s beat out Fox’s Idol-driven Touch during the 9 o’clock hour by 26%.  Additionally, Grey’s stood as Thursday’s #1 TV show among Women 18-34 for the 2nd week in a row. Grey’s was up week to week in viewers (+7%) and young adults (+4%). Continuing to exhibit solid retention of its Grey’s lead-in during the 10 o’clock hour, ABC’s Scandal ranked as the #1 series among Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54.  In the hour, ABC’s Scandal more than doubled its freshman drama competition, defeating NBC’s Awake by 170% in Total Viewers, by 160% in Adults 25-54 and by 122% in Adults 18-49.  In addition, the new drama won its slot among key Women (W18-49/W25-54) for the 2nd week in a row. Bucking the general trend for new shows, ABC’s Scandal retained 100% of its week-ago premiere numbers with Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54, while building on its debut in Adults 18-34 (+8%), Women 18-34 (+11%) and Men 25-54 (+7%).

Friday: ABC finished #1 on Friday night versus its network rivals in Adults 18-49, tying CBS with its 2-hour Lionel Richie music special, while defeating NBC by 25% and Fox by 67%. During the 8pm hour, ABC’s Shark Tank ran in a virtual tie with CBS’ Undercover Boss for first place in Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point and tied in audience share) and outdelivered Fox’s The Finder by 78%.  Drawing a younger audience, ABC’s Shark Tank defeated CBS’ Undercover Boss by 22% in Adults 18-34. Shark Tank was up from its last original 3 weeks ago by 7% in Adults 18-49 and posted a 6-week high in Adults 18-34 (since 3/2/12). ABC’s Shark Tank grew over its year-ago telecast in the hour in both viewers (+4%) and young adults (+7%). Opposite all first-run competition in the 9 o’clock hour, ABC’s Primetime: What Would You Do? led the pack in Adults 18-34 for the 3rd week running, beating NBC’s Grimm by 11%, Fox’s Fringe by 67% and CBS’ Lionel Richie music special by 100%. During the 10 o’clock hour, ABC’s 20/20 moved up to #1 among the major nets in Adults 18-49, tying the final hour of CBS’ ACM music special.  In addition, ABC’s 20/20 continued to beat out NBC’s Dateline in the hour, leading by 11% in Total Viewers, by 40% in Adults 25-54 and by 60% in Adults 18-49. Anchored by Elizabeth Vargas, ABC’s 20/20 featured segments looking at what is going on in the air these days, including crazy captains, paranoid passengers and flight attendant freak-outs. ABC’s 20/20 built week to week in Adults 25-54 (+5%) and Adults 18-49 (+7%).

Sunday: During the 7 o’clock hour, ABC’s America’s Funniest Home Videos ranked #1 in Adults 18-49, leading original newsmagazines on CBS (60 Minutes) and NBC (Dateline) by 14% and 23%, respectively. Spiking 33% over its last original with young adults, AFHV drew its biggest audience in 5 weeks and its top Adult 18-49 rating in 6 weeks – since 3/11/12 and 3/4/12, respectively.  ABC’s repeat Once Upon a Time beat out its original NBC drama competition in the 8 o’clock hour, outdelivering Harry’s Law by 22% in Adults 18-49. Once Upon a Time built over the prior week’s repeat in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+10%). In the 9 o’clock hour, the conclusion of the ABC Premiere Event: Titanic rose 13% over the previous night’s average in Adults 18-49.  Vaulting over its lead-in by 67% in Adults 18-49 at 10pm, ABC’s GCB moved up to tie CBS’ highly promoted series debut of NYC 22, as the new CBS drama dropped -17% from its lead-in coming out of The Good Wife.  Exhibiting a much younger skew, ABC’s GCB defeated NYC 22 by 38% in Adults 18-34.

(Source: ABC)