March 31, 2009
(Based on Live + Same Day Program Ratings)
ABC Earns No. 2 to Fox in the Sweep Across Key Women Demos
During the Digital Transition-Adjusted February Sweep,
The Network Grows its Overall Audience Year to Year
ABC Claims 3 of the Top 7 TV Series During the Month, 9 of the Top 20
Individual Telecasts and the No. 1 Scripted Broadcast with "Grey's Anatomy"
ABC is the No. 1 Network on Monday and Sunday Nights During the Sweep
2009 February/March Sweep (26 of 28 Nights):
During the atypical Digital TV Transition-adjusted February/March Sweep, as "Idol" led Fox into first place and CBS received a demographic push from March Madness NCAA Basketball Tournament coverage, ABC finished a solid No. 2 to Fox across each of the key Women demographics: W18-34 (2.8/8), W18-49 (3.5/9), W25-54 (4.2/10). In addition, ABC outpaced NBC during the month by wide margins in viewers and young adults: +2.9 million viewers (8.9 million vs. 6.0 million) and +24% in Adults 18-49 (2.6/7 vs. 2.1/6). On average, ABC registered as the No. 1 network on Monday and Sunday nights during the month among Adults 18-49.
Please Note: Year-to-year comparisons for the Digital TV Transition-adjusted February Sweep are complicated, since it normally includes a number of big programming events (i.e. Super Bowl, Grammy Awards and Academy Awards), which did not occur in the 2009 February/March ratings period. Other factors making year-ago comparisons problematic include the changeover to Daylight Savings Time at the beginning of March and CBS' coverage of the NCAA Basketball Tournament during the Sweep. Also, year-to-year Household DVR penetration has risen from 23% to more than 30% currently.
� Year to Year: ABC's February/March Sweep average is up over its year-ago 2008 March Sweep averages in Viewers, young Adults and across the key Women demographics: Total Viewers +10% (8.9 million vs. 8.1 million), Adults 18-34 +5% (2.1/7 vs. 2.0/7), Adults 18-49 +4% (2.6/7 vs. 2.5/7), W18-34 +8% (2.8/8 vs. 2.6/8), W18-49 +6% (3.5/9 vs. 3.3/9) and W25-54 +8% (4.2/10 vs. 3.9/10). In addition, despite the fact that the year-ago Academy Awards aired during February and the sweep preceded the changeover to Daylight Savings Time, ABC increased its overall audience by 10% from the year-ago 2008 February Sweep (8.9 million vs. 8.1 million). ABC and CBS were the only broadcasters to show gains over last year.
� Series Rankings: In Adults 18-49, ABC claimed 3 the Top 7 television series during the 2009 February Sweep, placing 2 of the Top 5 shows: "Dancing with the Stars" and "Desperate Housewives" tied at No. 4, and "Grey's Anatomy" was No. 7. The Net also delivered 3 of the Top 10 most-watched series overall for the Sweep: "DWTS" � No. 3, "Housewives" � No. 7 and "DWTS Results" � No. 10.
� Individual Telecast Standings: With just two nights to count, ABC has delivered 9 of the Top 20 highest-rated telecasts during the Sweep in Adults 18-49, including 8 of the Top 10 non-"Idol" broadcasts and the No. 1 scripted telecast with "Grey's Anatomy" on the final Thursday (3/26/09). The Network generated 12 of the Top 20 telecasts for the month with Women 18-49, including each of the Top 5 scripted series telecasts, with installments of "Grey's" and "Housewives."
Source: Nielsen Media Research, Live + Same Day Program Ratings (3/5-3/30/09, 1/31-2/27/08 and 3/6-4/2/08).
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