ABC's 'MURDER', MODERN FAMILY Share Top Spot Among Networks

During week 3 of the new TV season, ABC solidified its claim as the #1 non-sports network among Adults 18-49 (2.8 rating) in the L+7 numbers, increasing its lead over CBS to 17% (2.4), NBC to 22% (2.3) and FOX to 40% (2.0). ABC gained +0.9 rating points over its Live + Same Day Adult 18-49 rating (1.9 rating in L+SD to a 2.8 in L+7) in the non-sports averages, making the Net the #1 biggest actual gainer in TV playback for the 3rd week running. Building to a 2.8 L+7 rating among Adults 18-49 in the non-sports numbers, ABC came out ahead of the year-ago week (+3% - 2.7 on w/o 10/7/13), while CBS (-8%), NBC (-4%) and FOX (-29%) all fell behind.

Based on all programming in the L+7 numbers, ABC (2.6 rating) narrowed the gap with CBS (2.8) and NBC (2.8) to just 0.2 rating points in Adults 18-49, while moving ahead of FOX (2.4) to lead by 0.2 rating points. In the first reported L+SD ratings, ABC placed behind NBC (-0.5), CBS (-0.3) and FOX ().

ABC's HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER and MODERN FAMILY tied as the week's #1 biggest broadcast gainer among Adults 18-49, with both shows picking up +2.3 rating points, topping the L+7 gains of CBS' THE BIG BANG THEORY (+2.2 rating points) and NBC's THE BLACKLIST (+2.1 rating points).

With HTGAWM and Modern, ABC claimed 5 of the Top 10 broadcast gainers in Adults 18-49 (the most for the 3rd straight week): SCANDAL (+1.7 rating points) - #6, GREY'S ANATOMY (+1.6) - #7 and Once Upon A Time (+1.3) - #9. On a percentage basis, MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (+75%), Revenge (+75%) and HTGAWM (+74%) all ranked in the Top 10 among the broadcast networks.

Grey's Anatomy (+67%), HTGAWM (+74%) and Once Upon A Time (+48%) all increased their gains for the 2nd consecutive week to hit a season high in TV playback with Adults 18-49. In fact, almost all of ABC's series scored their biggest gains of the season this week in the young adult demo: LAST MAN STANDING (+58%), Castle (+58%), NASHVILLE (+71%), SCANDAL (+57%), Revenge (+75%) and MODERN FAMILY (+66%).

After pacing behind the prior week in the L+SD numbers and with larger playback increases, GREY'S ANATOMY (4.0 rating), Revenge (2.1), Castle (3.0), NASHVILLE (2.4) and LAST MAN STANDING (1.9) all retained 100% of their week ago Adult 18-49 L+7 ratings, while Modern grew (+2% - 5.8 vs. 5.7).

In the final Live + 7 Day ratings for the week, ABC claimed 6 of the Top 10 highest-rated entertainment broadcast shows among Adults 18-49 (the most for any network): MODERN FAMILY (5.8 rating) - #2, HTGAWM (5.4) and SCANDAL (4.7) each moved up two spots to #3 and #4, respectively (from #5 and #6, respectively), GREY'S ANATOMY (4.0) shot up to #8 (from #14), tied with Once Upon A Time (4.0) and BLACK-ISH (3.9) - #10.

ABC's Once Upon A Time grew to a 4.0 rating with Adults 18-49 to emerge as Sunday's #1 broadcast entertainment series, beating Fox's THE SIMPSONS (3.7) by 3-tenths of a rating point. In the L+SD ratings, Once Upon A Time trailed the FOX animated show by 5-tenths of a rating point among young adults.

Season-to-Date TV Playback (9/22/14-10/12/14):

Based on TV playback data for the first 3 weeks of the 2014-15 season, ABC claims 2 of the Top 5 biggest broadcast gainers among Adults 18-49: HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER (+2.3 rating points) and MODERN FAMILY (+2.2 rating points). In fact, excluding the single 8:30pm telecast of CBS' The Big Bang Theory, ABC's HTGAWM is the season's #1 biggest gainer in TV playback among young adults.

ABC's HTGAWM is the season's biggest gainer for any freshman series among Adults 18-49, edging out the L+7 gain of Fox's Gotham (+2.2 rating points). The ABC show is the season's #1 broadcast drama and #1 new TV show in the young adult demo (5.7 rating), leading runner-up Gotham by 12% (5.1). HTGAWM runs neck-and-neck with CBS' NFL Football as Thursday's #1 TV show this season with Adults 18-49 (pacing within 1-tenth of a rating point - 5.7 vs. 5.8). In fact, the new ABC drama is Thursday's most-watched TV show overall, outdrawing CBS' football game by 2.0 million viewers (18.4 million vs. 16.4 million).

Among Adults 18-49 in the L+7 ratings, ABC has the Top 2 TV shows on Wednesday with MODERN FAMILY (5.8 rating) and BLACK-ISH (4.1-tie), the Top 3 series on Thursday with HTGAWM (5.7), SCANDAL (5.0) and GREY'S ANATOMY (4.2) and the #1 show on Friday with SHARK TANK (2.5).

Nearly all of ABC's returning series are seeing bigger percentage gains among Adults 18-49 from L+SD to L+7 this year than last: DWTS (+28% vs. +19%), The Goldbergs (+39% vs. +38%), GREY'S ANATOMY (+56% vs. +53%), MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. (+72% vs. +61%), The Middle (+35% vs. +22%), MODERN FAMILY (+61% vs. +46%), Revenge (+62% vs. +55%) and SCANDAL (+47% vs. 41%).

Source: The Nielsen Company, as dated. Based on regular, original telecasts only.

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