ABC Finishes 2012-13 Season Strong with MODERN FAMILY

ABC was #1 on the final night of the 2012-13 season in Adults 18-49 (tie) with Modern Family finishing as Wednesday's #1 show on all 4 weeks of the 2013 May Sweep. In fact, ABC ranked #1 for the May Sweep in Adults 18-49 (tie) for the first time in 13 years - since 2000. Closing out the season with strong momentum, the Net was #1 in Total Viewers and/or Adults 18-49 on 5 of the final 6 nights (Fri/Sun/Mon/Tues/Wed). The Middle had its most-watched season finale since 2010 and Nashville closed its first season its best numbers since the beginning of the year.

Up week to week in viewers (+10%) and young adults (+5%), ABC's season finale of The Middle ranked #1 in the 8pm half-hour on both counts. The ABC comedy drew its biggest audience in 6 weeks and equaled a 12-week high in Adults 18-49 - since 4/10/13 and 2/27/13, respectively. The Middle marked its most-watched season finale in 3 years - since 5/19/10.

Jumping 125% from its Adult 18-49 lead-in at 9pm, ABC's Modern Family dominated its half-hour, beating runner-up CBS' Criminal Minds finale by 44%, Fox's Masterchef premiere by 64% and NBC's L&O: SVU finale by 125%. Modern Family was up 3% in Adults 18-49 over its week-ago Fast Affiliate Adult 18-49 rating, which translated to its best number since 4/10/13

At 10pm opposite the final hour of CBS' 2-hour Criminal Minds finale, ABC's freshman finale of Nashville beat NBC's freshman finale of Chicago Fire by 12% in Adults 18-49. Building for the 2nd week in Adults 18-49 (+12%) and for the 3rd week in Total Viewers (+9%), Nashville closed out its season with its strongest results since January - since 1/16/13 and 1/23/13, respectively.

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