FlashForward first regular series telecast on any network to defeat CBS' Survivor in 18-49 since Friends in April 2004

updated blurbs from ABC  PR based on final national Nielsen numbers:

Please Note:  ABC’s FlashForward became the first regular series telecast on any network to defeat CBS’ Survivor in Adults 18-49 in over 5 years - since Friends in April 2004.

Updated with National Live + Same Day Program Ratings:

ABC took first place on the opening Thursday of the season in viewers and all key Adults (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54), beating second-place CBS by 1.2 million viewers and by 53% in Adults 18-49.  In fact ABC won all 6 half-hours of the evening in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49.  It was ABC’s 2nd straight year to lead the season-opening Thursday in viewers and all key adult demographics. In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, ABC’s registered its strongest Thursday in 1 year.

ABC’s series debut of FlashForward won the 8 o'clock hour in viewers and young adults, upsetting CBS' time-period veteran Survivor: Samoa by 8% in Adults 18-49.  The new ABC drama gained viewers and young adult audience throughout the course of its premiere telecast.  FlashForward became the first regular series telecast on any network to defeat Survivor in Adults 18-49 since April 2004 – since NBC last did it with Friends on 4/29/04.  In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, FlashForward registered as the biggest scripted series premiere on any network in the 8 o’clock hour since January 2008 – since Fox’s debut of Sarah Connor Chronicles on Sunday 1/13/08, which had the enormous advantage of airing after an ultra-high-rated NFL playoff game on that night (Cowboys-NY Giants).  FlashForward opener produced ABC’s best performance in the hour with regular programming in 20 months – since 1/31/08.

Thursday’s #1 TV program in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 on its sixth-season premiere, ABC’s Grey’s Anatomy overshadowed its 2-hour time period.  From 9-11pm, Grey’s Anatomy topped CBS’ CSI/The Mentalist premiere combo by 1.5 million viewers and by 76% in Adults 18-49. In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Grey’s Anatomy turned in its strongest performance since its year-ago season premiere in September (9/25/08).  Please note: On the same night last year, Grey’s season premiere had the added advantage of not airing against original drama programming on CBS.

Grey’s DVR Playback: Based on last season (’08-09), Grey's Anatomy was the most recorded and played back program on all of TV, as the show gained +2.5 million viewers and grew by +1.2 rating points in Adults 18-49 (+21%) from its first reported Live + Same Day number to its Live + 7 Day number.  With current DVR penetration nearing 33% this season, up from about 27% at the same point a year ago, Grey's will see substantial increases in viewership throughout the year from the initially reported next-day overnight ratings to the final numbers including all DVR playback.