ABC’s Premiere Week Results Grow from First-Reported Numbers by 1.0 Million Viewers

While this is a press release,  I will have our usual DVR viewing post on the site ASAP.

via press release:

ABC’s Premiere Week Results Grow from First-Reported Numbers by 1.0 Million Viewers, by 12% in Adults 18-49 and by 15% in Adults 18-34

ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” is Once Again TV’ Biggest Gainer in the DVR Numbers, Jumping by 3.0 Million Viewers and 1.5 Adult 18-49 Rating Points in the Finals

ABC’s “FlashForward” is TV’s Top Freshman Gainer in Viewers and Adults 18-49

ABC Airs 9 Series Registering Increases of 1 Million Viewers or More in the Finals

2009-10 WEEK No. 1 Live + 7 Day Ratings:

Based on the first round of Live + 7 Day rating for the new television season, ABC saw its premiere week primetime averages jump from its originally reported Live + Same Day numbers by 1.0 million viewers (12.0 million vs. 11.0 million), by +12% in Adults 18-49 (3.7/10 vs. 3.3/9) and by +15% in Adults 18-34 (3.0/9 vs. 2.6/8).  With Household DVR penetration rising sharply year to year (from 27% to 33%), ABC’s premiere week increases were bigger this year than last from the initially reported Live + Same Day numbers to the final Live + 7 Day averages. ABC remained the No. 1 network during premiere week (w/o 9/21/09) among Adults 18-49 in the Live + 7 Day averages. 

• Similarly to last season, ABC series were among the most popularly recorded and played back. Like last season, ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” was once again TV’s most-played-back show this season.  On average, “Grey’s Anatomy” stood as the biggest actual gainer from the originally reported premiere week numbers (Live + Same Day) to the finalized DVR playback numbers (Live + 7 Day), generating an additional +3.0 million viewers (17.0 million to 20.0 million).  In fact, “Grey’s” DVR increase was bigger this season than on opening week last year, when it gained +2.7 million viewers from Live + Same Day to the Live + 7 Day averages in originals.  The sixth-season ABC medical drama was also the top gainer in Adult 18-49 rating, picking up 1.5 rating points in the finalized numbers – surging from a 6.7 rating to an 8.2 rating.

• A total of 9 of ABC’s scripted series gained 1.0 million viewers or more on average from their originally reported numbers to the final DVR playback numbers, including “Grey’s Anatomy” (+3.0 million – biggest gainer overall), “FlashForward” (+2.0 million – biggest new-series gainer), “Desperate Housewives” (+1.7 million), “Castle” (+1.5 million), “the forgotten” (+1.3 million), “Modern Family” (+1.1 million), “Eastwick” (+1.1 million), “Cougar Town” (+1.1 million) and “Brothers & Sisters” (+1.0 million).

• Among Adults 18-49, 7 of ABC’s scripted series registered substantial ratings increases of half-a-rating point or more: “Grey’s Anatomy” (+1.5 rating point – top gainer overall), “FlashForward” (+0.8 rating – top freshman gainer), “Desperate Housewives” (+0.7 rating), “Castle” (+0.6 rating), “Modern Family” (+0.6 rating), “Cougar Town” (+0.5 rating) and “Brothers & Sisters” (+0.5 rating).

A note about increasing DVR penetration and year-to-year rating comparisons: Year-to-year rating comparisons based on the Live + Same Day data stream are distorted by the level of DVR penetration in the Nielsen sample, which has jumped up to 33% currently, from 27% at the same point in 2008. More viewers are watching shows on their own timetables, which may not be reflected in the overnight next day numbers. The only truly valid year-to-year comparison would be one based on the Live + 7 Day metric, once those stats are released by Nielsen.

Source: Nielsen Media Research (National Live+7 Day Program Ratings), week of 9/21/09.