ABC Series Remain Most Popular Through DVR Playback

Primetime Ratings Report For the week of November 2, 2009 (Live + 7 Day Program Ratings) ABC Series Remain the Most Popular Through DVR Playback

ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" is Once Again TV' Biggest Gainer in the DVR Numbers, While "V" and "FlashForward" Are the Biggest Freshman Gainers

"V's" Debut Jumps by 2.4 Million Viewers and by 1.0 Adult 18-49 Rating Point

The Network Delivers 5 of the Top 8 Biggest Overall DVR Playback Draws in Viewers and 7 of the Top 15 Series Among Young Adults
Week No. 7: Live + 7 Day Ratings:

Based on Nielsen's Live + 7 Day information for the week of November 2, 2009, which included the first round of data for freshman "V," ABC's series were once again the most popularly recorded and played back. The week included competition from Fox's 2009 World Series games on Monday and Wednesday nights.

ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" was once again TV's most-played-back show, while newcomer "V" and "FlashForward" were the Top 2 freshman series gainers in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In fact the numbers for the "V" debut jumped by +2.4 million viewers and by +1.0 Adult 18-49 rating point, finishing with an average audience of 16.7 million viewers and a 6.2 Adult 18-49 rating in the finalized DVR playback averages.

* ABC claimed 5 of the Top 8 biggest overall gainers in Total Viewers: "Grey's Anatomy" - No. 1 (+3.1 million), "V" - No. 3 (+2.4 million - biggest freshman gainer), "Private Practice" - No. 5 (+2.0 million), "FlashForward" - No. 6 (+2.0 million - 2nd-biggest freshman gainer) and "Castle" - No. 8 (+1.9 million).

* Among Adults 18-49, ABC aired 7 of the Top 15 TV series with the biggest rating increases: "Grey's Anatomy" - No. 1 (+1.6 rating points/+31%), "Private Practice" - No. 4 (+1.0 rating/+29%), "V" - No. 5 (+1.0 rating/+19%), "FlashForward" - tied for No. 6 (+0.9 rating/+35%), "Desperate Housewives" - tied for No. 6 (+0.9 rating/+21%), "Modern Family" - No. 11 (+0.8 rating/+23%) and "Castle" - No. 14 (+0.7 rating/+29%).

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 28% 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.