Quick Take for Sunday, June 7, 2009
(Fast National Program and Fast Affiliate Time Period - Live + Same Day Ratings)
Driven by Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals, ABC Overshadows Sunday's Prime,
Topping its Nearest Competitors by 1 Million Viewers and by 106% in Adults 18-49
ABC Produces its Highest-Rated Summer Sunday in 5 Years with Young Adults
For the Second Straight Telecast this Year, the 2009 NBA Finals on ABC
Qualify as the Night's No. 1 TV Show in Viewers and All Key Adults Demos
In Total Viewers and Adults 18-49, Game 2 of the NBA Finals Is the
Biggest in 5 Years and Qualifies as ABC's Second-Strongest-Ever Game 2
Sunday Night (7:00-11:00 p.m. � "Fast Affiliate Ratings")
Driven by Game 2 coverage of the 2009 NBA Finals, featuring Orlando at Los Angeles, ABC turned in a convincing win on Sunday evening. According to Nielsen's preliminary time-period-based "Fast Affiliate" ratings, ABC outpaced its nearest competition during primetime by 2.5 million viewers (10.3 million vs. 7.8 million - CBS) and by 147% in Adults 18-49 (4.2/13 vs. 1.7/5 � Fox). In Adults 18-49, ABC beat the combined delivery of CBS, NBC and Fox on the evening (4.2/13 vs. 4.0/12).
� ABC's primetime results were up sharply over the same night last year when it aired coverage of the second game for the high-profile Lakers-Celtics 2008 NBA Finals, increasing by nearly 2 million viewers and by 27% in Adults 18-49 (8.4 million and 3.3/10 on 6/8/08). It was the Network's top-rated summer Sunday in 5 years with Adults 18-34 (4.1/14) and Adults 18-49 (4.2/13) � since 6/13/04.
� Similarly to Thursday's Game 1, the Net posted its best primetime results with a Game 2 of The Finals since 2004 in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 � since 6/8/04.
"2009 NBA Finals Game 2" (8:00 � 11:12 p.m. E.T. � "Fast National Ratings")
According to Nielsen's program-based "Fast National" ratings, ABC's 2009 NBA Finals Game 2 overcame its competitors during primetime to qualify as Sunday night's No. 1 TV program in Total Viewers (14.0 million) and across each of the key adult demographics: A18-34 (5.7 rating), A18-49 (5.8 rating) and A25-54 (6.0 rating). It was the 2nd straight telecast for the 2009 NBA Finals to stand as the night's highest-rated television show in viewers and key adults. In a game that went into overtime, the Los Angeles Lakers won by a score of 101-96 to lead the Orlando Magic 2-0 in the best-of-seven series.
� ABC's Game 2 of the 2009 NBA Finals posted year-to-year increases in Total Viewers and Adults 18-49 over the second game of the 2008 Lakers-Celtics Finals (13.5 million & 5.5/16 on 6/8/08). In viewers and young adults, it was the strongest Game 2 for the NBA Championship Series in 5 years and the second-highest-ever on ABC � since Game 2 of the 2004 series on 6/8/04. ABC began carriage of the NBA Finals starting in 2003.
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 31% currently, from 25% 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 (Fast Affiliate time period and Fast National program Live + Same Day Ratings), 6/7/09.
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