ABC Entertainment continued to lead among the primetime audiences advertisers prize most, finishing the 2006-07 season as the No. 1 network among all upscale audiences for the second year in a row. ABC's primetime performance was driven by strong returning programming, including Lost, Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and Dancing with the Stars, as well as the freshman drama Brothers & Sisters and the Golden Globe® and Emmy®-winning breakout comedy hit, Ugly Betty.
ABC entered the 2007-08 season with increased stability, enhanced by a slate of new series that generated advertiser interest and critical acclaim.
In September, ABC launched the most innovative and highly anticipated series of the new season, the "forensic fairy tale" Pushing Daisies, which is part of a powerhouse Wednesday night lineup of freshman scripted dramas that includes Grey's Anatomy spin-off Private Practice and Dirty Sexy Money, starring Peter Krause, Donald Sutherland and Jill Clayburgh. Eight weeks into the 2007-2008 season, ABC was the No. 1 network in key demos, airing eight of the Top 20 series among Adults 18-49 as well as five of the top seven new series in this demo. ABC also maintained its leadership among upscale audiences.
In addition to drawing crowds on television, ABC also commanded a following online and on other platforms. Since September 2006 viewers have started more than 213 million episodes of the network's hit shows on ABC.com's Emmy Award-winning broadband player. For the new season, the player was enhanced, allowing viewers to increase the viewing screen size to watch episodes in high definition. Network shows were also streamed to wireless phone users and offered on ad-supported video-on-demand services.
Top: Private Practice, starring Kate Walsh, is the wildly successful Grey's Anatomy spin-off.
Bottom: The critics' darling, Pushing Daisies, is winning the hearts of viewers as well.
