• by Wayne Friedman , December 14, 2012

When it comes to prime-time non-sports programming so far this season, ABC leads in the TV currency that matters most to advertisers -- as well as getting top numbers when it comes to upscale viewers.

Through Nov. 25, ABC has been averaging a 2.15 rating among 18-49 viewers in the Nielsen C3 metric -- commercial ratings plus three days of time-shifted ratings. CBS was next at 2.10, followed by NBC at 2.03; Fox with 2.03; and CW at 0.57. C3 ratings are the virtual TV currency for all national TV advertisers when it comes to media deals.

As it was a year ago, at this point in the season, ABC was again tops in higher-income 18-49 viewers who make $100,000 and more. ABC scored a 2.58 C3 rating, followed by NBC with a 2.21; CBS at a 2.14; Fox at a 1.90; and CW with 0.40. ABC also was tops in other upscale-focused categories -- including those viewers with four years or more of college education and those with professional occupations.

Adam Gerber, vice president of sales development and marketing for ABC, told MediaPost: "It's not just the fact that we are winning most of the core age and gender breaks, but our affluency numbers are the best of the broadcast networks across the board."

A year ago, CBS and Fox shared the lead with 18-49 viewers, with both averaging a 2.62 C3 number. (Fox eventually edged ahead for the entire fourth quarter of 2011). ABC was next at a 2.42, followed by NBC at a 1.44; and CW with a 0.67.

Even without including TV sports, mostly from "Sunday Night Football," NBC was the only network to improve year-over-year this season, coming from multiple nights of "The Voice" and, to a lesser extent, with new show, "Revolution."

CBS has led this season among all viewers 25-54 in C3 with a 2.84 rating, followed by ABC with a 2.70; NBC at a 2.42; Fox with a 2.20; and CW at a 0.60.

ABC was also best in two other key categories -- women 18-49 and women 25-54. ABC earned a 2.82 C3 rating among women 18-49, followed by NBC at 2.47; CBS with 2.44; Fox at 2.26; and CW with 0.71. Among women 25-54, ABC scored a 3.52 rating, followed by CBS at a 3.24; NBC at 2.93; Fox at 2.40; and CW at 0.72.

Looking at individual TV prime-time programs, CBS' "The Big Bang Theory" has the best C3 18-49 numbers so far this season when looking at non-sports programming: 4.97 rating. ABC's "Modern Family" is next at 4.78. NBC's "The Voice" had a 4.27 rating for its Monday performance show. NBC's "Voice" Tuesday results is posting a 3.78 rating.

CBS' "Two and a Half Men" and ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" tied at a 3.63 rating. NBC's "Revolution" was at 3.34; ABC's "Once Upon A Time", 3.33;  CBS' "2 Broke Girls", 3.31; and CBS' "NCIS", 3.29.

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