Executives from Walt Disney Co.'s ABC network, in the midst of a turnaround effort, said they expected to capture second place in the November sweeps period, boosted by results from shows like "The Bachelor" and "Monday Night Football," as well as a slate of new family-oriented programs.
ABC, which has seen ratings dwindle and caused problems for its parent company, said its ratings rose 8% in the "Adults 18-49" and 13% in "Adults 18- 34." The network also said it had seen strong growth among its teenage and young viewers.
Because the sweeps period is not yet over, ABC executives cautioned the network could well end up sharing second place with Viacom Inc.'s CBS.
"Last year, we were fourth, and in a vastly different positioning," said Lloyd Braun, chairman of ABC's entertainment group, during a conference call with reporters Tuesday. He said ABC had "put real momentum back in the right direction as we rebuilt the foundation of the network."
He said ABC's "rebuilding process" would continue,and that the network expected to roll out as many as 10 to 12 new series, some of them limited-term reality programs, before the current TV season reached its end.
"Our work is far from done. Our turnaround is far from complete," said Braun. "It's going to be a long road to get to where we want to be."
New programs set to be launched after the new year include "Dragnet" and "The Bachelorette," said Susan Lyne, president of ABC's entertainment division.
While ABC has rejiggered much of its scheduled, executives said they hoped to keep Sunday night - which includes "Alias" and "The Practice" - the same. Braun and Lyne said they expected to boost the ratings of "Alias," a spy drama centered on a twentysomething woman whose family are also undercover operatives.
"As well as the show does for us, it should be doing better, given the quality," said Braun . "If anything, we've got to make the show more receptive to non-viewers," he said, by making the storylines less complex.
