(L-R) The cast of "Modern Family" Sarah Hyland, Nolan Gould, Ed O'Neill, Ariel Winter, Sofia Vergara, Rico Rodriguez, Julie Bowen, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Ty Burrell and Eric Stonestreet pose backstage after the show won for best comedy series at the 63rd Primetime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles September 18, 2011. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson

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Americans prefer "Modern Family" to "X Factor"

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Big, brash new singing contest "The X Factor" was thumped on its U.S. TV debut, with American audiences preferring comedy "Modern Family" in their millions, ratings figures showed on Thursday.