USA KICKS OFF 2006 AS #1

USA KICKS OFF 2006 AS #1

NEW YORK, NY ? January 4, 2006 ? USA started off the first week of 2006 as the top-rated basic cable entertainment network among households (2.7 rating), P18-34 (0.7 million) P18-49 (1.6 million), P25-54 (1.6 million) and total viewers (3.3 million).

This was USA's most watched week among both total viewers and P18-49 in nearly six years (since the week of 1/17/00). Among P25-54, this was the most watched week in nearly five years (since the week of 1/29/01).

USA's success this week was driven by excellent performances from WWE's MONDAY NIGHT RAW, LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT, LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT and MONK, accounting for nearly all of the top 20 basic cable prime entertainment programs for the week:

- WWE's MONDAY NIGHT RAW 10p hour on Monday was the top rated basic cable prime entertainment program of the week among households (3.8 rating), P18-34 (1.2 million), P18-49 (2.5 million), P25-54 (2.4 million) and total viewers (5.0 million).

- Thursday night's stack of LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT at 8p, 9p, and 10p were the top three basic cable prime entertainment programs of the night among P18-49 (1.4 million average) and P25-54 (1.6 million average). The strength of Thursday night's LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT stack made it the most watched Thursday night (8p-11p) for the network in over two years (since 11/27/03) among P25-54. Among P18-49, this was the most-watched Thursday night in almost a year (since 1/06/05).

- Friday night's 10p LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT was the #1 non-sports or wrestling telecast of the week among households (3.8 rating), P18-49 (2.1 million), P25-54 (2.2 million) and total viewers (4.6 million). It was also the most-watched episode of LAW & ORDER in USA prime in over ten months (since 2/02/05) among both P18-49 and P25-54.

- Saturday night's prime airings of the LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT marathon were the top three programs of their night among households (3.1 rating average), P18-49 (1.6 million average), P25-54 (1.8 million average) and total viewers (3.9 million average). With this success, this was the most watched Saturday night for USA Network (8p-11p) among P25-54 in over three and half years (since 4/20/02).

- The three prime airings of Sunday's MONK Marathon on USA were the top three basic cable entertainment telecasts of the night among both P18-49 (1.5 million average) and P25-54 (1.8 million average).

- The prime airings of Friday's LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT marathon, Saturday's LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT marathon, and Sunday's MONK marathon each ranked as the top three basic cable prime entertainment telecasts of their respective nights among both P18-49 and P25-54.

* Please note: all data from 12/26/05 onward is Live+SD unless otherwise noted.

USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 89 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com. USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.