The Ellen Degeneres Show Kicks Off Season Four with Highest-Ever Premiere Rating

September 05, 2006

The Ellen DeGeneres Show kicked off its 2006-2007 television season yesterday with the highest season-premiere ratings in the show�s four-year history, according to preliminary information provided by Nielsen Media Research (source: NSI Wrap Overnights, Weighted Average, Preliminary Data, �-hour lead-in).

The Emmy� winning daytime talk program scored a 3.3 household rating/8 share in the overnight metered markets, improving +27% in rating over its third-season premiere on September 6, 2005, despite increased competition from sports programming on the Labor Day holiday. The debut hour, originating from New York City�s Central Park and featuring an appearance by music superstar Justin Timberlake, also built +27% in rating and +33% in share over its lead-in (2.7/6).

The news was even better for station that run Ellen in daytime, with the show posting a 4.8 rating/12 share, up +71% in rating versus September 2005 (2.8/10).

In Local People Meter markets, Ellen delivered a 1.7 rating/7 share among its target demo of women 18-49, up +70% in rating and +40% in share vs. lead-in (1.0/5).

On its nine NBC owned stations, Ellen averaged a 2.7 rating/6 share, up +29% in rating and +40% in share vs. lead-in (2.1/5) and up +8% in rating (2.5/7) vs. September 2005. In New York City, �Ellen� powered to a 4.4 rating/10 share, easily winning its timeslot.

The Ellen DeGeneres Show is produced by A Very Good Production and WAD Productions, Inc. in association with Telepictures Productions, and is distributed by Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution.