USA #1 Network for 3Q

NEW YORK, Sept. 26 -- USA was the #1 network for 3Q06 with an average of 2.7 million viewers in basic cable prime, 1.3 million P25-54 and 1.2 million P18-49. USA continued its consistently strong performance for 2006 and is currently pacing to be the #1 basic cable network for the year.

USA's series dominated the landscape with WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW earning USA the #1 position on Mondays, MONK and PSYCH winning Fridays and THE 4400 and THE DEAD ZONE topping Sunday nights. USA was home to three of the quarter's top five weekly series among the coveted P25-54 demo - PSYCH with 2.5 million P25-54, MONK with 2.5 million P25-54, and WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW with 2.3 million P25-54.

- WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW once again proved unstoppable, giving USA the title of #1 entertainment network on Mondays in 3Q06 among both P18-49 and P25-54, and improving the time period by 194% among P18-49 and by 164% among P25-54 over 3Q05. As the ratings phenomenon continues to dominate the night, October will mark the one-year anniversary of the show's return to the network.

- USA was the #1 network on Fridays in 3Q06 among both P18-49 and P25-54 with outstanding performances from veteran MONK and newcomer PSYCH. MONK continued to grow stronger, earning its most watched summer season to date with an average of 5.5 million viewers tuning in. PSYCH was also a genuine hit currently ranking as the #1 new show of the year in cable with 2.5 million P25-54.

- THE 4400 and THE DEAD ZONE also finished successful seasons this quarter, ranking as the top two series in basic cable prime on Sundays in 3Q06 with an average of 1.9 million P25-54 and 1.6 million P25-54 respectively.

- Along with its series, USA found huge success with its theatrical movies this summer. The premiere of PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL on 7/15/06 was the most watched entertainment telecast in all of 3Q06 with a huge 3.9 million P25-54. It was the biggest theatrical movie in USA's history**and was the largest theatrical movie on basic cable in five years in the P25-54 demo. On the Saturday night of the PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: THE CURSE OF THE BLACK PEARL premiere telecast, USA was the #1 network in all of television, beating all broadcast and cable networks in 8p-11p prime in every key demo.

USA Network once again increased its audience over the same quarter last year in all key demos, up 24% among households, up 28% among P18-34, up 26% among P18-49, up 26% among P25-54, and up 29% among total viewers (most current vs. pre-DVR data). USA also aged younger this quarter, dropping its median age more than a full year from 3Q05 (46.9 years median age for 3Q06 vs. 48.2 years for 3Q05).

* Please note: all data is Live+SD unless otherwise noted.

** Since at least 1993, when Nielsen program data became available

Seen in 90 million homes, USA Network is cable television's leading network of original series and feature movies, sports and entertainment events, network shows and blockbuster theatrical films. The USA Network Web site is located at http://www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

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.

SOURCE USA Network
http://www.usanetwork.com