SCI FI'S YEAR-END RATINGS WIN!
2004 IS SCI FI'S BEST YEAR EVER
CHANNEL'S THIRD STRAIGHT YEAR OF RECORD PRIMETIME RATINGS
SCI FI ATTRACTS YOUNGER VIEWERS:
DELIVERS BEST-EVER NUMBERS FOR P18-34 AND P2-17 IN PRIME
NEW YORK, NY, December 29, 2004--SCI FI celebrates 2004 with the Channel's highest-rated and most-watched year to date. This is SCI FI's third consecutive year of record-breaking primetime ratings. The Channel also delivered its best-ever primetime rating with 1.0 HH rating/1.2 million P2+ average for the year. Now fully-distributed to 84 million homes, SCI FI scored with viewers in nearly every key demographic, ranking within the Top 10 of all basic cable networks for ratings among P25-54, M25-54, P18-49, M18-49 and F25-54. The Channel also ranked 8th for HH ratings among all measured, non-news, ad-supported basic cable nets in prime (M-Su, 8P-11P).
It's been a busy year for SCI FI. In addition to precedent-setting original series like Stargate Atlantis and three major miniseries events, including Legend of Earthsea, SCI FI secured development deals with Hollywood heavyweights Joel Schumacher, Ridley Scott, Frank Darabont and Nicolas Cage.
Highlights for 2004 include:
� For the year, SCI FI's prime (M-Su 8P-11P) delivered a 1.0 HH rating, a +4%* increase from 2003.
� A 1.0 HH rating and over 1 million viewers in prime for every quarter in 2004. A streak that extends back to 2003, SCI FI has achieved this milestone for six consecutive quarters.
� SCI FI delivered more P18-34s and P2-17 in prime than in any other year in the network's history. This is the third consecutive year of increasing P18-34 viewers.
� A primetime destination for families, SCI FI experienced a +21% jump among viewers under 18 (2004 to 145,000 P2-17) vs. 2003.
� The July 16th premiere of Stargate Atlantis was the highest-rated and most-watched single episode of any series to ever air on SCI FI--it was also the first episode of any series airing on the Channel to deliver ratings over 3.0 HH, and viewership over 4 million (P2+).
Miniseries
� The premiere of SCI FI Channel's Original Miniseries Legend of Earthsea averaged a 3.2 HH rating/3.7 million P2+ over two consecutive nights.
� Legend of Earthsea was the highest-rated and most-watched program in cable primetime on Monday, December 13 and Tuesday, December 14 (the mini's entire run) #1 HH; #1 P2+; #1 P18-49; #1 P25-54.
� Due to the success of Legend of Earthsea, SCI FI was the #1 network in cable for Monday and Tuesday in combined ratings and delivery.
� Legend of Earthsea Part 2 is the highest-rated program to air on SCI FI in 2004.
� The two-night, four-hour Farscape: The Peacekeeper Wars (Oct. 17-18 @ 9-11pm ET/PT) premiere averaged a 1.7 HH rating/1,916,000 P2+, making SCI FI the #1 non-sports cable network for P25-54 and P18-49 for the time period over the two nights.
� SCI FI's miniseries thriller 5ive Days to Midnight kept a total (unduplicated/unique) audience (P2+) of nearly 9 million viewers at the edge of their seats over four consecutive nights (June 7-10).
SCI FI Friday Original Series
� Driven by the success of new Stargate SG-1 companion series Stargate Atlantis, the Channel had its best summer ever, delivering a record-breaking 1.1 HH rating for June-August.
� The summer season** of Stargate Atlantis averaged a 2.3 HH rating and nearly 3 million (P2+) viewers (+44% HH, +57% P2+ vs. Stargate SG-1's summer season in 2003)-- the highest-rated original series SCI FI Channel has ever had.
� The premiere season of Stargate Atlantis delivered more P18-49 than any series in the history of the network.
Original Series
� The October 6th premiere of Ghost Hunters (1.4 HH rating, 1.1 million P2+) was the most-watched Wednesday night program on the network since January 2003, and ranks in the top ten of most-watched Wednesday programs in the Channel's history.
� The March 4 premiere of comically-risque animated series Tripping the Rift, with its 1.8HH rating/2 million P2+, scored numerous Channel records and beat the series premiere of Comedy Central's South Park -- more than doubling its audience (8/13/97, 1.34 HH/889,000 P2+)
SCI FI Channel is a television network where "what if" is what's on. SCI FI fuels the imagination of viewers with original series and events, blockbuster movies and classic science fiction and fantasy programming, as well as a dynamic Web site (www.scifi.com) and magazine. Launched in 1992, and currently in 84 million homes, SCI FI Channel is a network of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies.
* 4% increase is for HH rating to 2 decimal places, 1.02 HH rating in 2004 vs. .98 HH rating in 2003.
Source: Nielsen Media Research, qualifications available upon request.
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