"ACCESS HOLLYWOOD" HITS SEASON-HIGH RATINGS; ATTRACTS NEARLY FOUR MILLION VIEWERS PER SHOW

"Maury" and "The Jerry Springer Show" Both Up From Last Year

UNIVERSAL CITY, Calif. -- March 15, 2005 -- NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution's "Access Hollywood" delivered its best ratings of the season, including a season-high average of nearly four million viewers per show, during the week of February 28, 2005, according to Nielsen Media Research data.

Two other NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution series had strong performances during the most recent week; "Maury" and "The Jerry Springer Show" were both up over the same week last year in households, total viewers and key women demos.

"Access Hollywood" scored its best household ratings of the season with a 2.9, up 12% over the previous week and delivered its highest total viewership of the season with an average of 3.9 million viewers per episode.

The hit newsmagazine tied its season-high rating among women 18-34 (1.5), up 25% over the previous week and hit new season-best ratings in women 18-49 (1.8), up 13% from the previous week and women 25-54 (2.1), up 11% over the previous week.

"Access Hollywood" also did well with male viewers, scoring new season-high ratings in men 18-34 (0.9), up 50% over the previous week and men 18-49 (1.2), up 20% from the previous week, while matching season best ratings in men 25-54 (1.3), up 8% over the previous week.

"Maury" was up 3% in households from the same week last year (3.2 vs.3.1) and up 3% in total viewers (average 4.2 vs.4.1) and up 5% with women 25-54 over the same week last year (1.9 vs. 2.0.)

Additionally, "The Jerry Springer Show" showed ratings growth in households, up 4% over the same week last year (2.4 vs. 2.3), and it was up 8% in total viewers from the same week last year. 'Springer' also tied its season-high rating in women 18-49 (1.4) and was up 17% over the same week last year in women 25-54 (1.2 vs. 1.4.)

Current and upcoming first-run strip syndicated programming includes a new daily series with Martha Stewart, Access Hollywood, Blind Date, The Jane Pauley Show, The Jerry Springer Show, Maury and Starting Over. Current and upcoming first-run weekly syndicated programming includes The Chris Matthews Show, The George Michael Sports Machine, Rebecca's Garden, The Wall Street Journal Report with Maria Bartiromo, Your Total Health and the off-network distribution of Crossing Jordan, Fear Factor, Providence and the Law & Order franchise. Special programming includes Good Housekeeping Reports news inserts and a series of The Remarkable Journey specials, as well as a collection of feature film packages.