NEWS - HGTV's Highest-Rated Premiere / Design Star

ANNOUNCEMENT

HGTV's Design Star 3 premiered on Sunday, 6/8/08 at 9P and posted the network's highest rated program premiere in the history of the network among HHs and adults. The episode garnered a 1.5 HH Rtg/0.9 P18+ Rtg, representing increases of 7% and 13% over Design Star 2's premiere episode. The program saw a strong appeal among younger women, with W18-49 delivering a 14% increase in ratings over Season 2's premiere episode.

Compared to the same period in 2007, the premiere episode of Design Star 3 posted double-digit rating increases among all key demos. Rating increases were strongest among the younger demos with P18-49 garnering a 26% increase in ratings year-to-year.

The Design Star 3 Casting Special delivered the largest adult audience yet for the franchise, with nearly 4.3 million adults tuning in. This tune-in marks an increase of 28% in the adult audience over Season 2's premiere episode. All key demos saw an increase in cumulative audience for the premiere episode, especially the younger demos. The P18-49 audience for Design Star 3's premiere episode was 31% larger than the prior season's premiere episode, delivering nearly 1.8 million P18-49.

HGTV started the night off strong with the HGTV Green Home Giveaway 2008 special at 8P, garnering a 0.9 HH Rtg/0.5 P25-54 Rtg. Compared to the same time period 2Q07, the special posted ratings increases of at least 20% among key adult demos, including a 25% increase among P25-54 and a 33% increase among P18-49.