or


[12/10/08 - 01:29 PM]
Record-Breaking Original Programming Drives TNT to Sixth Consecutive Year as Ad-Supported Cable's #1 Network Among Adults 25-54 in Total Day
TNT spins the numbers for the year to date.

[via press release from TNT]

Record-Breaking Original Programming Drives TNT to Sixth Consecutive Year As Ad-Supported Cable's #1 Network Among Adults 25-54 in Total Day

December 10, 2008

Driven in large part by the success of its high-profile original series, TNT has once again secured its place as ad-supported cable's #1 network in total day delivery of adults 25-54, according to year-to-date numbers from Nielsen Media Research. This will mark the sixth consecutive year TNT has won that prized demographic.

TNT's enormous success in 2008, which included year-over-year growth across the board, was revved-up by stellar performances by the network's original series � two that returned from previous years and two that debuted this year.

The Closer continued to solidify its position as ad-supported cable's #1 series of all time, this year averaging 8.5 million viewers, while Saving Grace scored a loyal audience of 5.2 million viewers. Raising the Bar burst onto the scene with a record-breaking launch on Labor Day, and Leverage scored a personal best for the network with its debut during the height of the broadcast season.

On the sports front, TNT's coverage of the 2007-08 NBA regular season, the NBA All-Star game and the NBA Playoffs all scored significant growth vs. last year.

"Our strategy this year has been to aggressively expand TNT's slate of high-quality original programming," said Steve Koonin, president of Turner Entertainment Networks. "We built on the enormous critical and popular success of The Closer and Saving Grace with the launches of Raising the Bar and Leverage, setting the stage for TNT to continue challenging the broadcast networks head-on in the coming year."

2008 Ratings Highlights for TNT:

Year-to-date, TNT ranks #1 in adults 25-54 in total day, up 6% vs. last year.

� TNT is showing primetime and total-day growth across the board, with adults 18-34, adults 18-49, adults 25-54, households and viewers up when compared to last year.

TNT's The Closer continues to rank as ad-supported cable's #1 series of all time. This summer, it averaged 8.5 million viewers, 6.3 million households, 2.7 million adults 18-49 and 3.7 million adults 25-54.

� The Closer showed growth when compared to last summer, with adults 18-49 up 4%, adults 25-54 up 6% and women 18-49 up 7%.

For its second season, TNT's Saving Grace averaged 5.2 million viewers, 4.0 million households, 1.7 million adults 18-49 and 2.4 million adults 25-54.

� Saving Grace consistently ranked as ad-supported cable's #2 Monday program (behind The Closer).

TNT's new drama series, Raising the Bar, premiered Labor Day and set a new record with ad-supported cable's largest audience ever � 8.6 million viewers and 6.3 million households � for a new series launch.

� The premiere of Raising the Bar also ranked as ad-supported cable's top series launch for the year among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54.

� Raising the Bar averaged 3.2 million viewers for its first season.

TNT's latest drama series, Leverage, premiered Sunday, Dec. 8, and was watched by 5 million viewers.

� Leverage scored TNT's best delivery ever of adults 18-49 (2.1 million) for an original series telecast during the broadcast season.

The TNT original movie The Librarian: Curse of the Judas Chalis scored big numbers for its December premiere. It was watched by more than 5.4 million viewers.

On the sports front, TNT's 2007-08 coverage of the NBA garnered double-digit growth across the board, with viewers up 12%, adults 18-34 up 29%, adults 18-49 up 25%, adults 25-54 up 26%, men 18-34 up 39%, men 18-49 up 29% and men 25-54 up 26%.

� TNT's Feb. 17 coverage of the 2008 NBA All-Star Game on TNT delivered terrific key demo growth among adults 18-34 (+18%), adults 18-49 (+5%), men 18-34 (+20%) and men 18-49 (+5%). The adult and men 18-34 deliveries were TNT's best since the 2005 NBA All Star Game.

� NBA All-Star Saturday Night on TNT was the most watched in the event's 23-year history. The festivities saw increases among viewers (+7%), adults 18-34 (+13%), adults 18-49 (+13%), men 18-34 (+17%) and men 18-49 (+15%).

� TNT's coverage of the 2008 NBA Playoffs was especially strong in audience delivery this year, with the playoff averages showing year-over-year growth among households (+15%), viewers (+14%), adults 18-34 (+25%), adults 18-49 (+22%), adults 25-54 (+24%), men 18-34 (+30%), men 18-49 (+23%) and men 25-54 (+22%).

Turner Network Television (TNT), one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama and home to such original series as the acclaimed and highly popular detective drama The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; Saving Grace, starring Holly Hunter; Raising the Bar, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Gloria Reuben and Jane Kaczmarek; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; and Trust Me, with Eric McCormack and Tom Cavanagh. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Cold Case, Law & Order, Without a Trace, ER and Charmed; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards�; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is available in high-definition.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

All claims are based on Live + 7 data when available. All other claims are based on Live + Same Day data.

Year-to-Date Ratings Period: 12/31/07-12/7/08





  [december 2008]  
S
M
T
W
T
F
S
 


· CLOSER, THE (TNT)
· LEVERAGE (TNT)
· LIBRARIAN 3, THE: CURSE OF THE JUDAS CHALICE (TNT)
· RAISING THE BAR (TNT)
· SAVING GRACE (TNT)





most recent ratings | view all posts
[05/27/26 - 03:13 PM]
FOX Saturday Baseball Draws Strong Audience Over Holiday Weekend
2,355,000 viewers tuned in to the two-game slate highlighted by the Dodgers' 11-3 victory over the Brewers in most of the country.

[05/26/26 - 12:03 PM]
"Off Campus" Season 1 Has Reached 36 Million Viewers Worldwide in Its First 12 Days
Off Campus. On everyone's screen.

[05/26/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of May 18 - In Ruthless Pursuit, "Nemesis" Steals No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
Retirement in "The Boroughs" is anything but sleepy as the Duffer Brothers-produced sci-fi series took No. 2 on the list with 5.6 million views.

[05/26/26 - 11:00 AM]
"Dutton Ranch" Is the Biggest Original Series Debut in Paramount+ History
In addition to its record-setting performance on Paramount+, "Dutton Ranch" is also the #1 streaming series according to Nielsen based on average audience for the week of May 11 according to preliminary data.

[05/21/26 - 02:32 PM]
ESPN Delivered Most-Watched NBA Eastern Conference Finals Game 1 Since 2018
The New York Knicks overtime victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers on May 19 generated an average audience of 7.1 million viewers and peaked with 8.87 million viewers at 10:45 p.m. ET.

[05/21/26 - 02:00 PM]
"Survivor" Historic 50th Season Concludes with Most-Watched Finale Since 2020
The season finale drew an average of 5.78 million viewers, based on Nielsen Preliminary panel only data.

[05/21/26 - 07:01 AM]
NBC Sports' 2026 SuperMotocross Coverage Delivers Viewership Gains and Milestones
The seven races featured on NBC and Peacock averaged a Total Audience Delivery (TAD) of 468,000 viewers on NBC and Peacock, up 8% vs. 2025.

[05/20/26 - 03:05 PM]
NBC and Peacock Deliver the Most-Watched Western Conference Finals Game 1 Ever for Monday's Spurs-Thunder Double Overtime Thriller
Coverage peaked with 12.0 million viewers from 11:30-11:43 p.m. ET for the second overtime and game's conclusion.

[05/20/26 - 03:04 PM]
ESPN Aired Its Most Viewed 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round of the Current Rights Deal
Collectively all 11 Second Round games, with nine airing on ESPN and two on ABC, delivered 2.2 million viewers, up 76% year-over-year.

[05/20/26 - 07:36 AM]
After Record-Setting 2025 Season, "Sunday Night Football" Finishes Fall-Spring TV Season as Primetime's No. 1 Show for Unprecedented 15th Consecutive Year
The series averaged 23.5 million viewers in 2025, marking the show's best-ever viewership - up nearly 1 million viewers from the prior record for the series set a decade ago (22.6 million in 2015 season) and an increase of 9% over the '24 season (21.6 million).

[05/19/26 - 02:52 PM]
Subway Series Delivers Second Most-Watched FOX Saturday Baseball Telecast of the Season
2,500,000 viewers tuned-in to the two-game slate highlighted by the Mets' 6-3 victory over the Yankees in most of the country.

[05/19/26 - 02:01 PM]
Netflix Viewership Peaks with Nearly 17 Million Global Viewers for MVP MMA's Rousey vs. Carano, Averaging 12.4 Million Viewers Across the Triple Main Event
In the US, the triple-main card averaged 9.3 million viewers, peaking at 11.6 million viewers during Rousey vs. Carano.

[05/19/26 - 12:01 PM]
Netflix Top 10: Week of May 11 - "The Roast of Kevin Hart" Heats Up to No. 1 in This Week's Top 10
True crime audiences also streamed the second season of "Worst Ex Ever," which rose to the No. 2 spot on the English TV list with 8.1 million views.

[05/19/26 - 07:07 AM]
TNT Sports Posts Its Most-Watched NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs Second Round Ever
Thursday's Game 5 of the Montreal/Buffalo series averaged 1.9 million viewers, making it the most-watched, Second Round, Game 5 on cable ever featuring a Canadian team.

[05/18/26 - 04:03 PM]
"The Rookie" Season 8 Finale Surges to Over 9 Million Total Viewers
Setting new records with its exceptional momentum this season, "The Rookie" finale earned an all-time streaming high for the series based on views over seven days on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.