FOOD NETWORK DISHES HIGHEST RATINGS EVER IN AUGUST, BEST PERFORMANCE IN SCRIPPS NETWORKS HISTORY

The Next Food Network Star, Chopped and Best Thing I Ever Ate Drive Success

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE - Food Network posted its highest-rated, most-watched month ever this year during August, breaking Scripps Networks records with a .6 adults 25-54 rating, and 636,000 viewers for the month. This outpaced July 2009, the network's previous record holder, by an impressive 20 percent in ratings, 12 percent in viewership. Food Network's .6 rating tied for fifth place among ad supported cable nets during August 2009. August also saw Food Network's highest impression levels ever among adults 18-49, surpassing last month�s record highs with 592,000, and tying July 2009 as the network's highest-rated month with a .5 rating.

Driving the success was the unprecedented success of The Next Food Network Star, plus other new breakout hits like Chopped and Best Thing I Ever Ate. The Next Food Network Star: Season 5 (6/7/09-8/2/09) was watched by a cumulative total of 16 million adults 25-54 and 32 million total viewers 2+. The series ended with a 2.1 household rating and 1.4 adults 25-54 rating for its premiere plays on Sundays at 9pm, up 14 percent in households and 8 percent in adults 25-54, making it the highest-rated series in Food Network history. The finale on Sunday, August 2, 2009, was number one with viewers across all cable and broadcast, attracting an average of 4.7 million viewers on a total viewer 2+ basis, and 2.4 million adults 25-54. The program posted a 2.2 adults 25-54 rating, a six percent increase over the season four finale and a 3.3 household rating, up 11 percent over last season. The finale smashed all records for Food Network, becoming the highest-rated, most-watched telecast in its history.

The new season of Chopped delivered solid ratings this summer, posting a .7 adults 25-54 rating within its Tuesday 10pm time slot. The series is outperforming its year ago time period delivery, up by 75 percent. Best Thing I Ever Ate is also a hit on Tuesdays, averaging a .60 adults 25-54 rating at 9:30pm. The new series is doubling prior year delivery among adults 25-54 and is up over recent levels by 50 percent.