TNT on Track to Win First Place Among Key Adult Demo in 2010; Network Achieves 6% Overall Audience Growth
December 15, 2010
TNT is riding a wave of high-profile original programming, acquired dramas and world-class sports coverage to reclaim the network's throne as basic cable's #1 network in total day among its key demographic: adults 25-54. TNT is also delivering 6% growth among total viewers and is the top-ranked 24-hour network among adults 18-49 in total day. TNT's 2010 highlights include the powerhouse hits The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles, both of which averaged more than 8 million viewers to rank as basic cable's top two series of all time. Also in 2010, TNT scored extraordinary growth for its coverage of the NBA, as well as for its popular daytime lineup of acquired dramas.
"This has been an extraordinary year for TNT, which was home to some of television's biggest success stories of 2010," said Michael Wright, executive vice president and head of programming for TNT, TBS and Turner Classic Movies (TCM). "We are extremely proud of what we accomplished this year, which included not only tremendous ratings victories but also critical acclaim and a long-deserved Emmy� for The Closer'sKyra Sedgwick. We look forward to taking TNT to even greater heights in the coming year."
Last week, TNT announced that The Closer will wrap up its phenomenal run with a seventh and final season in 2011. The year will include new seasons of Rizzoli & Isles, Leverage, HawthoRNe and Memphis Beat, as well as the acclaimed drama Southland, which returns for its third season in January. TNT's new originals in 2011 include Falling Skies, the Steven Spielberg-produced alien-invasion series starring Noah Wyle, and Franklin & Bash, a light-hearted legal series starring Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer. New on the sports front for 2011, TNT will share coverage of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament with truTV, TBS and CBS.
2010 Ratings Highlights:
· TNT grew its overall audience 6% in 2010 and ranks as basic cable's #1 network in total day delivery of adults 25-54 (651,000). TNT also ranks as the #1 full-time network in total day delivery of adults 18-49 (615,000).
· TNT's slate of original series reached new heights, with The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles leading the pack as basic cable's top two series of all time. For the first time, one network claimed two original series averaging more than 8 million viewers. The two shows also accounted for 18 of basic cable's Top 50 telecasts of the year in total audience delivery.
· In its sixth season, The Closer showed no signs of slowing down. The series, which earned star Kyra Sedgwick an Emmy this year, is averaging 8.6 million viewers and ranks a close second behind Rizzoli & Isles among basic cable's top original series of the year. With this performance, The Closer's current season is the best in the history of the series, topping the previous high point of 8.1 million viewers for the third season.
· Rizzoli & Isles burst out of the starting gate with basic cable's biggest series launch ever, with more than 9 million viewers. The drama immediately established itself as basic cable's #1 new series, with a first-season average of 8.8 million viewers.
· TNT's new drama Memphis Beat (4.7 million viewers) was one of basic cable's Top 10 new series of the summer and among the Top 20 original series overall for the year. Leverage (4.5 million viewers) also ranked among basic cable's Top 20 original series for the year, while also scoring growth among key demos in its new Sunday timeslot. HawthoRNe (3.7 million viewers) was one of cable's top scripted series among women. Men of a Certain Age, one of basic cable's top new series, recently returned for its second season, scoring 2.4 million viewers in its premiere episode.
· TNT's daytime lineup (9 a.m.-7 p.m.), which includes such popular series as Supernatural, Charmed and Las Vegas, has delivered outstanding growth this year. The block's delivery of adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 are both up 6% compared to 2009.
· The NBA on TNT continues to deliver strong ratings and audiences for the network, showing impressive gains in ratings, households, total viewers and all key demos. Through the first 14 games of the season, the network's coverage has grown an extraordinary 45% in total viewers (2,846,000 vs. 1,965,000) and 41% in household delivery (2,094,000 vs. 1,488,000). Coming off three consecutive years of NBA regular-season growth, this season's coverage on TNT has grown more than 50% among adults 18-34 and 18-49 and more than 40% among men 18-34 and 18-49. This year, TNT also claimed two of the Top 3 NBA telecasts in cable history.
· TNT will once again air more than 40 NBA Playoff games this postseason, including exclusive coverage of the NBA's Eastern Conference Finals.
About TNT
TNT, one of cable's top-rated networks, is television's destination for drama. Seen in 100.4 million households, the network is home to such original series as The Closer, starring Emmy� winner Kyra Sedgwick; Rizzoli & Isles, starring Angie Harmon and Sasha Alexander; Leverage, starring Timothy Hutton; HawthoRNe, with Jada Pinkett Smith; Memphis Beat, with Jason Lee; Men of a Certain Age, with Ray Romano, Andre Braugher and Scott Bakula; and Southland, from Emmy�-winning producer John Wells (ER); as well as the upcoming Falling Skies, starring Noah Wyle, and Franklin & Bash, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar and Breckin Meyer. TNT also presents such powerful dramas as Bones, Supernatural, Las Vegas, Law & Order, CSI: NY, Cold Case and Numb3rs; broadcast premiere movies; compelling primetime specials, such as the Screen Actors Guild Awards� and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR, the NBA and the NCAA men's basketball tournament. 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.
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