SHARK TANK Delivers CNBC's Biggest Primetime Audience in 5 Years

The premiere of CNBC's Shark Tank TUESDAYS delivered CNBC's biggest Primetime audience in five years. CNBC posted its best Primetime average since December 2008: 596,000 total viewers from 8PM-11PM ET, with 3.5 million unique viewers on the night. The 9PM Shark Tank telecast, which tallied 685,000 total viewers, 376,000 adults 18-49 viewers, and 365,000 adults 25-54, was CNBC's most-watched telecast in each of these demos in more than three years.

SHARK TANK's off-network launch Tuesdays on CNBC also drew a young audience to the network, averaging 328,000 adults 18-49 and 299,000 adults 25-54 viewers during Primetime hours. Both averages were CNBC's best since December 2010. Among cable news networks, CNBC ranked #1 in Primetime among adults 18-49.

Next week on Shark Tank TUESDAYS (every Tuesday from 8PM-12AM ET on CNBC), a winemaker from Oregon pitches a game-changing new product that could revolutionize the wine industry. After walking away with a deal on the table, he makes Shark Tank HISTORY by returning to the Tank for another chance at the American dream. Follow his story across multiple episodes next Tuesday, January 14th from 8PM-12AM ET on CNBC.

The critically-acclaimed business-themed reality series features the sharks -- tough, self-made, multi-millionaire and billionaire tycoons - who give budding entrepreneurs the chance to make their dreams come true and potentially secure business deals that could make them millionaires. The sharks include billionaire Mark Cuban, owner and chairman of AXS TV and outspoken owner of the 2011 NBA championship Dallas Mavericks; real estate mogul Barbara Corcoran; "Queen of QVC" Lori Greiner; technology innovator Robert Herjavec; fashion and branding expert Daymond John; and venture capitalist Kevin O'Leary.

Mark Burnett, Clay Newbill and Phil Gurin are the executive producers of SHARK TANK, which is based on the Japanese "Dragons' Den" format created by Nippon Television Network Corporation. The series is produced by Sony Pictures Television.

For more information, visit: http://www.cnbc.com/shark-tank. Like us on Facebook: http://facebook.com/cnbcprime and follow us on Twitter: @CNBCprimeTV and Instagram: @CNBCprime.

Source: Nielsen. 1/7/14. Live + Same Day average audience. 8PM-11PM. Biggest P2+ average audience since 12/31/08, excluding sports and specials. Unique viewers: 1-minute reach qualifier. Biggest A25-54 and A18-49 average audience since 12/8/10, excluding sports and specials. Most-watched telecast since 12/8/10 (CNBC original documentary "Marijuana USA"). Network rankings based on average audience in thousands.

About CNBC

With CNBC in the U.S., CNBC in Asia Pacific, CNBC in Europe, Middle East and Africa, CNBC World and CNBC HD , CNBC is the recognized world leader in business news and provides real-time financial market coverage and business information to more than 395 million homes worldwide, including more than 100 million households in the United States and Canada. CNBC also provides daily business updates to 400 million households across China. The network's 16 live hours a day of business programming in North America (weekdays from 4:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. ET) is produced at CNBC's global headquarters in Englewood Cliffs, N.J., and includes reports from CNBC News bureaus worldwide.

CNBC also has a vast portfolio of digital products which deliver real-time financial market news and information across a variety of platforms. These include CNBC.com, the online destination for global business; CNBC PRO, the premium, integrated desktop/mobile service that provides real-time global market data and live access to CNBC global programming; and a suite of CNBC Mobile products including the CNBC Real-Time iPhone and iPad Apps.