TNT NBA Coverage Delivers Double-Digit Ratings Gains

Through 13 games of TNT's 2011-12 NBA regular-season schedule, the network continues to deliver double-digit gains versus last year's corresponding coverage. The NBA on TNT is averaging a 2.0 U.S. household rating (+66%), with 3,132,000 viewers (+67%) and 2,298,000 households (+62%).

Thursday's NBA on TNT doubleheader (Jan. 19) averaged a 2.0 U.S. HH rating (+82% from 1.1 for last year's doubleheader).

The first game of the network's doubleheader, Los Angeles Lakers vs. Miami Heat, delivered a 2.6 U.S. HH rating (up +117% from last year's corresponding coverage).

The game was ranked as the #1 television program for the day with men 18-34 and ad-supported cable's #1 program for the day with adults 25-54, men 18-34, men 18-49 and men 25-54. M18-34, M18-49, and M25-54.

Source: Nielsen Media Research, Based on Live+Same Day data. 2011-12 Season (12/25/11-1/19/12 - 13 games) vs. 2010-11 Season (12/30/11-1/20/11 - 10 games). Includes all TNT games.

NBA TV

Through the first three weeks of the network's 2011-12 regular-season schedule, NBA TV continues to experience significant double-digit increases compared to last season. The network is averaging 383,000 total viewers (+68%) and 293,000 households (+70%) for 22 games.

NBA TV's Tuesday Fan Night matchup (Jan. 17), featuring the San Antonio Spurs vs. Miami Heat, delivered 496,000 households, 675,000 total viewers and 138,000 men 18-34. The matchup was the most-watched Fan Night game of the 2011-12 regular season-to-date in delivery of households and total viewers.

TNT

TNT's acclaimed cop drama Southland returned for its fourth season last Tuesday. The episode has drawn 2.4 million viewers so far in Live + 3 (1.8 million Live + Same Day), with 1.1 million adults 18-49 (783,000 L+SD) and 1.1 million adults 25-54 (780,000 L+SD). From Live + Same Day to Live + 3, Southland's season 3 premiere has already grown 36% among total viewers and 42% among key adult demos.

Meanwhile, time-shifted viewing has grown the Jan. 8 episode of TNT's hit caper series Leverage to a final tally of 3.7 million viewers in Live + 7, 1.6 million adults 18-49 and 1.9 million adults 25-54.

Adult Swim

Among network programming highlights, Adult Swim's Robot Chicken (Sunday, 11:30 p.m.) earned double and triple-digit delivery gains compared to last year's time period: average adults 18-34 delivery (1,016,000) increased by 74%, adults 18-49 (1,327,000) by 48% and adults 18-24 (582,000) by 147%. Monday night's presentation of a premiere episode of Family Guy (11 p.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among adults 18-34, and saw adults 18-34 delivery (1,491,000) grow by 11%, adults 18-24 (882,000) by 17%, men 18-34 (910,000) by 8%, men 18-49 (1,154,000) by 2% and men 18-24 (535,000) by 14%.

Across the fourth week of January, Adult Swim ranked #1 on basic cable for Total Day Delivery of all young adult and young men demos - adults 18-34, adults 18-49, adults 18-24, men 18-34, men 18-49 and men 18-24. Compared to the same time period last year, average adults 18-34 delivery (540,000) increased by 1% and adults 18-24 (307,000) by 8%.

Adult Swim programming - including Family Guy, Robot Chicken and American Dad - accounted for 15 of the top 50 telecasts for the week on basic cable among adults 18-34 (more than any other network), and 23 of the top 50 among men 18-34, also more than any other network.

TBS

Marking its ninth consecutive week on top, TBS once again ranked as basic cable's #1 entertainment network with adults 18-34 in primetime. TBS also ranked as the #1 entertainment network with adults 18-49 in primetime for the fourth straight week.

The Big Bang Theory continued its explosive run on TBS, claiming 13 of basic cable's Top 15 sitcom telecasts for the week with total viewers, adults 18-34 and adults 18-49. In addition, five of last week's telecasts of the hit show drew 3 million viewers or more.

CONAN brought in 857,000 viewers; 338,000 adults 18-34; and 579,000 adults 18-49 in Live + Same Day deliveries last week. CONAN continues to show solid growth in January, with viewers up 16% and adults 18-49 up 12% compared to December. In time-shifted viewing, CONAN grew its audience for the week of Jan. 2 to a final tally of 1.2 million; 469,000 adults 18-34; and 807,000 adults 18-49.

truTV

truTV once again enjoyed outstanding performances from its original series as the network ranked as a Top 10 basic cable network with men 18-49 in primetime. The network earned solid growth across the board, with adults 18-34 up 8%, adults 18-49 up 10%, men 18-34 up 13% and men 18-49 up 9%, compared to the same week last year.

Delivering its most watched episode ever, truTV's Storage Hunters delivered more than 2.5 million viewers and 1.1 million adults 18-49. The show scored a solid Top 5 ranking among ad-supported cable programs in its Tuesday 9:30 p.m. timeslot with viewers, adults 18-49 and men 18-49.

Wednesday at 9 p.m., truTV's hit series Full Throttle Saloon guzzled 1.8 million viewers and ranked as ad-supported cable's #2 show in its timeslot among adults 18-49 and men 18-49. The show also ranked among ad-supported cable's Top 5 programs in its time period with viewers, adults 18-34 and men 18-34, the latter delivery ranking as the show's biggest ever.

truTV's success last week also included new episodes of the original series Lizard Lick Towing (2.1 million viewers Monday at 10 p.m.); Hardcore Pawn (2.8 million viewers Tuesday at 9 p.m.); Black Gold (1.3 million viewers Wednesday at 10 p.m.); World's Dumbest... (1.4 million viewers Thursday at 9 p.m.); and Impractical Jokers (a series-best 1.6 million viewers Thursday at 10 p.m.). And on Friday, truTV's acquired series Wipeout drew 1.7 million viewers in primetime. All six series ranked among the Top 5 ad-supported cable programs in their respective timeslots with key demos.

Cartoon Network

Powered by the new animated action-adventure series Ninjago (8 p.m.), Cartoon Network's Wednesday night (7-9 p.m.) ranked as television's #1 network for boys 6-11 & 2-11 (and #1 on basic cable for boys 9-14). The block earned significant double-digit delivery gains across the board vs. last year's time period - average kids 6-11 delivery (763,000) increased by 71%, kids 2-11 (1,118,000) by 83%, kids 9-14 (568,000) by 62%, boys 6-11 (535,000) by 59%, boys 2-11 (725,000) by 65% and boys 9-14 (413,000) by 65%. Ninjago ranked as the #1 telecast of the day among boys 6-11 on all TV, and boys 9-14 on basic cable. It also was #1 in its time period among kids 6-11 & 2-11 on basic cable, earning strong double-digit delivery gains across targeted kids/boys demos ranging between 51% - 98%.

Overall, Cartoon Network's early evening prime time (M-Su, 7-9 p.m.) posted dramatic double-digit gains across all kids demos vs. the same time period last year - average kids 6-11 delivery (669,000) increased by 22%, kids 2-11 (1,003,000) by 21% and kids 9-14 (542,000) by 40%. Total Day weekly delivery also grew by 10% among kids 9-14. In addition to Wednesday night claims, Cartoon Network earned television's #1 network ranking in early prime among boys 2-11 & 9-14 on all TV on Monday night, Tuesday night and Friday night; and the #1 network among all boys on Thursday night.

Monday night comedies (7-9 p.m.) once again propelled Cartoon Network to the #1 destination on all broadcast & cable television among boys 2-11 & 9-14. Adventure Time (7 p.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among all boy demos, posting mostly double-digit delivery gains across kids and boys vs. the same time period last year. A following new episode of Adventure Time (7:30 p.m.) charted mostly double-digit delivery gains as well across kids and boys, ranging between 7% - 34%.

Friday night's winning original animated series presentations were highlighted by MAD (6 p.m.), which ranked #1 in its time period among boys 6-11 & 9-14, and The Looney Tunes Show (6:30 p.m.) which earned solid double-digit delivery gains among all kids vs. last year's time period - kids 6-11 (548,000) grew by 24%, kids 2-11 (782,000) by 26% and kids 9-14 (397,000) by 29%. Encore airings of Adventure Time (7 p.m.), Ninjago (7:30 p.m.) and Star Wars: The Clone Wars (8 p.m.) each achievEd Strong delivery gains across all kids and boys demos compared to the same time period last year.

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