Metalocalypse Scores as Adult Swim’s 2006 Best Original Series Premiere

August 08, 2006, Adult Swim’s newest original series, Metalocalypse, premiered Sunday, Aug. 6, at 11:45 p.m., earning the network’s best premiere delivery and ratings to date in 2006, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research. The brainchild of series creators Brendon Small and Tommy Blacha, Metalocalypse ranked #1 in its time period among adults and men 18-24 and men 18-34. The premiere also charted strong double-digit delivery and ratings gains among all targeted young adult demos. Highlights of Metalocalypse’s performance vs. the previous four weeks’ time period average include the following:

Metalocalypse Premiere (11:45 p.m.-12 a.m.)

* -- Adults 18-34 delivery (690,000) increased by 26 %, and ratings (1.0) by 25%
* -- Adults 18-24 delivery (449,000) jumped by 32%, and ratings (1.6) by 33%
* -- Men 18-34 delivery (456,000) expanded by 24%, and ratings (1.4) by 27%
* -- Men 18-24 delivery (344,000) improved by 29%, and ratings (2.4) by 26%
* -- Women 18-34 delivery (234,000) advanced by 31%, and ratings (0.7) by 40%
* -- Women 18-24 delivery (105,000) leapt by 42%, and ratings (0.8) by 60%



Among the top ad-supported basic cable programs of the week, Metalocalypse ranked #12 among men 18-34 and #6 among men 18-24. The series premiere ranked #30 for the week among adults 18-34.

For the band Dethklok, the world is full of darkness, pain, destruction and death. Not to mention groupies and ear-shattering heavy metal and piles of cash. Metalocalypse is the new Adult Swim animated series that follows the exploits of Dethklok, the world’s most popular band and most significant cultural force. The band members—Nathan Explosion, Skwisgaar Skwigelf, Toki Wartooth, Pickles and William Murderface—are also incredibly selfish and stupid, and they create a wave of mayhem, death and destruction wherever they go.

Tommy Blacha and Brendon Small are the co-creators and executive producers of Metalocalypse. Blacha is a veteran comedy writer, having worked on Andy Richter Controls the Universe, Late Night with Conan O’Brien and Da Ali G Show, among others. He formerly served as creative director for World Wrestling Entertainment and as a promoter for Mixed Martial Arts Fighting. Brendon Small is the co-creator, music writer and one of the lead voice actors of Metalocalypse. This is the second Adult Swim series for Small; he was the co-creator and co-writer of the Adult Swim series Home Movies, for which he also composed music.

Adult Swim (AdultSwim.com), launched in 2001, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s network offering original and acquired animated comedy and action series for young adults. Airing overnights six days a week for a total of 45 hours weekly, Adult Swim shares channel space with Cartoon Network, home to the best in original, classic and acquired programming for children and families, and is seen in 89 million U.S. homes.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.

RATING PERIOD: 7/31/06 – 8/06/06
SOURCE: Turner Entertainment Research from Preliminary Nielsen Media Research data, based on most current data available (Live+SD). Complete and final data (Live+7) will be available in two weeks. These television ratings data are reproduced here with permission from Nielsen Media Research. Reproduction of these data in volume, without permission from Nielsen Media Research, is prohibited.
NOTES: All ratings based on Total U.S. Television Universe of 110,200,000 homes.

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James Anderson

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

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