It’s Eight for the Record Books as TNT Scores Best Year Ever for an Ad-Supported Cable Network

December 29, 2005, With final numbers now in for the 2005 ratings year, TNT has scored an overwhelming eight cable and ad-supported cable records, including one for its hit, Golden Globe-nominated original series THE CLOSER, according to data from Nielsen Media Research. Meanwhile, sister network TBS scored a triumph by winning the prime time race for adults 18-34.

The following is a complete list of the ad-supported cable records TNT secured this year:

- Best-ever annual prime time delivery of adults 18-49 for an ad-supported cable network (1,165,000)

- Best-ever annual prime time delivery of adults 25-54 for an ad-supported cable network (1,240,000)

- Best-ever annual prime time delivery of persons 2+ for a cable network (2,570,000)

- Best-ever annual prime time delivery of households for a cable network (1,963,000)

- Best-ever annual total day delivery of adults 18-49 for an ad-supported cable network (674,000)

- Best-ever annual total day delivery of adults 25-54 for a cable network (692,000)

- Best-ever household delivery for an original scripted series telecast on ad-supported cable: THE CLOSER (Monday, June 13, 10 p.m. series premiere – 5,259,000)

- Best-ever household delivery for a NASCAR race on cable (Sunday, July 24, coverage of the Nextel Cup Race at Pocono – 5,137,000)

“TNT is not only leading ad-supported cable with its incredible performance each year, it’s rewriting the book on the industry,” said Steve Koonin, executive vice president and chief executive officer for TNT and TBS. “The network has clearly tapped into the mindset of today’s television viewers and given them the kind of spectacular, high-quality drama they crave. And we are already working hard to ensure we keep on our winning track in the year to come, with another season of THE CLOSER, the premiere of the eagerly anticipated anthology series NIGHTMARES & DREAMSCAPES: FROM THE STORIES OF STEPHEN KING and several other high-profile original projects we have in the works.”

This year marks the fourth consecutive year TNT has topped ad-supported cable in prime among key adult demos, and the third consecutive year the network has been #1 in prime among households and persons 2+ and total day among key adult demos. The network also claimed its fifth consecutive year of growth in both prime and total day delivery of key demos, persons 2+ and households.

The following is a list of TNT’s 2005 successes:

- For the fourth consecutive year, TNT ranks as ad-supported cable’s #1 network in prime time among adults 18-49 (1,165,000) and adults 25-54 (1,240,000), beating the second-place network by 9 percent among adults 18-49 and 14 percent among adults 25-54.

- For the third consecutive year, TNT ranks #1 among persons 2+ (2,570,000) and households (1,963,000) in prime time, beating the second-place network by 10 percent among persons 2+ and 11 percent among households. Also for the third consecutive year, TNT ranks #1 among adults 18-49 (674,000) and adults 25-54 (692,000) in total day.

- TNT has clocked five consecutive years of growth in both prime and total-day delivery of adults 18-49, adults 25-54, persons 2+ and households.

- TNT’s original crime drama THE CLOSER, starring Golden Globe nominee Kyra Sedgwick, ranks as ad-supported cable’s #1 new original series of the year among adults 18-49 (1,935,000), adults 25-54 (2,380,000), persons 2+ (5,451,000) and households (4,005,000). Overall, the series’ first season averaged a 3.7 national household rating (4.5 coverage rating).

- TNT’s epic six-week television event INTO THE WEST, from DreamWorks Television and executive producer Steven Spielberg, ranks as ad-supported cable’s #2 new original series (behind THE CLOSER) of the year among persons 2+ (4,522,000) and households (3,176,000). It also ranks among ad-supported cable’s top five new original series of the year among adults 25-54 (1,746,000) and top 10 new original series among adults 18-49 (1,355,000). Overall, it was watched by more than 81 million different viewers.

TNT’s sister network TBS also celebrated a banner year, ranking as ad-supported cable’s #1 network among adults 18-34 in prime time (298,000), scoring a personal best for the network in that category. The success of television’s “very funny” network, which this year unseated MTV in this key advertiser demo, also claimed ad-supported cable’s top four sitcoms among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54, with Sex and the City leading as #1 in both demos.

Turner Network Television (TNT), television’s destination for drama and one of cable’s top-rated networks, offers original movies and series, including the detective drama series The Closer, starring Kyra Sedgwick; the action-packed crime series Wanted, with Gary Cole; and next year’s eagerly anticipated anthology series Nightmares & Dreamscapes: From the Stories of Stephen King. TNT is also home to powerful one-hour dramas, such as Law & Order, Without a Trace, Alias, Las Vegas, Cold Case, ER, NYPD Blue, Charmed, Judging Amy and Angel; broadcast premiere movies; and championship sports coverage, including NASCAR and the NBA. TNT is also available in high-definition.

TBS is television’s “very funny” network, serving as home to such hot contemporary comedies as Sex and the City, Everybody Loves Raymond, Family Guy, Seinfeld and Friends; original comedy series and specials, such as Daisy Does America and Funniest Commercials of the Year: 2005; blockbuster movies; and hosted movie showcases.

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

2005 Ratings Period: 12/27/04-12/25/05
Source: Turner Research from Nielsen Media Research data. Prime time is M-Su 8-11pm. Total Day reflects total programming hours for each network as reported by Nielsen. The following networks do not program the entire M-Su 6a-6a daypart: A&E, ABC Fam, ADSM, Bio, CMDY, CNBC, Court TV, Discovery, ENT, FX, FOOD, GAME, HIST, HGTV, Lifetime, NAN, NGC, NICK, OXY, HALL, TLC, TSOU, WE, WGN and SPIKE. All ratings based on Total U.S. Television Universe of 109,600,000 homes. Movie rankings include all ad-supported program telecasts coded as feature films in Nielsen Media Research systems. (Data for Sunday 3 a.m.-6 a.m. not yet available.)

Contact Information

Sal Petruzzi

Time Warner Inc.

Contact via E-mail