The following press release was issued by TNA:
USA #1 FOR RECORD-SETTING FIFTH YEAR
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – December 9, 2010 – USA is about to clinch the title as most watched cable network in 2010, extending its streak at #1 to an unprecedented 5 consecutive years among ad-supported networks, for P18-49, P25-54 and total viewers.
With data thru Sunday 12/5, USA delivered more P18-49 (1.23 million, 11% over #2 ESPN), P25-54 (1.33 million, +21% over #2 ESPN), total viewers (3.14 million, +22% over #2 Disney Channel), and households (2.37 million, +27% over #2 Disney Channel) in primetime than any other cable network, as well as earning the year’s highest household coverage rating (2.38, +0.50 over #2 Disney Channel). No other network was able to deliver over 3 million total viewers or 2 million households this year.
In 2010, USA continued its tradition of presenting the most successful portfolio of scripted entertainment on ad-supported cable in every demo, delivering at least half of the top ten shows among P18-34, P18-49, P25-54, total viewers, and households.
BURN NOTICE and ROYAL PAINS were cable’s top two scripted series Thursday nights across the board, delivering the most P25-54 (Royal Pains #1 3.50 million / Burn Notice #2 3.26 million), P18-49 (RP #1 3.10 million / BN #2 3.04 million), P18-34 (BN #1 1.39 million / RP #2 1.30 million), total viewers (RP #1 7.33 million / BN #2 6.69 million), and households (RP #1 5.16 million / BN #2 4.67 million).
When USA aired Burn Notice Thursdays at 10pm in 1Q and 4Q, it was the #1 network on television, broadcast or cable, in delivering M18-34, while delivering more P18-34 than CBS and more M18-49, M25-54, and total males than ABC.
Over the summer, Burn Notice made USA second only to ABC in all of television in delivering total viewers, M18-34, M18-49, M25-54, and total males when it aired Thursdays at 9pm, while outperforming CBS among P18-34, P18-49, and P25-54.
ROYAL PAINS was the only scripted series in basic cable prime to deliver over 3.5 million P25-54 this summer. Only Burn Notice and Lie To Me delivered more M18-49 (1.40 million) than ROYAL PAINS to an ad-supported scripted series this summer.
When the network aired ROYAL PAINS Thursdays at 10P this summer, USA was second only to ABC in all of television, broadcast or cable, in the hour among P18-49 and P25-54; it also bested every network except ABC and MTV among P18-34.
COVERT AFFAIRS was the #1 new series on cable this summer among P18-49 (2.97 million) and the year’s top scripted fare Tuesday nights on cable among P25-54 (3.22 million), P18-49 (2.97 million), total viewers (7.05 million) and households (5.07 million). No other scripted series on cable delivered over 3 million P25-54, 6 million total viewers, or 4 million households this year on Tuesday nights. Head to head, COVERT AFFAIRS was second only to NBC in delivering P18-49, P25-54, total viewers and households when it aired Tuesdays at 10pm over the summer, while delivering more P18-34 than either ABC or CBS.
PSYCH’s move to Wednesday nights in 2010 attracted the biggest P18-34 audience ever in the five year history of the series, breaking one million viewers in the demo for the first time ever (1.12 million) as well as hitting a series high for a yearly average among M18-49 (1.10 million). When USA aired PSYCH in 2010, more M18-34 came to the network than any other network on television, broadcast or cable, except for “South-Park”-driven Comedy Central. PSYCH beat CBS head-to-head among P18-34 and M18-49 and outperformed ABC in its Wednesday 10pm timeslot this year among P18-34, P18-49, M25-54 and total males.
WHITE COLLAR had a great year as cable’s top scripted series in its Tuesday 9pm timeslot this year. The series averaged 2.41 million in P25-54, 2.29 million in P18-49, 1.09 million in P18-34, 5.38 million total viewers and 3.86 million households in 2010. WHITE COLLAR returned in the summer to one of the season’s most competitive timeslots but outperformed ABC and CBS head-to-head Tuesdays at 9pm in delivering P18-34, beating CBS among P18-49 and M25-54 and ABC in total viewers and F25-54.
WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW made USA the #1 entertainment network on cable Mondays 9-11pm in 2010 among P18-34, P18-49, P25-54, total viewers and households, coming in second only to FOX among all entertainment networks, broadcast or cable, in delivering M18-34 and outperforming ABC in its timeslot among M18-49 and M25-54. RAW was the most watched series airing weekly throughout 2010, averaging 2.44 million in P25-54, 2.47 million in P18-49, 1.14 million in P18-34, 5.08 million total viewers and 3.47 million households for the year.
USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 98.5 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.