The following press release was issued by the USA Network.
USA DELIVERS BEST WEEK OF 2010
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – December 16, 2010 –USA Network had its best week of the year, boasting 2010 network highs and the week’s top deliveries for cable entertainment networks among P25-54 (1.60 million, +43% over #2 FAM), P18-49 (1.50 million, +25% over #2 FAM), P18-34 (693,000, +8% over #2 FAM), and total viewers (3.58 million, +25% over #2 DSNY) earning the top household coverage rating in basic cable entertainment prime, as well (2.56, +0.57 over #2 DSNY).
USA was the only entertainment network to average over 1.5 million P25-54, 1.5 million P18-49, 3 million total viewers or 2 million households in cable prime this week. USA was also the top cable entertainment network in this week’s total day among P25-54 (679,000, 18% over #2 TNT) and P18-49 (687,000, 6% over #2 NICK).
Burn Notice had its strongest night this season to date, breaking 2 million P25-54 (2.12 million) and P18-49 (2.02 million) for the first time STD and bringing in season highs among P18-34 (1.04 million) and total viewers (4.34 million). The USA Original was the #1 entertainment telecast in cable’s prime Thursday night, the top scripted original series of the week, and the only one of these to deliver over 2 million P25-54, 2 million P18-49 or 1 million P18-34.
PSYCH delivered more P18-34 (783,000) than anything else on cable Wednesday night and was the most watched scripted hour of the night among P25-54 (1.34 million) and P18-49 (1.46 million). No competitor delivered a scripted hour to more total viewers (3.09 million) or households (2.21 million) than the series.
Indiana Jones uncovered big numbers for USA this week, delivering year-to-date high movie numbers for the network first on Saturday with “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade” and then on Sunday with a commercial-free “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” “Crystal Skull” was the year’s most watched cable theatrical among P25-54 (2.29 million) and the year’s most watched live-action theatrical among P18-49 (2.18 million), total viewers (4.70 million) and households (3.28 million). It was also USA’s most watched movie since 2008 among P25-54, P18-49, total viewers and households, and since 2009 in P18-34.
Last week’s MONDAY NIGHT RAW delivered more P18-34 (1.14 million) than any episode of the franchise has since 4/26/10. In the 10pm hour, RAW was the top entertainment option for P18-34, M18-34 and M18-49.
LAW & ORDER: Special Victims Unit and NCIS were the top two acquired series on cable this week among P25-54 (SVU 1.20 million / NCIS 1 million), total viewers (2.83 million / 3.26 million) and households (2.27 million / 2.59 million). SVU was also the top acquired series of the week among P18-49 (1.21 million) and the top acquired drama among P18-34 (601,000) with NCIS ranking as the #2 acquired drama in P18-49 (748,000). These were the only acquired series to deliver over 1 million P25-54, 2.5 million total viewers or 2 million households and the only acquired dramas to draw over 1 million P18-49 or half a million P18-34.
USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 102 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.