Raw has best summer since 2001

BURN NOTICE #1 SCRIPTED SERIES IN ALL OF TELEVISION

ROYAL PAINS TOP ROOKIE SERIES FOR 2009

NEW YORK, NEW YORK September 1, 2009 USA made television history by delivering the best summer ever in all of basic cable in P25-54 (1.64 million), P18-49 (1.455 million), P18-34 (617,000), total viewers (3.6 million) and households (2.67 million) in prime. With August 2009 data, USA now has 12 consecutive months of each month beating all previous records for the network in P25-54, P18-49, total viewers and households. The network’s record performance was driven by outstanding performances from original series, including Burn Notice, the top-rated scripted series in all of television — broadcast or cable, including pay-TV — in P25-54.

In summer prime , USA was the most watched cable network by wide margins, delivering the most P25-54 (+45% over #2 TNT), P18-49 (+48% over #2 TNT), P18-34 (+18% over #2 TBS), total viewers (+23% over #2 Disney Channel) and households (+28% over #2 Disney Channel); it also earned the highest household coverage rating in basic cable prime (2.71, +0.5 over #2 Disney Channel). USA was the only network to deliver over 1.5 million in P25-54, 1 million in P18-49, 3 million total viewers, or 2.5 million households in Summer 2009

USA registered victories over Broadcast in over 200 primetime (M-Su 8P-11P) hours this month, with new original episodes of BURN NOTICE, ROYAL PAINS, LAW & ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT, IN PLAIN SIGHT, MONK, and PSYCH, WWE’s MONDAY NIGHT RAW, hit movies and episodes of the top acquired series on cable: NCIS, HOUSE and LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICITIMS UNIT.

USA continues to out-perform The CW, more than tripling the broadcaster’s performance among P25-54 (+151%) and total viewers (+152%), and more than doubling The CW’s P18-49 (+147%) and P18-34 (+139%) audiences this summer.

Television’s top scripted series this summer, broadcast or cable (basic and pay), was BURN NOTICE, delivering more P25-54 (3.72 million), and total male viewers (3.91 million) than any other scripted series airing new episodes, including HBO’s hit series True Blood. Among P18-49, Burn Notice was the summer’s #1 scripted series on ad-supported television. The season finale of Burn Notice averaged 9.1 million total viewers and 4.4 million in P25-54, making it USA’s top original series telecast of all time in those key demos.

BURN NOTICE delivered over 8 million total viewers three times this season, a benchmark never before exceeded by a USA original series. BURN NOTICE Season 3 was the most watched season of a USA Original series ever, delivering more P25-54, P18-49, P18-34, total viewers, and households than any single season performance for the network.

ROYAL PAINS is the most watched new cable series of the year in P25-54, P18-49, total viewers, and households and the top new scripted series in P18-34. It is also USA’s most-watched first season of an original series ever. With the launch of Royal Pains in 2009, USA can boast the year’s top-rated new cable series for the fourth year in a row.

ROYAL PAINS was second only to BURN NOTICE in all of television — broadcast or cable — among this summer’s scripted series with new episodes in P25-54 (3.4 million) and total males (3.21 million). BURN NOTICE was the summer’s only ad-supported scripted series with new episodes delivering more P18-49 than ROYAL PAINS (2.98 million).

On nights the network ran ROYAL PAINS Thursdays at 10P, USA was the most watched television network, broadcast or cable, in P18-49 and P18-34 delivery, while placing second only to CBS among P25-54, total viewers, and households.

PSYCH and MONK were the top Friday night series on cable this summer in P18-49 (Psych 1.93 million / Monk 1.92 million). MONK was the #1 cable series Fridays this summer among P25-54 (2.375 million) and total viewers (5.68 million) while PSYCH was the most watched cable series on Fridays in P18-34 (873,000), placing second only to MONK in scripted series for P25-54 (2.21 million).

IN PLAIN SIGHT was the top ad-supported scripted television series with new episodes Sunday nights this summer, broadcast or cable, in P25-54 (2.38 million), P18-49 (2.01 million), total viewers (4.98 million) and households (3.71 million).

WWE’s MONDAY NIGHT RAW had its best summer since 2001, delivering more P25-54 (2.68 million), total viewers (5.72 million), and households (3.83 million) than the show has drawn in the past 8 years and growing year to year by +8% P25-54, +4% P18-49, +11% total viewers and +16% in households.

The three most watched acquired series on cable this summer were on USA: NCIS, LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT and HOUSE. These series averaged 1.52 million, 1.24 million, and 931,000 in P25-54, respectively. NCIS was also the top acquired series this summer among P18-49 (1.19 million), total viewers (3.73 millin), and households (2.86 million) while LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT ranked 2nd in total viewers (2.93 million) and households (2.34 million).

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.