AMC Ranks as Top Network in Primetime Delivery of Key Demos among All Cable Networks
Tenth Anniversary Halloween Horror Film Tradition Offered Through VOD and Broadband for the First Time
NEW YORK, NY, November 2, 2006 – AMC announced today that the tenth anniversary of its popular Halloween Programming Festival, Monsterfest X, ranked as a top network performer in primetime delivery of key demos among all cable networks, including Top 5 in delivery of Adults 18-49 during prime. AMC's time-honored October programming stunt offers more Halloween content than any other television network, with 240 hours of non-stop horror movies during a ten day period (Oct 22 – Oct 31), complemented by Halloween related original programming and network premieres. Last year, Monsterfest broke network records for the fifth consecutive year, with a household ratings increase of over 13% from the previous year.
"Monsterfest has been an extremely valuable programming stunt for AMC over the past ten years and continues to be big hit with our audience," stated Charlie Collier, General Manager of AMC. "As the cable destination for movie lovers, AMC is committed to a programming vision that offers quality entertainment that is both cinematic and of enduring iconic value. The Halloween horror film tradition honors that commitment, and we are delighted to celebrate the tenth anniversary with continued success."
For this year's 10 days of Monsterfest X (10/22-10/31), AMC ranked as a top network in primetime delivery of Key Demos among all cable networks:
- #5 in delivery of Adults 18-49 among all cable nets (704,000 Adults 18-49)
- #6 in delivery of Adults 25-54 among all cable nets (664,000 A25-54)
- #7 in Adults 18-34 delivery (353,000 A18-34)
- #9 in Men 18-34 delivery (164,000 M18-34)
- #10 in Men 18-49 delivery (320,000 Men 18-49)
- #10 in Men 25-54 delivery (299,000 M25-54)
For the first time in the network's history, AMC launched a cross-platform, exclusive VOD and Broadband programming initiative to compliment the network's annual traditional linear Monsterfest broadcast. The new multi-tiered expansion was created to provide consumers with the ability to view select Monsterfest programming of Halloween films, horror classics and specials when and where they want it, and provide MSO's with the unique ability to provide the popular content as a value added service to both their VOD offerings and Broadband Services.
This year's Monsterfest X featured an extensive group of horror movies including four network premieres: Wolfen, starring Albert Finney and Diane Venora; the enhanced version of Halloween, starring Jamie Lee Curtis and Donald Pleasence; The Lost Boys, starring Jason Patric and Corey Haim; and The Exorcist, starring Jason Miller and Ellen Burstyn. Other frightening films that aired during this year's Monsterfest included: Children of the Corn, Child's Play, Creature From The Black Lagoon, Dracula, The Fly (1958) and (1986), Frankenstein, Friday the 13th Part 2, Ghost Story, Godzilla, Hellraiser, House, House of Dracula, House of Frankenstein, The Invisible Man, The Mummy, A Nightmare on Elm Street, Phantom of the Opera (1943) and (1962), Poltergeist III, Psycho II, The Wolf Man and many more.
Today's announcement comes on the heels of a number of significant developments at AMC. Its investment in its film library, programming specials and original content had a tremendous impact in 2004 and 2005, rewarding AMC with its best years ever. In 2006, AMC signed a co-production deal with the BBC for the critically acclaimed drama Hustle and the network announced its first dramatic series, Mad Men, from Matthew Weiner ("The Sopranos"). AMC also premiered its first original movie, Broken Trail, a two-day television event executive produced by and starring Academy Award® winner Robert Duvall, co-starring Academy Award® nominee Thomas Haden Church and directed by Emmy award winning director Walter Hill. The heroic western story became the second most watched cable movie since 1995 and delivered the network all time record ratings with a stellar 7.7 HH rating, HH delivery (6.8 million) and total viewership (9.7 million). Using a programming formula that couples valuable iconic movies with cinematic original content, AMC has seen its ratings grow dramatically, providing record ratings growth in every day part each year since 2002.
**Source: Nielsen Media Research 10/22/06-10/31/06. Live Data. M-Su 8-11p. Rank among all cable networks broadcasting more than 51% of the daypart. Subject to qualifications made available upon request.
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media's Entertainment Services, which also includes WE tv and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 88,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. AMC has garnered many of the industry's highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is "TV for movie people."
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Rainbow Media creates and manages some of the country's most compelling and dynamic entertainment brands including popular national and regional television channels AMC, fuse, The Independent Film Channel (IFC), WE tv, and two FSN affiliated regional sports networks managed by Rainbow Sports Networks. The company also manages Mag Rack and sportskool, two original on-demand networks; VOOM HD Networks, the largest and most diverse suite of high definition channels available anywhere; IFC Entertainment, its film distribution, production and exhibition division; Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation, its advertising sales division; and Rainbow Network Communications, its full service network programming origination and distribution company.