Year End Nielsen Data Provides Network with Record Ratings
New York, NY, January 11, 2006 – At the close of 2005, Nielsen Media released its final year-end data, revealing that AMC has achieved its strongest year ever in the history of the network. In the findings, AMC experienced record ratings in 2005, among all past year performances, in delivery of household and key demos in every daypart.
"This record breaking performance is an incredible accomplishment for the network. AMC is now the only basic cable channel fully dedicated to movies. Our programming approach of mixing movies from every decade with stunts and originals has made the network more popular than ever before among viewers from every demographic," said Ed Carroll, President of Rainbow Entertainment Services. "We look forward to continuing this success as we head into 2006."
"The results are in and speak for themselves," added Rob Sorcher, AMC's Executive Vice President of Programming, Packaging and Production. "We are committed to providing our audience with quality content that centers on movie culture. With strong projects locked in for 2006 the network is well positioned for continued growth in years to come."
AMC's commitment to celebrate movie culture while connecting TV viewers with informed and entertaining programming has raised the network to new heights in ratings and delivery. Its new investment in film titles, programming stunts and specials and original programming has had a tremendous impact in 2005, providing AMC with its best year ever in the history of the network. The network has also shown consistent ratings growth since 2003 with each year outdelivering prior years performance in every daypart.
Please note the following highlights from Nielsen's 2005 year-end data:
- In Primetime, AMC is a top 15 network in key Adult 25-54 deliveries as well as ranking as a top 20 network in HH Ratings, HH delivery & Adult 18-49 deliveries.
- 2005 Primetime HH Ratings performance (.90 HH RTG) is up 6% vs last year (.85 in 2004).
- 2005 Primetime HH delivery (782,000) is AMC's highest yearly delivery ever up 7% vs last year (731,000 in 2004).
- 2005 Primetime A18-49 performance (404,000) is AMC's highest yearly primetime delivery ever up 14% vs last year (353,000 in 2004).
- 2005 Primetime A25-54 performance (459,000) is AMC's highest yearly primetime delivery ever up 8% vs last year (424,000 in 2004).
Over the past year, AMC has seen a series of programming successes:
- AMC recently completed production of its first-ever original movie event, Broken Trail, which began shooting in August 2005. The epic, western-themed film is 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. Broken Trail will make its world premiere on AMC in June 2006.
- Part of AMC's ratings success is a result of major deals inked in 2005. The network's movie library now includes exclusive television exhibition rights to 22 films from Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution, including such mega-hits as Two Weeks Notice, Million Dollar Baby, Mystic River and Batman Begins. AMC also inked an exclusive licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures providing the network with 32 of John Wayne's greatest films, and included the world premiere of the fully restored, digitally remastered High and the Mighty and Island in the Sky. The premieres of these movies, as well as the premiere of the 20th Anniversary of Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider, rank as AMC's highest rated telecasts ever.
- AMC's strong slate of original programming in 2005 included hit shows such as Movies 101 with Professor Richard Brown, AMC's new movie talk show based on the popular NYU course; and the hit original series, Sunday Morning Shootout, hosted by Hollywood heavyweights Peter Bart and Peter Guber. "Shootout" celebrated its fourth season in 2005.
- In 2005, AMC's documentaries delivered unexpected, thought-provoking viewpoints on various aspects of life in Hollywood through the lenses of some of America's most respected filmmakers. Specials included the critically acclaimed Imaginary Witness: Hollywood and the Holocaust, an exploration of Hollywood and its treatment of the Holocaust; Bleep! Censoring Hollywood, a study of the re-editing of DVDs to suit different community values, Hollywood Vietnam, by noted filmmaker Robert Stone; and Precinct Hollywood, an exploration of the evolution of the Hollywood "cop film."
- AMC's annual on-air special events include MonsterFest, the network's annual on-air Halloween festival; "AMC Presents Premiere's Women In Hollywood" and "An American Cinematheque Tribute." 2005 marked the ninth edition of MonsterFest, which scored record ratings for the network.
About AMC:
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media's Entertainment Services, which also includes WE: Women's Entertainment and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 87,000,000 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. Over the past three years, AMC has garnered many of the industry's highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is "TV for movie people."
**Source: Nielsen Media Research, 2005 (Jan-Dec 2005 ) vs 2004 (Jan-Dec04). Primetime: M-Su 8-11p, Total Day M-Su 6a-6a.Live Data. Since beginning of Nielsen measurement 4/97. Comparisons to ad-supported network performance excludes Nick and Adult Swim, which does not broadcast more than 51% of primetime daypart.