Bumper 2018 schedule for the Portfolio includes Donal MacIntyre’s return to CBS Reality with original series “Donal MacIntyre’s Murder Files,” Horror Channel gaining momentum with more “Star Trek,”CBS Action continuing to entertain viewers with “NCIS” and “CSI” and CBS Drama turning up the nostalgia with key acquisitions of “ER” and “Dynasty”
London, 31 January 2018: UK Channels CBS Reality, CBS Action, CBS Drama and Horror Channel, which are owned by AMC Networks International – UK (AMCNI) and CBS Studios International announced that 2017 was their best ever year yet of SOCI (share of commercial impacts) growth for advertisers, resulting in a delivery of 2.58% of the UK’s adult commercial TV audience in 2017. This is a 4% increase against 2016 and an 18% increase against two years ago.
The CBS UK Channels also garnered an overall UK audience share of 1.51% in 2017, up 4% on 2016 according to official BARB data. The channels’ record-breaking month was May with 1.62% share of UK viewers, and the strongest share of UK viewers was reached on 24th September with 1.92%.
Kevin Dickie, SVP, Channels Group, UK, MEA & Poland, AMC Networks International, said, “2017 was another record year of audience delivery for our CBS portfolio in the UK with another 4% growth in our share of the market. We remain focussed on maintaining this growth by producing more original crime content for CBS Reality; bringing iconic series such as “ER” and “Dynasty” to CBS Drama and featuring the best in horror, sci-fi and fantasy on Horror Channel and the top detective and western dramas on CBS Action.”
Robert Haiat, SVP Business Development from CBS Studios International said, “With strong brands and a wide range of compelling programming, the CBS UK channel portfolio continues to make a strong impact in the market. We are looking forward to working with the AMCNI team to deliver viewers and advertisers a robust schedule of CBS Original Series and world-class library programming in 2018.”
CBS Reality is the most watched factual entertainment channel in the UK amongst adult women and the tenth most watched non-PSB channel amongst all adults[1]. The channel has upped its original programming slate by premiering seven new series and one new documentary in 2017, including “Written in Blood,” “Voice of a Serial Killer” and “Click for Murder.”
CBS Reality recently announced two new originals launching in February 2018; ten-part docu-series “Donal MacIntyre’s Murder Files” and a one-off crime documentary “Uncovering Intimate Partner Abuse.”
2017 saw Horror Channel produce its strongest ever year of viewing with audiences up 10% year on year and 26% in the final quarter of the year making the channel one of the fastest growing in the UK with over 6 million adults tuning in every month.
Upcoming premieres include Insidious, 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, alongside “Star Trek: Next Generation,” “Star Trek: Enterprise,” “Seaquest DSV,” “Andromeda” and Under the Dome, within Horror Channel’s highly popular SciFi Zone programming slot.
Both CBS Action and CBS Drama enjoyed their strongest years on record, respectively. CBS Action audiences increased by 7% year on year with over 4 million adults tuning into the channel monthly while CBS Drama delivered an 11% increase with over 2.5 million adults watching. CBS Drama receives a schedule reboot in February, and has acquired the much-loved iconic series “ER” and “Dynasty”, along with the return of “Medium.”
[1] based on 0900-2959 daypart, All adults 2017
Source: BARB/Techedge, audience shares based on whole day viewing, adults
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About CBS AMC Networks UK Channel Partnership
The CBS AMC Network UK Channels are a portfolio of six entertainment channels owned by the CBS AMC Network UK Channels Partnership established in September 2009 between CBS Studios International and AMC Networks International – UK.
The channels include CBS Reality, CBS Reality +1, CBS Drama, CBS Action, Horror Channel and Horror Channel +1 and feature a broad assortment of drama, reality and long form content from CBS’s extensive television library, complemented by entertainment programming from third party suppliers. CBS AMC Networks Channels reach viewers in more than 25 million homes throughout the UK via the Sky, Virgin Media, Freesat and Freeview platforms.
CBS Studios International, the leading supplier of programming to the international television marketplace, is a division of CBS Corporation.
AMC Networks International – UK is a business unit of AMC Networks International, a leading producer and distributor of television channels reaching subscribers in more than 140 countries and territories, including Africa, Asia, Europe and Latin America and spanning a range of genres, including movie, lifestyle, entertainment, sports, children’s and factual. AMC Networks International is the global division of AMC Networks. For more information, visit: www.amcnetworks.com/amcni