TNT Bests Basic Cable Competition for the Week in Adults 25-54

Driven by the strength of its hit original series and NASCAR coverage, TNT won the week as basic cable's #1 network in Primetime delivery of its targeted adults 25-54 demo. In total viewers, TNT's Rizzoli & Isles, Major Crimes and NASCAR coverage accounted for basic cable's Top 4 programs for the week, and Rizzoli & Isles and Major Crimes were joined by Falling Skies and Perception in giving TNT four of the week's Top 6 original dramas on basic cable.

This past Sunday's episode of Falling Skies has gotten off to a great start, with 3.5 million viewers in Live + Same Day (+8% over the prior episode), 1.8 million adults 25-54 (+12%) and 1.5 million adults 18-49 (+13%). Meanwhile, the June 30 episode of Falling Skies has grown to more than 5 million viewers in Live + 3. Among key demos, the episode has garnered 2.6 million adults 25-54 and 2.2 million adults 18-49, growing slightly in the latter demo compared to the prior week.

TNT's Monday night lineup continues to deliver strong numbers, with the July 1 episode of Major Crimes rising to 6.3 million viewers in Live + 3, a +6% boost over the prior week. In the demos, the show averaged 2 million adults 25-54 and 1.4 million adults 18-49. TNT's new Monday night drama King & Maxwell has taken in more than 4 million viewers in Live + 3 for its July 1 episode, including 1.1 million adults 25-54 and 809,000 adults 18-49.

On Tuesday nights, Rizzoli & Isles continues to reign, last week picking up 8 million viewers in Live + 3 for its second episode of the season. In key demos, Rizzoli & Isles grabbed 2.8 million viewers in Live + 3 and 2.2 million adults 25-54. The July 2 installment of Perception attracted more than 5.1 million viewers in Live + 3, including 1.8 million adults 25-54 and 1.4 million adults 18-49.

TNT's light-hearted Wednesday night drama Franklin & Bash scored its best performance of the season so far last week, garnering 3.3 million viewers in Live + 3 (+6% vs. the prior week). In key demos, the show also chalked up season-best Live + 3 deliveries of 1.4 million adults 25-54 and 1.2 million adults 18-49.

TNT's exclusive presentation of the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona powered by Coca Cola ranked as basic cable's #1 sports program for the week among total viewers (5.7 million) and the #1 program overall among adults 25-54 (2.5 million). The race delivered a 3.5 U.S. HH rating, up 6% over last year's 3.3 U.S. HH rating, while total viewers were up 4% over last year's average of 5.5 million total viewers. Saturday's Coke Zero 400 telecast is the highest-rated and most-viewed NASCAR race on TNT since 2010 (Daytona - 3.6 U.S. HH rating and 6.1 million total viewers).

Viewership for this year's Coke Zero 400 peaked during the final 15 minutes of the race with 7.3 million total viewers and a 4.5 U.S. HH rating. TNT televised the final 34 laps (nearly an hour of live race coverage) without commercial interruption courtesy of sponsors Coke Zero and Sprint.

Adult Swim
Across the first week of July 2013, Adult Swim's Total Day Delivery ranked #1 among adults 18-24, 18-34 & 18-49 and men 18-24, 18-34 & 18-49 on basic cable. Compared to the same week in 2012, average Total Day delivery increased across all targeted demos by double digits - adults 18-24 by 14%, adults 18-34 by 12%, adults 18-49 by 14%, men 18-24 by 21%, men 18-34 by 17% and men 18-49 by 14%.

Continuing its outstanding June performance in Primetime (Broadcast definition), Adult Swim once again ranked #1 among all basic cable networks for delivery of adults 18-34. Compared to the same week in 2012, Prime delivery increased with adults 18-24 by 17%, adults 18-34 by 10%, adults 18-49 by 15%, men 18-24 by 17%, men 18-34 by 9% and men 18-49 by 13%.

Among Adult Swim original programming, Sunday night's new episode of The Venture Bros. (12 a.m.) ranked #1 in its timeslot among all adults 18-24, 18-34 & 18-49 and men 18-24, 18-34 & 18-49, increasing delivery by double-digits across the board - ranging between 66% and 95% - vs. the same time period last year. Additionally, Sunday's new episode presentation of Bob's Burgers (11 p.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among all adults 18-24, 18-34 & 18-49 and men 18-24 & 18-34. Bob's Burgers Monday night telecast (10 p.m.), another new episode, also increased delivery among all targeted adults & men 18-24 vs. the same time period last year.

Saturday night's TOONAMI presented a block of new episodes, including Bleach (12 a.m.), Naruto (12:30 a.m.), One Piece (1 a.m.), and Soul Eater (1:30 a.m.) that each ranked #1 in its respective time periods among men 18-24.

Adult Swim programming - including Family Guy, American Dad, Bob's Burgers, Robot Chicken, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, and The Venture Bros. - accounted for 29 of the top 50 telecasts of the week on basic cable among adults 18-34 and 36 of the top 50 telecasts with men 18-34, both more than any other network.

Cartoon Network
Across the first week of July 2013, Cartoon Network ranked as television's #1 network for Early Prime (7-9 p.m.) delivery of boys 6-11 & 9-14.

Cartoon Network scored as the #1 television destination for kids 9-14 and all boys 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14 on Monday night (7-9 p.m.), #1 among all boys on Tuesday and Wednesday night, and #1 among boys 6-11 & 9-14 on Friday night.

Compared to the same time period last year, Cartoon Network's Monday night (7-9 p.m.) increased overall delivery among all kids 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14 (between 4% and 24%), boys 2-11 & 9-14 (between 5% and 15%) and all girls' demos (between 7% and 45%). A new episode of Regular Show (Monday, 8 p.m.) charted as the #1 telecast of the week among boys 6-11 & 9-14 on basic cable, and #1 in its time period among kids 6-11 & 9-14 and all boy demos. Similarly, a new episode of Adventure Time (7:30 p.m.) ranked #1 in its timeslot among all kids and boys demos, increasing by double-digits across the board - between 20% and 58% - vs. the same time period last year.

Tuesday night also increased delivery across all targeted demos - between 7% and 18% - with a new episode of Teen Titans Go! (7:30 p.m.) ranking as the #1 telecast of the day among boys 6-11 & 9-14, and #1 in its timeslot among kids 9-14 and all boys 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14. Johnny Test (7 p.m.) ranked #1 in its time period among kids 6-11 & 9-14 and all targeted boy demos, while increasing delivery among all kids 2-11, 6-11 & 9-14 and boys 6-11 & 9-14 vs. last year's time period.

Wednesday night also achieved double-digit delivery growth across the board - between 25% and 75% - vs. last year's time period, with a new episode of The Amazing World of Gumball (7:30 p.m.) ranking #1 for the day among boys 6-11, and #1 in its time period among kids 6-11 and all boy demos. The new episode also increased by double digits across all targeted kids and boys demos vs. the same time period last year. Similarly, Annoying Orange (7 p.m.) ranked #1 in its timeslot among all key boys and grew delivery among kids 6-11 & 9-14 and boys 6-11 & 9-14 vs. the same time period last year.

Saturday morning premiere episodes of Pokémon BW: Adventures in Unova (8:30 a.m.) and Beyblade: Metal Fury (8 a.m.) both ranked #1 in their respective time periods among boys 9-14.

TBS
TBS claimed 19 of basic cable's Top 25 sitcom telecasts for the week in Primetime among adults 18-49, with The Big Bang Theory and the July 4 encore of Sullivan & Son making the list. TBS also scored 16 of basic cable's Top 20 sitcom telecasts for the week in Primetime among total viewers and 17 of the top 20 among adults 18-34.

truTV
truTV's hit series Hardcore Pawn (Tuesday at 9 p.m.) drew 1.6 million viewers last week, with 626,000 adults 18-49 and 328,000 men 18-49. The show scored double-digit growth in all three categories compared to the same timeslot last year.

truTV's Storage Hunters (Sunday at 9 p.m.) brought in more than 1.2 million viewers, with 400,000 adults 18-49 and 264,000 men 18-49. The episode lifted its timeslot by double-digits among total viewers and adults 18-49 and triple digits among key male demos compared to the same timeslot last year.

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