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HISTORY(R) BUILDS ON PHENOMENAL GROWTH AND HISTORIC SUCCESS
CELEBRATES RECORD AUDIENCES
TELEVISION'S #1 FACTUAL ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK*
THE MOST HITS IN ALL OF CABLE
SURGES IN APRIL TO TOP 3 ACROSS ALL KEY DEMOS
NETWORK AGGRESSIVELY ADDING TO ITS ALL-ORIGINAL PROGRAMMING INVESTMENT: EVENT PROGRAMMING, SERIES AND SPECIALS
Growth in Key Demos and Integrations Across all Platforms
Attract Advertisers in New Categories
NEW YORK, May 3, 2011 - HISTORY(R), the #1 factual entertainment network*, currently Top Three in key demos among both scripted and unscripted ad supported cable networks and on track for even more historic growth in 2011, today announced its Upfront slate, and will be aggressively adding, epic event programming, series and specials to its roster. The announcement was made by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager for HISTORY & Lifetime Networks.
"HISTORY's investment in original programming has paid off, making us a leader in the market. Unlike our competitors, who rely largely on sports and off-network programming, HISTORY has catapulted to the top on the strength of all original programming. We are a network that is defining the landscape, setting the trends and breaking records night after night, month after month, quarter after quarter. We are at the top of our game. HISTORY is honored to be in business with the leading creative talent in the industry. We continue to partner on innovative, full-360, multi-platform initiatives that engage our viewers at every level."
Already a leader in attracting hard-to-reach male viewers, the network's new programming slate continues to create unique destinations for a broad audience of men and adult viewers. HISTORY recently announced a four year commitment to the 150th anniversary of the Civil War, which will launch Memorial Day with GETTYSBURG, executive produced by Tony Scott & Ridley Scott. As part of the overall campaign, HISTORY launched The Civil War Today iPad App to rave reviews and the distinction of being named "App of the Week" by Apple at launch. The network is also in partnership with the Civil War Trust and National Park Foundation on Give 150(TM), a donation based initiative which looks to raise funds to reserve Civil War battlefields as green spaces nationwide (www.give150.com).
In 2010, HISTORY ventured into new territory with TOP SHOT and TOP GEAR... to great success. TOP SHOT, the network's first competition series featuring legendary tales of amazing marksmanship, just completed season two and is already in production on season three, which will premiere this summer. Also returning is TOP GEAR, the American version of the celebrated U.K. series, which highlights high-adrenaline action entertainment as it tracks the colorful history of the automobile as well as the eccentric adventures of its hosts. The first season of TOP GEAR attracted the youngest men in the network's history and nearly 60 million viewers overall.
RATINGS AND RESULTS
Entering the upfront market, HISTORY has established a history of keeping its promises to advertisers. HISTORY enjoyed a historic year in 2010, garnering record audiences across all key demographic groups, a culmination of four consecutive years of growth. 2011 is surpassing all #'s set in 2010.
In 2011, HISTORY is currently ranked among cable's top five networks across Adults and Men 18-49 and the 25-54 demos. Incredibly, the network has risen 12 notches in Adults 18-49, from #17 in 2006 to #5 in 2011. Similarly, it has jumped seven spots in Adults 25-54 (#11 to #4), Men 25-54 (#9 to #2) and Men 18-49 (#10 to #3).
The secret of the network's success has been its amazing ability to retain its traditional core demographic, while making huge in-roads in attracting younger viewers. In 2011, HISTORY is up at least 20% across all key demos from last year's record year. Driving the channel's success is the arsenal of hit programs. In fact, HISTORY has more shows delivering at least 1.5 million viewers among Adults 18-49 and 25-54 than any other cable network, including PAWN STARS, AMERICAN PICKERS, SWAMP PEOPLE, AMERICAN RESTORATION and AX MEN.
Among major cable entertainment networks, HISTORY has the strongest male skew, with a 65% composition.
HISTORY attracts upscale audiences, ranking #3 so far this year among Adults 25-54 in households with annual income of $100,000 or more (up from #8 in 2010).
2011 to date, PAWN STARS and AMERICAN PICKERS rank as the #1 and #3 series in all of cable among Adults 25-54 and are enjoying year to year growth.
All of the network's returning series continue to strengthen as all 6 thus far in 2011 are enjoying record best years within Adults 25-54 vs. 2010:
PAWN STARS - 3.4 million Adults 25-54, up +26% vs. 2010 and +127% vs. 2009
AMERICAN PICKERS - 2.8 million, up +27% vs. 2010
SWAMP PEOPLE - 1.9 million, up +12% vs. 2010
AX MEN - 1.7 million, up +21% vs. 2010
TOP SHOT - 1.2 million, up +9% vs. 2010
TOP GEAR - 847,000, up +7% vs. 2010
HISTORY has expanded its dominance throughout the week with the success of ONLY IN AMERICA WITH LARRY THE CABLE GUY and TOP SHOT on Tuesday nights, SWAMP PEOPLE and MOUNTED IN ALASKA on Thursday and AMERICAN RESTORATION on Friday to add to the powerful Sunday and Monday lineup. In fact, HISTORY is up on every single night of the week 2011 vs. 2010.
In the just completed month of April 2011, HISTORY had the #1 show in cable on 4 nights of the week among Adults 25-54 (2+ telecasts, excludes sports):
· Monday - PAWN STARS
· Thursday - SWAMP PEOPLE
· Friday - AMERICAN RESTORATION
· Sunday - AX MEN
BUSINESS AND THE BRAND
Advertisers have responded to HISTORY as enthusiastically as viewers have. The network has been fortunate to retain its previous advertising categories, while bringing in new clients eager to reach the growing male-oriented, younger upscale audience and to be associated with the hit series and specials across all content platforms.
According to Mel Berning, Executive Vice President of Ad Sales for A+E Networks, "HISTORY is coming to the market from the strongest position ever, period. Our audience is engaged, energetic and enthusiastic. As such, we are attracting a new, unique and diverse template of advertisers while retaining our core advertisers. The combined strength of our sales, programming, marketing, research and promotions teams has enabled HISTORY to bring to the table the best in-class integrations to maximize exposure across all platforms. Together, we are reaching men and adults across the breadth of our platforms and through targeted, customized integrations. We are thrilled with our ability to serve our clients as a network that is among the strongest in the entire TV landscape."
Peter Olsen, Senior Vice President, Ad Sales for HISTORY adds, "HISTORY is bigger than a TV partner. We have incredible talent, hit shows, multiple media platforms, licensing, distribution, and creative marketing partnerships."
Key traditional advertisers including Bank of America, Ford, GM, Toyota, Geico, AT&T, Verizon, DirecTV, Microsoft, P&G and Pfizer have been joined by newer sponsors including Popeye's, Kia, Warner Brothers, McDonald's, Harley Davidson, Denny's, Electronic Arts, Dominos and MillerCoors.
The HISTORY brand is also thriving and one with which sponsors want to be identified. In the most recent Beta Brand identity study, HISTORY tied No. 1 among all respondents for being valuable, distinctive and a favorite channel. Among the men surveyed, HISTORY tied No. 1 for being informative, distinctive, valuable and for being a "favorite channel."
Also, History.com, re-launched in 2010, is the leading online resource for all things history. The site offers a topics-based approach that is scalable to support a breadth and depth of content for history enthusiasts, casual information seekers, students and educators. The site offers advertisers unique sponsorship opportunities.
2011-12 SLATE OF PROGRAMMING
In addition to previously announced new series for 2010-2011, HISTORY's new slate of programming includes:
SERIES IN DEVELOPMENT
THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA (special event)
THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA, a new miniseries, is in development at HISTORY for broadcast in 2012. The miniseries shines a spotlight on the influential builders, dreamers and believers whose feats transformed the United States, a nation decaying from the inside after the Civil War, into the greatest economic and technological superpower the world had ever seen. THE MEN WHO BUILT AMERICA is the story of a nation at the crossroads and of the people who catapulted it to prosperity. Produced for HISTORY by Stephen David Ent., INC.
GREENLIT SERIES
INVENTION USA
It is often the common man inventing his dream that has changed history. INVENTION USA focuses on Riechart Von Wolfshield and Garrett Lisi, two brilliant tech and science experts who travel America, devoted to finding the next great thing in the haystack of prototypes presented to them by amateur inventors. Produced for HISTORY by T Group Productions.
FULL METAL JOUSTING
In FULL METAL JOUSTING, a maverick group of fighters compete for top honors in the most dangerous competition in history. Far from the contrivances of the Renaissance Fair, this is authentic, full-contact jousting, with two competitors on horses charging towards each other at 30 miles an hour. Gone is the traditional armor, replaced by state-of-the-art protective gear. Each week's episode features full-contact trials and preparations that will ultimately determine the champion-king of the joust. Produced for HISTORY by Pilgrim Films & Television.
UNITED STATS OF AMERICA
Numbers tell amazing stories. Every second we record raw data on everything from the calories we eat to the energy we use, from the number of texts we send to the amount of money we make. Using innovative graphics, UNITED STATS OF AMERICA will crunch all this data and visualize these surprising facts about who we are in a surprising new way. Produced for HISTORY by Left/Right Productions.
PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED SERIES
AMERICAN RESTORATION
At Rick's Restorations in Las Vegas, customers bring in their own pieces of history; classic American artifacts beyond repair - perhaps a 1960s NASA helmet or a 1900s cash register - and come away with a restored collectible that looks and performs like new. On AMERICAN RESTORATION, business owner Rick Dale sees every new project as a unique challenge. It takes equal parts of craftsmanship and improvisation to transform run-down old eyesores into works of art with their own unique history. These treasures make up the tapestry of American culture; for every piece that gets refurbished, a bit of history comes back to life. Produced for HISTORY by Leftfield Pictures.
AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 WAYS
In this groundbreaking new series, all forms of transportation will be celebrated as our adventure-seeking hosts "Boston Rob" Mariano (Survivor, The Amazing Race) and Dennis Anderson (creator of the monster truck Gravedigger) battle each other, as well as the elements, in a go-for-broke race around the globe. The catch? The two rivals will have to use 80 uniquely different modes of transportation throughout the race, along the way giving a unique glimpse at how far transportation has come and where it's headed. Produced for HISTORY by Thom Beers' Original Productions, a FremantleMedia company.
HOW THE STATES GOT THEIR SHAPES
In the new one-hour series premiering in May, journalist and former Daily Show correspondent Brian Unger criss-crosses the nation in search of the stories behind our boundaries - and discovers not only how the states got their shapes, but how the states have shaped us. It's the history hidden in our map. Produced for HISTORY by Half Yard Productions.
RETURNING SERIES
AMERICAN PICKERS - produced by Cineflix
ANCIENT ALIENS - produced by Prometheus Entertainment
AX MEN - produced by Original Productions.
BRAD MELTZER'S DECODED - Produced by Go Go Luckey and Berman Braun
ICE ROAD TRUCKERS - produced by Original Productions
IRT: DEADLIEST ROADS - produced by Original Productions
MODERN MARVELS - produced by Actuality Productions
ONLY IN AMERICA WITH LARRY THE CABLE GUY - produced by Pilgrim Films & Television and Parallel Entertainment
PAWN STARS - produced by LeftField Pictures
STAN LEE'S SUPERHUMANS - produced by Off the Fence
SWAMP PEOPLE - produced by Original Media
THE UNIVERSE - produced by Flight 33 Productions
TOP GEAR - produced by BBC Worldwide Productions
TOP SHOT - produced by Pilgrim Films and Television
GREENLIT SPECIALS
HISTORY OF THE WORLD IN TWO HOURS
From the producers of Life After People and The Universe, this CGI-driven special will give viewers a rapid fire history of our world, from the beginning of time as we know it to present day. The special will delve into the key turning points: the formation of earth, emergence of life, spread of man and the growth of civilization. Each beat in the story will reveal a surprising connection to our world today. Produced for HISTORY by Flight 33 Productions.
9/12: THE DAY AFTER
From the moment the Twin Towers fell, 9/11 was seen as a watershed, a historical turning point of epic, irreversible proportions. 9/12: THE DAY AFTER builds upon the foundation laid by the Emmy-Award winning 102 MINUTES THAT CHANGED AMERICA - chronicling the days, weeks and decade after the worst terrorist attack in our history - to examine the legacy of 9/11. With exclusive and rarely seen, unexpected archival material from around the world, the special will construct an evocative, engaging and immersive narrative capturing the themes and threads that define life after 9/11. The result is an authentic, unflinchingly honest look at what happened after the tragedy - a chronicle of life in a changed world. Produced for HISTORY by New Animal Productions.
VIETNAM IN HD
Following up to the Emmy Award winning WWII in HD, HISTORY is currently in production on VIETNAM IN HD. Once again, the network has embarked on a worldwide search to bring never-before-seen footage and gripping personal accounts to the story of the Vietnam War. As the United States' first "television war", thousands of hours of uncensored footage detail every critical moment both overseas and at home. First person accounts from those who served will immerse viewers into their experiences in the terror of battle as well as their mixed emotions on returning home. The series tells the story of a war that was won on the battlefield but lost at home. Produced for HISTORY by Lou Reda Productions.
HISTORY(R) and HISTORY HD(R) are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are hit series such as American Pickers, Ax Men, Brad Meltzer's Decoded, Ice Road Truckers, Top Gear, Pawn Stars and Top Shot, as well as acclaimed specials including America the Story of Us, WWII in HD, 102 Minutes That Changed America, The President's Book of Secrets and Life After People. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, seven Primetime Emmy(R) Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy(R) Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History(R) campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School Day is the network's signature initiative connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. The HISTORY website, located at www.history.com, is the leading online resource for all things history, featuring over 20,000 videos, images, audio clips, articles and interactive features that allow visitors to dig deeper into a broad range of thousands of historical topics.
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* Source: The Nielsen Company. Rank based on all non-fiction cable nets (excluding sports nets), 12/27/10-4/24/11 Live+SD AA (000), M-Su 8-11, P2+. Non-Fiction = 90%+ of prime schedule consists of non-fiction programming.
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