OXYGEN MARKS BEST YEAR EVER WITH NBC UNIVERSAL ACQUISITION
Network Delivers Triple Digit Increases Online, Double Digit Increases Across All Key Demos Under the Successful "Live Out Loud" Rebrand in 2008
NEW YORK - December 17, 2008 - For the first full year under the NBC Universal umbrella, Oxygen experienced triple digit growth online and double digit growth on-air celebrating its best year ever in primetime and total day across every demographic and all metrics, based on Nielsen Media Research data. The year comes to a close with another high for the network - the successful return of the "Bad Girls Club," which became the network's highest rated and most watched season premiere ever besting the previous high held by the wildly successful, "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood."
For the year, the network reached new highs among its digital properties; added 100 new advertisers; implemented its first e-commerce initiative and made history by breaking numerous network records in 2008. Additionally, Oxygen now ranks No. 25 for W18-49 (up from No. 29 in 2007) and No. 27 for P18-49 (up from No. 32) among all ad-supported cable networks.
Oxygen scored impressive year-over-year gains among key demos, averaged P18-49 (averaging 211,000, a 34% gain), W18-49 (153,000, a 35% gain), W18-34 (75,000, a 27% gain) and total viewers (390,000, a 30% gain). The third quarter of 2008 marks Oxygen's best quarter ever, and the network is on pace to achieve a 14th consecutive quarter of year-over-year growth in primetime among P18-49, W18-49 and W18-34.
"I've seen extraordinary growth since I joined Oxygen nearly a year ago; achieving a 27% increase among our target of W18-34, Generation O, is a phenomenal accomplishment," said Jason Klarman, General Manager, Oxygen Media. "The 'Live Out Loud' branding is resonating with our audience. They are connecting with our programming and our digital properties, as evidenced by the numbers."
The year was punctuated with many milestones for the network including the first telecast to draw one million viewers or more. In total, thirteen Oxygen telecasts held this distinction. Other milestones achieved include: the best month ever (July, 2008), best week ever (w/o July 7) and the official rebrand of the network with its 'Live Out Loud" tagline, showcasing a new look both on air and on line. (June 2008).
Oxygen's digital properties are experiencing huge triple digit growth. Oxygen's website saw a substantial increase of 498% in monthly page views when compared to 2007. Average monthly unique visitors were up 42% this year and monthly video streams are up 74% compared to 2007. Page views for www.oxygen.com totaled 118 million in 2008, up 492 % compared to the 20 million in 2007. Video streams this year totaled 18.0 million, up 63% compared to the 10.6 million in 2007. The Network has aggressively moved into new digital applications as a way to further enhance the viewers and fan experience including, live mobile polling, a twitter application, a new online video player, an e-commerce site, a WAP site and VOD programming.
Under the new leadership team, every existing program franchise outperformed all previous seasons. They include "Bad Girls Club," which recently experienced the best season premiere ever with season three "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood," a cornerstone of Oxygen's programming successes, and "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" which saw its best season ever this year. Theatrical telecasts performed well for the network in 2008 with "Rumor Has It" on July 12 becoming the network's highest rated and most watched theatrical telecast drawing in 1.25 million viewers.
The new year will bring brand new series to the network including "Addicted to Beauty" a docu-soap that goes behind the scenes of one of the country's hottest medi-spas as seen through the eyes of the larger than life staff. It will join "Dance Your Ass Off," a competition, weight loss show where full-figured contestants who struggle with their weight dance to unleash their inner thin. Premiere dates are forthcoming.
Source: Nielsen Media Research, Most Current Data: Live + 7 through 11/30/08, blended with Live + Same Day through 12/14/08; individual day / telecast performance points based on Live + Same Day data for date and time of airing. Cable ranks : Most Current Data: Live + 7 through 11/30/08, blended with Live + Same Day through 12/14/08 vs. Live+7 Data, 01/01/07 - 12/30/07; includes ad supported cable entertainment networks, and excludes non-ad supported networks (e.g., pay cable, Disney), sports, news channels and networks that air in less than 50% of the daypart, AA(000).
Source, Oxygen.com: Page Views and Monthly Unique Visitors - Insight XE before May '08, Omniture SiteCatalyst May'08 forward; Video Streams - FeedRoom solely before June '08, FeedRoom and Omniture SiteCatalyst jointly June '08 forward. 2008 totals are 1/1-12/15/08; 2007 totals are 1/1-12/31/07 | 2008 averages are Jan '08 - Nov '08; 2007 totals are Jan '07 - Dec '07.
About Oxygen Media:
Oxygen is a program service of NBC Universal Cable Entertainment and is currently available in over 74 million homes. The network was launched in 2000 to fill a void in the television landscape -- creating a network targeted to younger women. Oxygen is rewriting the rulebook for women's television, with a vast array of unconventional and original programming including "Bad Girls Club," "The Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency" and "Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood."
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