Cartoon Network Posts Best First-Quarter Prime Ratings and Delivery Ever

Network also Scores Largest Total Day Year-to-Year Household Delivery Gain of Any Basic Cable Network

Cartoon Network celebrated April Fools Day with the highest first-quarter prime time ratings and delivery performance of its history, landing in fourth place among all ad-supported cable networks, with a 1.7 prime household rating. The January-March '01 quarter also was punctuated by the largest net gain (177,000) in total day delivery among all ad-supported cable networks. Additionally, the network charted double-digit increases among households and all key demographics for total day rating and delivery, earning fourth place for the quarter, with a 1.1 total day rating.

Throughout the quarter, Cartoon Network generated dramatic rating and delivery increases for kids and tweens. Highlights include "The Powerpuff Popularity Contest" (3/19-22, 25), a stunt marathon of The Powerpuff Girls that generated triple-digit ratings and delivery increases for kid and tween audiences. Ratings for tweens 9-14 doubled on that Sunday vs. last year (2.0 vs. 1.0), and delivery leapt an incredible 146 percent (347,000 vs. 141,000). Ratings for kids 6-11 scored the largest increase Monday-Thursday, up 108 percent (5.4 vs. 2.6). More than 14.1 million different viewers ages 2+ tuned in over the course of the event. Kids, tweens and teens also were drawn to Cartoon Network's high-octane afternoon action-adventure programming block, Toonami (M-F, 4-7 p.m.). Showcasing such signature Japanese anime' series as Dragonball Z, Ronin Warriors and Sailor Moon, Toonami grew 36 percent vs. last year's quarterly ratings with tweens 9-14 (1.9), and 33 percent with tween boys 9-14 (2.8). Delivery for these target audiences also grew across the board-58 percent with tweens 9-14 (324,000) and 59 percent with tween boys 9-14 (245,000). Year-to-date, Toonami has significantly improved its teen 12-17 ratings (1.6, up 78 percent), while delivery is up 117 percent, to an average of 258,000 teens, from the same period last year. Toonami is also tracking number one among males 12-17 in rating (2.1, up 75 percent) and in delivery (170,000, up 98 percent). Among all teens, Toonami ties with MTV for first place in rating for its time period. And top-performing Dragonball Z is number one in its time period among tween boys 9-14, teens 12-17 and males 12-17.

Additional programming highlights include Cartoon Network's Ed, Edd n Eddy "Ed-ternal Summer" eight-hour marathon (2/25, 12-8 p.m.), which scored a 1.6 average teen 12-17 rating, double the prior year's 0.8 and up 147 percent in delivery, from 104,000 to 257,000 viewers. More than one million different teens tuned in at some point during the stunt. Tweens 9-14 also scored impressive gains, jumping 64 percent in rating (2.3) and 97 percent in delivery (393,000). "The Scooby-Doo President's Day Marathon" (2/19, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.) also showed significant tweens 9-14 increases in rating (2.7, +29 percent) and delivery (455,000, +52 percent). Kids 6-11 charted a 22 percent ratings increase (4.4) and 36 percent improvement in delivery (719,000). A total of 9,950,000 different persons age 2+ tuned in during the eight-hour marathon.

In January, Cartoon Network's Courage The Cowardly Dog marathon (1/15, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.) more than doubled kids 6-11 rating vs. last year, leaping from a 2.1 to a 4.5 (+114 percent). Kids 6-11 delivery grew 134 percent, from 310,000 to 725,000. Rating and delivery also improved among tweens 9-14, which scored a 3.1 average rating (+82 percent) and delivered 518,000 viewers. Another annual January stunt, "The Big Game," a Super Bowl of cartoons featuring Bugs vs. Daffy, significantly increased ratings for all key demos, including kids 6-11 (2.9, +26 percent), tweens 9-14 (2.1, +31 percent) and teens 12-17 (1.1, +120 percent).

In addition to the quarterly results, Cartoon Network also finished the month of March 2000 tied for second place (with TBS Superstation and USA) in prime time household ratings (1.8), and tied for third place (with TBS Superstation) in total day household ratings (1.1).

Cartoon Network, currently seen in 72.2 million U.S. homes and 145 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.'s 24-hour, ad-supported cable service offering the best in animated entertainment. Drawing from the world's largest cartoon library, Cartoon Network also showcases unique original ventures such as Sheep in the Big City, Courage the Cowardly Dog, Mike, Lu & Og, The Powerpuff Girls, Ed, Edd n Eddy, Johnny Bravo, Cow and Chicken, Dexter's Laboratory and Cartoon Cartoons. Since its launch in 1992, Cartoon Network has remained one of ad-supported cable's highest-rated networks. Cartoon Network's Web site is located at http://CartoonNetwork.com.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., an AOL Time Warner company, is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.

RATING PERIOD: 1/01/01 - 3/29/01

SOURCE: Turner Entertainment Research from Nielsen Media Research data.