AMERICAN IDOL Hits Season High 2.5 Million Viewers on CTV

- CTV wins night with Top 3 programs of the day -
- AMERICAN IDOL "Hollywood Week" audience rises up to 28% -
- DARKNESS AND HOPE: DEPRESSION, SPORTS AND ME reaches 2.5 million viewers -

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TORONTO, Feb. 9, 2012 /CNW/ - AMERICAN IDOL gained momentum last night with 2.5 millions viewers on CTV, rocking the show to a 16% increase in total viewers over last week. Winning the night overall, AMERICAN IDOL powered CTV to claim the Top 3 programs of the day, including CRIMINAL MINDS (#2, 2.45 million) and CSI (#3, 2.1 million). CTV won each timeslot from 8-11 p.m. in total viewers, A25-54, and A18-49, both nationally and in all markets.*

** Media Note ** Download photos of AMERICAN IDOL at BellMediaPR.ca

Featuring highlights from "Hollywood Week," AMERICAN IDOL also saw notable gains in A18-34 (+28%) and A18-49 (+19%) compared to last week. AMERICAN IDOL continues tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT on CTV Two (visit ctv.ca to confirm local broadcast times).

Earlier at 7 p.m. ET, the CTV original documentary DARKNESS AND HOPE: DEPRESSION, SPORTS AND ME reached an amazing 2.5 million Canadians, breaking the stigma about mental health as part of Bell's Let's Talk Day initiative. With a prelminary overnight average audience of 648,000, the one-hour documentary featured TSN's Michael Landsberg, Olympian and Bell Let's Talk Day spokesperson Clara Hughes, hockey's Stéphane Richer, and baseball's Darryl Strawberry discussing their personal battles with mental illness. The documentary repeats Friday, Feb. 10 at 1 p.m. ET on TSN, Saturday, Feb. 11 at 7 p.m. ET on CTV Two, and on Sunday, Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. ET on CTV, and is available now on demand on the CTV Video Player at CTV.ca.

About CTV
CTV, Canada's Olympic Network, is also Canada's largest private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV is Canada's most-watched television network and lead broadcaster of the London 2012 Olympic Games. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio and digital. Bell Media is owned by BCE Inc. (TSX, NYSE: BCE), Canada's largest communications company. More information about CTV can be found on the network's website at ctv.ca.

Christy Sullivan, CTV and CTV Two, 416.384.3624 or [email protected]
Allie Page, CTV and CTV Two, 416.384.4596 or [email protected]