Canwest Broadcasting Recaps Record Fall Ratings

    
           Global Posts Best Primetime Performance In Half Decade

                   Global National Has Strongest Fall Ever

                   Specialty Channels Make Ratings History

                           www.canwesttvmedia.com
    

TORONTO , Jan. 11 /CNW/ - Smash-hit primetime shows, outstanding original series, well-respected news programming and standard-setting marketing campaigns have resulted in Canwest Broadcasting reporting one of the most successful fall seasons in its history. With confirmed BBM ratings now available, Canwest is releasing its key successes of the season.

Highlights include:

    
    Global Television
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As has been widely reported, Global had its best fall performance in over half a decade with primetime audiences up by 48%. Global also saw a major resurgence as a Top 10/Top 20 network, with four programs in the national Top 10 and eight in national Top 20. Global is also home to the biggest new hit of the year, and the country's only new Top 10 program: Glee.

    
    Global National
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Global's flagship national newscast had its most-watched season ever, with audiences up by 29% over fall 2008. Every weeknight, over one million Canadians turn to Global National.

    
    Specialty Channels
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Canwest continues to dominate the Specialty television landscape. This fall saw continued audience growth for Canwest's 18 Specialty Channels - including HGTV which grew by 20%, National Geographic Channel by 24%, Action by 39% and MovieTime by more than 63%. In fact, seven of the channels had their most-watched fall season on record: HGTV, Food Network, National Geographic, MovieTime, Action, Showcase Diva and DIY Network.

Canwest's Action also set a new industry benchmark: it is now the only digital channel to rank among the Top 15 most-watched Canadian specialty channels overall. Action now outdraws such well-established analog channels as Bravo, CMT, MuchMusic and CBC News Network. The country's next highest-rated digital channel is Canwest's National Geographic, in position No.22 - ahead of analog specialty OLN.

    
    SOURCE:
    BBM Canada PPM Data - Fall 2009 / BBM Canada Mark II - Fall 2008
    Global primetime based on 2+ and 18-49, Weeks 3 - 16
    Global National based on 2+, Weeks 3 - 16
    Specialty channels (commercial) based on adults 25-54, Weeks 2 - 18
    

About Canwest Broadcasting

Canwest Broadcasting operates Global Television and eighteen of the country's most popular specialty channels, including HGTV, Mystery TV, National Geographic Channel, Showcase, History Television, Food Network and TVtropolis. Canwest Broadcasting is a division of Canwest Media Inc.

About Canwest Media Inc.

Canwest Media Inc. is a subsidiary of Canwest Global Communications Corp. (www.canwest.com), Canada's largest media company. In addition to owning the Global Television Network, operating 18 industry-leading specialty channels and having ownership in 5 specialty channels, Canwest is Canada's largest publisher of English language paid daily newspapers and owns and operates more than 80 online properties.

For further information: For media inquiries, please contact: Deborah Lewis, Vice President Communications, Canwest Broadcasting, [phone], [email protected]