London 2012 Viewing Grows to 89% Increase Over Beijing 2008 on Days 4 - 6

- Daytime viewing is almost four times the summer average -
- Swimming continues to be most-watched sport reaching 7.5 million on the average day -
- Youth viewing double that of Beijing 2008 -

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LONDON, England, Aug. 4, 2012 /CNW/ - Audiences for London 2012 continue to grow, with viewing up an impressive 89%* over Beijing 2008 during Days 4 - 6 compared to a 74% lead for Days 1-3. An average of 1.9 million viewers tuned in throughout Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium's 22 hours of daily coverage from July 31 - Aug. 2, with an average audience of 3 million viewers in prime time alone. Additionally, daytime has become the new prime time, with 2 million viewers tuning in on average between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Consortium channels, nearly four times the regular summer average.**

On CTV alone, the tape-delayed prime time coverage averaged 2 million viewers, up 53% over CBC's prime time live / tape-delayed coverage of Beijing 2008 (1.3 million) for the same time period. From the start of the 2012 Games to date, an incredible 29.4 million Canadians - or 87.4% of the population - has watched some coverage on Consortium channels.

Additionally, Olympic coverage is delivering younger viewers in droves. Among the 12-24 demographic, audiences for the Consortium networks are more than triple their typical levels, and double that of Beijing 2008. As a result, the Consortium channels are skewing five years younger with the overall boost from youth viewing for London 2012.

Tuesday and Wednesday's swimming semifinal and final sessions, where Michael Phelps made history becoming the most decorated Olympian ever, averaged more than 2 million viewers each day, and became two of the Top 3 events across the Consortium networks from the start of the 2012 Games to date. Overall, swimming events reach more than 7.5 million viewers on the average day. The women's artistic gymnastics team final on Tuesday ranks as the top non-swimming event to date, averaging almost 2 million viewers and reaching 6.4 million Canadians.

Average audiences on Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium for Days 4 - 6 of London 2012 include: 

	July 31 - Aug. 2
OLYMPIC MORNING / LONDRES 2012 À RDS (4 a.m. - 12 noon ET)	1.1 million
OLYMPIC DAYTIME / LONDRES 2012 À RDS (12 - 6 p.m. ET)	2.6 million
OLYMPIC PRIME TIME /  AUJOURD'HUI À LONDRES SUR RDS (7 - 11 p.m. ET)	3.0 million

Additional Highlights for Days 4 - 6:

• Tuesday and Wednesday's swimming semifinal and final, which includes the 200m IM where Phelps outdueled Lochte, rank among the Top 5 events on CTV so far with an overall average 1.9 million viewers
• The women's doubles badminton semifinal between Canada and Japan on Aug. 2 became TSN's most-watched event of the 2012 Games to date, averaging 669,000 viewers
• Canada's dramatic come-from-behind tie against Sweden in women's soccer helped it secure a spot in the quarterfinal, earning Sportsnet an audience of 341,000 viewers on July 31
• The men's 3m synchronized diving final on Aug. 1 is the most-watched event on RDS to date, averaging 513,000 viewers
• Women's preliminary round beach volleyball on July 31 became the second event on V to average more than 350,000 viewers during London 2012. Volleyball has been a ratings winner to date on V with matches on the court and on the beach securing its top four audiences to date

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About Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium
Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium is a unique relationship led by Canada's #1 broadcaster, CTV with 80% interest, along with Rogers Media Inc. with 20% interest. The Consortium is providing unprecedented English, French, and multilingual coverage and consumer choice on multiple platforms during the London 2012 Olympic Games, through August 12, 2012. Official brands include CTV, TSN, RDS, RDS Info, Sportsnet, OMNI Television, OLN, V, ATN, CTVOlympics.ca, RDSolympiques.ca, and select Rogers radio stations across the country. In addition, select stations will also air the London 2012 Paralympic Games from August 29 - September 9, 2012. The Consortium delivered the Top 5 most-watched events in Canadian television history during its revolutionary coverage of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

Source: BBM Canada
CTV electronic audience databases incorporate data beginning in 1994.
Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters.
*Based on total time tuned
**Based on same dates last year

SOURCE: Canada's Olympic Broadcast Media Consortium

Renee Rouse, 416.384.7599, [email protected]
Amy Doary, 011.4.(0) 77.14079701, [email protected]