SUPER BOWL XLVI is Most-Watched Ever in Canada with 8.1 Million Viewers on CTV and RDS

- National audience for the SUPER BOWL grows 12% compared to last year -
- More than half of the country watched some or all of last night's broadcast -
- THE VOICE hits series high with 2.4 million tuning in for Season 2 premiere -

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TORONTO, Feb. 6, 2012 /CNW/ - SUPER BOWL XLVI is the most-watched SUPER BOWL ever on Canadian television with an audience of 8.15 million viewers on CTV and RDS (CTV: 7.3 million; RDS: 865,000). Preliminary overnight data from BBM Canada confirms that the New York Giants' thrilling victory last night over the New England Patriots is the most-watched program of the broadcast year. The national audience for SUPER BOWL XLVI is 12% higher than last year's game (7.3 million on CTV and RDS). Overall, more than 18 million viewers - or more than one in two Canadians (54.4%) - watched some or all of SUPER BOWL XLVI on CTV or RDS.

Audience levels for SUPER BOWL XLVI on CTV and RDS peaked at nearly 11 million viewers during the highly-anticipated halftime show featuring global superstar Madonna. Overall, the halftime show averaged 10.3 million viewers.

The game received a 65 Share among Adults 18-49 and Adults 25-54. It also received a 69 Share for Men 25-54, meaning more than two in three English Canadians in this demo watching TV last night were tuned to SUPER BOWL XLVI on CTV. Pulling in double-digit market ratings, SUPER BOWL XLVI drew record ratings for total viewers in all markets.

THE VOICE scored the other big touchdown of the night in the post SUPER BOWL XLVI timeslot, returning to CTV with a series high of 2.4 million viewers, up 45% compared to its Season 1 premiere and becoming the most-watched post-SUPER BOWL program in five years**. During its late hour, THE VOICE grew 8% from one half to the next, while nearly 6 million viewers sampled some part of the program. The program attracted ratings of 8.8 and 9.2 in Toronto and Vancouver for Adults 18-49. With last night's episode available now on demand at CTV.ca, THE VOICE settles into its regular time slot of Mondays at 8 p.m. ET with an all-new episode tonight on CTV.

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

*Source BBM Canada.  Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters. CTV electronic audience databases incorporate data beginning in 1994. **Overnight Data

Greg McIsaac, (w) 416.384.5180, (c) 416.458.3591, [email protected]
Chobi Liang, (w) 416.384.7584, (c) 416.859.4738, [email protected]
Renee Rouse, (w) 416.384.7599, (c) 416.428.4807, [email protected]

Twitter: @CTV_PR