AMC Original Garners Highest Cable Viewership for 2006
Night One of the Two-Part Original Film – Executive Produced by and Starring Oscar® Winner Robert Duvall – Scores Record Breaking 7.63
New York, NY, June 27, 2006 – AMC's premiere of its first-ever original movie event, Broken Trail, delivered all time record ratings for the network on Sunday June 25th , night one of the two-part film. The epic western-themed movie scored a record-breaking 7.63 HH rating and ranked as the #1 cable telecast in 2006 to-date based on HH delivery (6.7 million) and total viewers (9.8 million). In addition, Broken Trail was the second most watched cable movie since 1995, based on HH delivery.
Broken Trail premiered on AMC on Sunday, June 25 and Monday, June 26 at 8:00 pm ET/PT. Nielsen ratings for night two will be released early Wednesday. The heroic western story set in the American West at the close of the 19th century is executive produced by and starring Academy Award® winner Robert Duvall, co-starring Academy Award® nominee Thomas Haden Church and directed by Emmy award winning director Walter Hill.
Please note the following highlights from the premiere of part one of Broken Trail:
- The AMC original movie is the #1 cable telecast of 2006 based on HH delivery (6.7 million) and total viewership (9.7 million adults 2+)
- Broken Trail's HH delivery of 6.7 million established it as the 2nd most watched cable movie since 1995.
- Broken Trail shattered the network's all time rating high of 2.7 HH Rtg from the 7/17/05 premiere of The High and the Mighty.
The ratings success of Broken Trail is a culmination of a multi-tiered strategy behind the launch of AMC's first original movie. The network's largest-ever marketing initiative was unleashed in support of the film and included nationwide brand presence through advertisements in top tier national print, radio and online outlets, as well as local television, print and outdoor coverage in key AMC markets. An extensive online presence was also created with a Broken Trail mini-site, and leading up to the film's premiere, behind-the-scenes vignettes and trailers ran nationally in select movie theatres. AMC's Broken Trail attracted Ford Motor Co. to sign on as the presenting sponsor where the company will promote its "bold moves" campaign through traditional and non-traditional avenues.
"Broken Trail is the kind of original that easily builds on AMC's heritage of quality movies from every decade," said Ed Carroll, President of AMC. "Our established leadership in the western genre, combined with the first-rate talent on this project, made Broken Trail the ideal vehicle to launch AMC's expansion into high profile originals."
"Broken Trail has been a labor of love and I am very proud of the project, so obviously I am honored by the nation's wide response," stated Broken Trail star and executive producer Robert Duvall. "The Western film genre has helped tell the story of America and it is this style of movie making that will always be ours."
Today's announcement comes of the heals of a number of recent original programming announcements from AMC, including a co-production agreement with BBC for the critically acclaimed drama "Hustle" and the network's first dramatic pilot, "Mad Men," produced and written by Matthew Weiner (The Sopranos) and set in advertising world of the 1960s. AMC's commitment to original programming garnered record ratings growth for 2005 leading to the best year ever in the history of the network. 2005 ranked as the network's strongest year in Primetime HH ratings, Household, and A18-49 & A25-54 deliveries. Additionally, AMC ranked among the top 20 networks in primetime performance of key demos.
Western-themed programming has proved to be successful for AMC. The network's exclusive licensing agreement with Paramount Pictures in 2005 provided the network with 32 of John Wayne's greatest films, including the world premiere of the fully restored, digitally remastered
High and the Mighty and Island in the Sky. The premieres of these movies, as well as the premiere of the 20th Anniversary of Clint Eastwood's Pale Rider, ranked among AMC's top ten highest rated telecasts ever. AMC has also aired a number of successful stunts including: 'Best of the West' in June 05, 'Christmas with the Duke' in December 05; and 'Make My Sunday' and 'Make My Saturday' in February 06 and May 06, all of which delivered successful ratings for the network. Ten of AMC's top 25 telecasts ever are Westerns.
**Source: Nielsen Media Research. 2006 (12/26/05-6/25/06) Rank based on HH CVG Rtg, HH delivery (000), A2+ delivery (000) among all individual telecasts on all measured cable networks (ad-supported, pay and other). 1/2/95-6/25/06 rank based on HH delivery (000) among all individual movie telecasts on all cable networks (ad-supported, pay and other).
About AMC
AMC, a division of Rainbow Media's Entertainment Services, which also includes WE tv and IFC Companies, is a 24-hour, movie-based network, dedicated to the American movie fan. The network, which reaches over 88,000,000 homes, offers a comprehensive library of popular movies and a critically-acclaimed slate of original programming that is a diverse, movie-based mix of original series, documentaries and specials. AMC has garnered many of the industry's highest honors, including 14 Emmy awards. AMC is "TV for movie people."
About Rainbow Media Holdings LLC
A leader in the entertainment industry, Rainbow Media Holdings LLC is a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Rainbow creates and manages some of the country's most compelling and dynamic programming with linear networks including national networks – AMC, fuse, IFC (The Independent Film Channel) and WE: Women's Entertainment; its regional programming service – Rainbow Sports Networks; on-demand networks including Mag Rack and sportskool; and the largest suite of high definition channels available anywhere – the VOOM HD Networks. Rainbow's other businesses include its film distribution, production and exhibition division – IFC Entertainment; in addition to its advertising sales division – Rainbow Advertising Sales Corporation – and its full service network programming origination and distribution company – Rainbow Network Communications.