CTV Delivers Strongest Fall Season in a Decade

– GOTHAM propels 47% growth among A25-54 Monday nights –
– CTV's heroic Tuesday night lineup grows double digits, up 18% for A25-54 –
– CTV boasts 13 three million-plus audience broadcasts this fall season –
– With 7 of the Top 10 most-watched programs overall, CTV also remains home to Canada's most-watched program, THE BIG BANG THEORY for the 5th straight year –

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TORONTO, Nov. 24, 2014 /CNW/ - Seven weeks into the fall television season, new data from Numeris confirms that CTV is on track to deliver its strongest fall season in more than a decade* and is the only broadcast network to see growth in primetime (8-11 p.m.) among total viewers and all key demos. Propelled by Canada's top three new series among all key adult demos becoming instant hits, CTV has widened its lead over next closest competitor in primetime to 61% with A25-54, compared to Fall 2013. Additionally, the fall season has seen the average age of a CTV viewer drop by one year for the second year in a row.

Home of this season's most-watched programs,  CTV is the only network to deliver audiences with 3-million-plus total viewers, and has done so 13 times so far this season. That represents five more 3-million-plus audiences than same time last year, and includes the debuts of the Top 3 new series among all key adult demos.

CTV delivers the Top 5 most-watched programs overall in the country with total viewers and the key A25-54 demo, and the Top 4 with A18-49. CTV also delivers four of the Top 5 most-watched new programs, including the Top 3 among the key adult demos. With three new programs in the Top 10, CTV now has 14 of the Top 20 series with total viewers, A25-54, and A18-49, which is more Top 20 programs than all other networks combined and is nearly triple its closest competitor.

"To see three of our most-anticipated new series enter the Top 10 seven weeks into the Fall season is testament to the appetite viewers have for engaging network television and the strength of the CTV schedule," said Phil King, President, CTV Programming and Sports. "Combined with returning hits that continue to deliver huge audiences, we look forward to building on that momentum with our mid-season, featuring the debut of AGENT CARTER, SECRETS AND LIES, AMERICAN CRIME, and ratings hit MASTERCHEF CANADA."

Already Canada's #1 new series, GOTHAM has also instantly become the second most-watched program in Canada among all key adult demos. Anchoring CTV's Monday night lineup, GOTHAM has helped contribute to double-digit growth on Mondays over last fall, with primetime (7-11 p.m.) up an impressive 47% with A25-54.

With its heroic line-up, CTV's already strong Tuesday night lineup has also seen double digit growth, +18% A25-54 in primetime (7-11 p.m.) over last fall.  At 8 p.m. THE FLASH, the #2 new series and #3 series overall among the key demos, leads the night, followed by last year's break out hit MARVEL'S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. at 9 p.m. sitting at #4 overall among A25-54 and A18-49. PERSON OF INTEREST at 10 p.m. is up 19% A25-54 over last fall and remains a Top 20 series.

Thursdays at 10 p.m. on CTV is home to Canada's #3 new series of the season among the key demos, HOW TO GET AWAY WITH MURDER. A Top 10 program overall (#8 among total viewers, #9 among A25-54), the series bests its timeslot among total viewers by 216% vs last fall. CTV's Thursday night also is once again home to THE BIG BANG THEORY, now Canada's most-watched program for five years in a row. Returning to anchor CTV's Thursday night comedy block at 8 p.m., the series delivered a staggering 4.4 million total viewers on Oct. 30 and Nov. 6, becoming the most-watched non-sports/non-special broadcasts on Canadian television since last January.

Late Night (11:30 p.m. – 2 a.m.) programming has also boosted CTV: new hosts Jimmy Fallon and Seth Meyers have lifted their programs audiences by double and triple digit percentages. THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON has grown 28% with total viewers and 110% for A25-54, while LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS is up 23% with total viewers and 51% with A25-54, versus same time last year.

Canada's Top New Programs:

CTV delivers 4 out of the Top 5 new programs, including Canada's Top 3 new series among the key adult demos.

Canada's Most-Watched Programs, Total Viewers, Season-to-Date:

Season-to-date, CTV delivers six of Canada's Top 8 most-watched programs, including the #1 series, #1 comedy, #1 drama and #1 new series.

Canada's Most-Watched Programs, A25-54, Season-to-Date:

About CTV
CTV is Canada's #1 private broadcaster. Featuring a wide range of quality news, sports, information, and entertainment programming, CTV has been Canada's most-watched television network for the past 13 years in a row. CTV is a division of Bell Media, Canada's premier multimedia company with leading assets in television, radio, digital, and Out-of-Home. 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: Numeris (BBM Canada), Fall Season to Date (7 weeks): Sept. 22 – Nov. 9, 2014 vs. Sept. 23 – Nov. 10, 2013, final data.
*Total viewers, full day.
Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 are based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters.
CTV electronic audience databases incorporate data beginning in 1994.

SOURCE CTV