DISCOVERY CHANNEL SETS RATINGS AND VIEWERSHIP RECORDS IN 1Q15 WITH BEST QUARTER EVER
Broad and Wide-Reaching Audiences Pushes GOLD RUSH to #1 on Cable Among Persons and Men, #7 Among Women in 1Q15
April 3, 2015
Discovery Channel had its best quarter in the history of the network during Prime Time in 1Q15 in both Total Viewers P2+ delivery and Persons 25-54 rating. Discovery also showed increases in a wide range of demos vs. 1Q14, while GOLD RUSH topped all unscripted shows in key demos on cable for the quarter and was #2 unscripted series in all of television among Men 25-54 for the quarter behind only The Voice.
1Q15 Prime Time finished with Discovery Channel delivering 1.652 Total Viewers P2+ (up 9% vs. 1Q14) with 0.843 Persons 25-54 rating (up +4% vs. 1Q14). Discovery Channel also finished as 1Q15's #5 cable network in Prime Time among Persons 25-54.
Discovery's Prime Time ratings growth was balanced between both Men and Women, up 4% each among Men 25-54 and Women 25-54, vs. 1Q14. In addition, the network made major strides in a wide range of demos including millennials, core viewers, kids, and families as the network climbed the demo rankers among Women 25-54 (#12 for the quarter, up 5 ranking positions), Persons 18-34 (#10, up 5 positions) and Persons 6-11 (#12, up 8 positions) vs. 1Q14.
GOLD RUSH completed first quarter as the #1 unscripted show on cable with Persons 25-54 and 18-49 and Men 25-54/18-49/18-34 while it grabbed #7 on cable for the quarter among Women 25-54. GOLD RUSH was also the #2 unscripted series in all of television for Men 25-54/18-49/18-34 behind only The Voice.
Also in 1Q15, ALASKAN BUSH PEOPLE was a top 3 unscripted show on cable in 1Q15 with HH (#2), Persons 25-54 (#3), Men 25-54 (#2), Men 18-49 (#2), Men 18-34 (#3) and Total Viewers P2+ (#2) delivery. It also ranked among the Top 10 among Women 25-54 for the quarter (#9).
Among the top 10 unscripted shows in 1Q15, Discovery claimed 3 among Persons 25-54 (GOLD RUSH, ALASKAN BUSH PEOPLE and STREET OUTLAWS), 5 among Men 25-54 (GOLD RUSH, ALASKAN BUSH PEOPLE, STREET OUTLAWS, BERING SEA GOLD and MOONSHINERS) and two among Women 25-54 (GOLD RUSH and ALASKAN BUSH PEOPLE).
Source: Nielsen NPOWER, Prime Mon-Sun 8-11pm, Live+3 Days (+75 Hours), time period data for network rank, program rank excludes repeats and < 1 telecast