TNT's NBA Playoffs Coverage Off To Best Start In Cable Television History

Network Averaging A 2.7 U.S. Hh Rating And 4.3 Milllion Average Total Viewers, Up +29% And +33%, Respectively
 
TNT's NBA Playoffs coverage delivering over 48% Growth in Affluent Viewers for
P18-34, P18-49 and P25-54, Tops Among Professional Sports Leagues
 
Coming off its most watched and highest-rated season in its 27 years of airing NBA basketball, Turner Sports announced today that through Tuesday, April 26, its 2011 NBA Playoffs coverage on TNT is also delivering the most watched and highest rated postseason to date in cable television history. TNT's first 19 games of coverage have averaged a 2.7 U.S. HH Rating, (+29%, 2.1 U.S. HH Rating last year), 4,259,000 Total Viewers (+33%, 3,194,000 last year) and 3,136,000 Households (+29%, 2,432,000 last year).

TNT is also delivering strong double-digit growth across all key demos, including:
*  A18-34   +39%   (1,426,000 vs. 1,026,000)
*  A18-49   +39%   (2,456,000 vs. 1,774,000)
*  A25-54   +34%   (2,175,000 vs. 1,662,000)
*  M18-34   +37%   (1,009,000 vs. 739,000)
*  M18-49   +40%   (1,770,000 vs. 1,265,000)
*  M25-54   +37%   (1,551,000 vs. 1,136,000)
 
The NBA Playoffs on TNT to-date are also delivering significant double digit growth with affluent viewers with a household income of $100,000+ or +$125,000 across P18-34, P18-49 and P25-54. The growth for both affluent categories is the most of any professional sports league, playoffs or regular season. Data below is through Monday, April 25.
Affluent Household of $100,000+:
*  P18-34           +78%    
*  P18-49           +60% 
*  P25-54           +48% 
 
Affluent Household Income of $125,000+:
*  P18-34           +98%
*  P18-49           +78%
*  P25-54           +60%
 
During its 52 games regular season, the NBA on TNT averaged a 1.6 U.S. household rating (+45% vs. 1.1 for last year's corresponding coverage); 2,453,000 total viewers (+42% vs. 1,723,000); and 1,826,000 households (+39% vs. 1,315,000). In addition, this season's audience is +30% larger than Turner's second-best regular-season audience from 1995-96 (1,885,000).  Also, TNT aired three of the top five all-time most watched NBA regular season games in cable television history this season.
 
TNT's coverage of the NBA Playoffs continues this evening with the Philadelphia 76ers @ Miami Heat (Game #5) at 7 p.m. ET, followed by the Denver Nuggets @ Oklahoma City Thunder (Game #5) at 9:30 p.m. ET. TNT will also air home-market exclusive Conference Semi-Finals coverage and the 2011 NBA Eastern Conference Finals exclusively.