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[via press release]

The Force is with Cartoon Network as Star Wars™: The Clone Wars™ Blasts Off as the Most-Watched Series Premiere in Network History

New Friday Action-Adventure Night Off to Record Numbers

One-Hour Debut (9-10 p.m.) Ranks #1 Among All Major Kids’ Networks for Kids 6-11, Kids 2-11, Tweens 9-14, Teens 12-17 and Persons 2+

8 p.m. Original Series Premiere of The Secret Saturdays Also Posts 35% Growth With Kids 6-11, 86% With Boys 6-11

Fresh from its across-the-board prime-time delivery and ratings growth in third quarter, Cartoon Network rocketed to new delivery heights with the premiere of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS at 9 p.m. Friday, Oct. 3. The new Lucasfilm Animation series scored as the most-watched series premiere in network history, according to preliminary data from Nielsen Media Research. The one-hour new series premiere also reigned as the #1 program from 9-10 p.m. among all major kids networks in kids 6-11, kids 2-11, tweens 9-14, teens 12-17 and persons 2+, earning triple-digit increases compared to the same time period last year. The weekly, CG-animated series also attracted the largest tweens 9-14 audience for any premiere telecast of an original series in Cartoon Network’s 16-year history.

“This is a great start for our new night of fantasy-action-adventure programming,” said Stuart Snyder, president and chief operating officer of Turner Broadcasting’s Animation, Young Adults and Kids Media group. “Kids and their parents made it a point to tune in to the amazing storytelling and brilliant animation of Lucasfilm’s Star Wars: The Clone Wars.” “We are looking forward to building on this foundation and are thrilled with this turnout and record numbers for Cartoon Network.”

Additionally that night, Cartoon Network premiered another original animated series to serve as its lead-in for the all-new Friday night fantasy-action-adventure line-up, The Secret Saturdays (8-9:00pm), which earned 35% more kids 6-11 and 86% more boys 6-11 than programming that appeared in the same time period in 2007. Similarly, The Secret Saturdays also increased kids 2-11 delivery by 47%, boys 2-11 delivery by 67%, tweens 9-14 delivery by 23% and boys 9-14 delivery by 60%.

Highlights of Cartoon Network’s record-setting premiere of STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS compared to the same time 2007 time period include the following:

STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS (Friday, 9-10 p.m.) vs. the Same Time 2007 Time Period
• Kids 2-11 delivery (1,829,000) grew by 125%
• Kids 6-11 delivery (1,438,000) increased by 120%
• Tweens 9-14 delivery (1,219,000) improved by 91%
• Boys 2-11 delivery (1,395,000) expanded by 150%
• Boys 6-11 delivery (1,159,000) jumped by 160%
• Boys 9-14 delivery (991,000) increased by 133%

In the signature style of Lucasfilm Animation, STAR WARS: THE CLONE WARS chronicles the adventures of Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Yoda, Ahsoka Tano and other favorite STAR WARS characters as they struggle against the dark side during the divisive, action-packed Clone Wars. Each week, a new story in the galaxy-changing Clone Wars comes to center stage, brought to the screen by supervising director Dave Filoni and executive producer George Lucas.

An animated, comedy-action series created by Jay Stephens, The Secret Saturdays reveals a family of world-saving adventure scientists, Doc, Drew and Zak Saturday. They live in a hidden base and are part of a network of scientists who protect against all the underlying evil in world. To the Saturdays, ordinary folk-tales aren’t just legends, but real-life mysteries and adventures.

Cartoon Network (CartoonNetwork.com), currently seen in more than 97 million U.S. homes and 160 countries around the world, is Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.’s ad-supported cable service offering the best in original, acquired and classic animated entertainment for kids and families. Overnight from 11 p.m.-6 a.m. (ET, PT), Cartoon Network shares its channel space with Adult Swim, a late-night destination showcasing original and acquired animation for young adults 18-34.

Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a Time Warner company, creates and programs branded news, entertainment, animation and young adult media environments on television and other platforms for consumers around the world.

RATING PERIOD: 9/27/93 – 10/03/08
SOURCE: Cartoon Networks Research from Nielsen Media Research data. Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Friday 10/3/08 and Secret Saturdays 10/3/08. Ranking based on individual telecast delivery (000) among premieres of Cartoon Network original programs. Data based on Preliminary Live+SD 9/22/08-10/3/08 & Final Live+7 prior to those dates. All data prior to 12/26/05 represent Live Only data. Complete and final data (Live+7) will be available in two weeks. These television ratings data are reproduced here with permission from Nielsen Media Research. Reproduction of these data in volume, without permission from Nielsen Media Research, is prohibited.
NOTES: All ratings based on Total U.S. Television Universe of 114,500,000 homes.