USA Continues At #1

USA CONTINUES AT #1

Critically-Acclaimed New USA Original Series COVERT AFFAIRS Launches to Ratings Success;
Hit Series WHITE COLLAR and PSYCH Return to Help Lead USA to #1

NEW YORK, NEW YORK – July 20, 2010 – For week three of 3Q10, USA was #1 again across the board, taking the top spot in cable’s primetime, pulling in more P25-54 (1.37 million, +24% over #2 TNT), P18-49 (1.24 million, +22% over #2 TBS), P18-34 (571,000, +6% over #2 TBS), total viewers (3.26 million, +7% over #2 DSNY) and households (2.45 million, +14% over #2 DSNY). USA also earned the top coverage rating in basic cable prime this week with a 2.46 (+0.40 over #2 TNT). Total day, USA was the most watched network among P18-49 (611,000, 3% over #2 TNT).

USA delivered more than three times as many P25-54 (+210%) and total viewers P2+ (+261%) as The CW while doubling the broadcaster’s P18-49 (+162%) and P18-34 (+111%) deliveries. For the fifth consecutive week, cable’s top network outperformed CBS in drawing M18-34, adding ABC to the list of networks USA beat in this demo as well. In addition, USA registered victories over “Big 4″ broadcast networks in 18 of the 21 primetime hours this week (M-Su 8P-11P).

In a week of big competitive events and premieres, USA achieved ratings success with the series premiere of USA’s latest hit, COVERT AFFAIRS, the season premieres of WHITE COLLAR and PSYCH, new episodes ofBURN NOTICE and ROYAL PAINS, WWE MONDAY NIGHT RAW, hit movies, and the top acquired series on cable, NCIS and LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT.

• In a week where every one of the top ten P25-54 and P18-49 entertainment telecasts in basic cable prime delivered over 2 million, USA placed four telecasts in this top tier for both demos, twice as many as any other network. USA Originals BURN NOTICE, ROYAL PAINS, COVERT AFFAIRS were the top three scripted telecasts in basic cable prime this week among P18-49 (BN 2.36 million / RP 2.12 million / CA 2.08 million).

• USA’s newest Tuesday night pairing of the premiere of the new original COVERT AFFAIRS and the sophomore premiere of WHITE COLLAR was an overt success, delivering the night’s best numbers for scripted telecasts against very tough overall competition including the MLB All-Star game, the death of Captain Harris on “Deadliest Catch” and the series finale of “The Hills.” The most watched scripted telecasts on cable Tuesday night were WHITE COLLAR at 9P and COVERT AFFAIRS at 10P and. These were the only scripted telecasts to deliver over 1.5 million P25-54 (CA 2.30 million / WC 1.83 million), 1.5 million P18-49 (2.10 million / 1.65 million), 3 million total viewers (4.88 million / 4.29 million) or 3 million households (3.84 million / 3.17 million).

• The series premiere of COVERT AFFAIRS was anything but undercover, delivering more P18-49 (2.10 million) than the launch of any new scripted series this year to date, including “Rizzoli and Isles,” “Justified,” “Memphis Beat” and “The Glades,” and showed double-digit growth over WHITE COLLAR’s strong return to Tuesday nights (now at 9P), building on its lead-in’s numbers by double digits, adding +26% more P25-54, +28% more P18-49, +11% more P18-34 and +14% more total viewers to WHITE COLLAR’s audience.

• PSYCH was Wednesday’s only scripted cable telecast to deliver over 1.5 million P25-54 (1.59 million) and was the top scripted telecast of the night among P18-49 (1.50 million) and P18-34 (798,000). No competitor delivered more total viewers (3.68 million) or households (2.67 million) than USA’s new episode of PSYCH. The veteran series also outperformed the #2 scripted telecasts of the night by double digits in every category: +14% P25-54 over “Hot in Cleveland,” +23% total viewers over “Hot in Cleveland,” +14% P18-49 over “Meet the Browns” and +33% P18-34 over a repeat of “South Park.” More P18-34, M18-49 and total male viewers M2+ watched PSYCH on Wednesday than anything on ABC.

• BURN NOTICE had its best episode since the season premiere on P18-49 (+17% vs. the prior week) and P25-54 (+13%). In BURN NOTICE’s 9P timeslot, USA was the #1 network on television, broadcast or cable, in delivering M18-34/18-49/25-54/total viewers and was second only to Fox in delivering P18-49 and F18-34 while outperforming every cable network in P25-54, P18-34, total viewers and households. It also beat ABC’s new episode of “Rookie Blue” head-to-head among P18-49 and P18-34. In the 10P hour, when the network aired ROYAL PAINS, USA was the top network on television for P18-49, F18-34, F18-49, M18-49 and M25-54 and was second only to CBS in delivering P25-54, total viewers and households and to Comedy Central in delivering P18-34. ROYAL PAINS grew week-to-week by +3% P18-49 and +2% P25-54.

• NCIS and LAW & ORDER: SPECIAL VICTIMS UNIT were the #1 and #2 acquired series on cable this week, respectively, among P25-54 (NCIS 1.17 million / SVU 882,000), P18-49 (926,000 / 881,000), total viewers (3.31 million / 2.34 million) and households (2.58 million / 1.82 million). These were the only acquired series in cable’s primetime to average over 1 million P25-54, 2 million total viewers or 2 million households.

USA Network is the #1 network in all of basic cable and is seen in over 98.5 million U.S. homes. A division of NBC Universal, USA is the cable television leader in original series and home to the best in blockbuster theatrical films, acquired television series and entertainment events. The award-winning USA website is located at www.usanetwork.com. Characters Welcome.

USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world’s leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.