Tentpole Series, Big Brands, and Surging Audiences: Bell Media Entertainment Specialty Brands Close 2017/18 in Record Form

TORONTO (October 25, 2018) – With data from the 2017/18 broadcast year now final, analysis from Numeris confirms that Bell Media’s entertainment specialty channels have bucked industry trends and delivered audience growth. Space, Comedy, Bravo, Much, MTV, and Gusto have all increased their rankings among the key advertising demo A25-54, as well as the more representative A18-54 demo. Additionally, Space, Bravo, Comedy, and Discovery are all Top 10 Canadian entertainment specialty channels, based on an exclusive lineup of blockbuster series like STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, KILLING EVE, CORNER GAS: ANIMATED, and HIGHWAY THRU HELL. Space Space has passed History to become a Top 5 specialty channel among A18-54, bolstered by the success of its smash hit programming like its original drama KILLJOYS, the Superman prequel series, KRYPTON, and STAR TREK: DISCOVERY, the most-watched series of all-time on Canadian entertainment specialty television. Yet another powerhouse series for the channel, the recent psychological horror series CASTLE ROCK became the third most-watched program for the channel and made Space #1 in its Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET timeslot for Canadian entertainment specialty networks. Bravo Bravo now ranks among the Top 12 special channels for A18-54, and for first time in nine years, ranks among the Top 10 Canadian entertainment specialty channels for A25-54. Contributing to its success, the critically acclaimed Sandra Oh series, KILLING EVE, became the #1 series in its Sundays at 9 p.m. ET timeslot and Bravo’s second most-watched program overall. Meanwhile, the Original Bravo series CARTER made the channel the #1 entertainment specialty in its Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET timeslot across all key adult demos. The Comedy Network The Comedy Network has moved up three spots to #6 for A25-54 showing an extraordinary 14% jump in audience year over year among Canadian entertainment specialties, and now ranks #8 among specialty channels overall for A18-54. Contributing to the growth is CORNER GAS: ANIMATED, which became the most-watched series debut of all-time on Comedy when it premiered in March, and was the #1 series overall on Comedy for the 2017/18 broadcast year. Much/MTV/Gusto

• With audience growth of 22%, Much climbed four spots to now rank among the Top 15 Canadian specialty channels for A18-54.
• MTV saw audience growth of 24% among A18-54, jumping nine spots to now reside at #29 among Canada’s Top 30 Canadian specialty channels.
• Lifestyle channel Gusto continues to gain ground with audience increases of 27% for A18-54, moving up 11 spots among Canadian specialty channels.

Discovery Discovery continues to be a powerhouse across demos with more Top 20 shows than any other entertainment specialty channel in Canada during the 2017/2018 broadcast year for total viewers, ranking as the #8 Canadian entertainment specialty channel and #10 overall (A18-54). Discovery continues to be fueled by the success of its smash hit original Canadian series, which comprise five out of the network’s Top 10 programs, led by HIGHWAY THRU HELL, which in its sixth season remains a ratings juggernaut as the #2 Canadian series on entertainment specialty and the #1 series on Discovery. Season 6 of the action-packed reality series was also #1 in its Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET timeslot for Canadian entertainment specialty. Source: Rankings and audiences quoted refer to A25-54, unless otherwise noted. Numeris PPM for Audiences post August 31, 2009, Audiences prior to August 31, 2009 based on BBM Nielsen Media Research Mark II meters