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Lifetime Movie Network Reaches 70 Million U.S. Subscribers

Posted on: Tuesday, 21 April 2009, 13:31 CDT

Milestone Marks 19% Year-to-Year Increase in Distribution for Industry's Fastest-Growing Network*

SCOTT GARNER Appointed to Lead Lifetime Movie Network Task Force

NEW YORK, April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifetime Movie Network, which for six straight years has been the number two-rated women's channel in Primetime and Total Day behind only its sister network, Lifetime Television, has officially reached 70 million subscribers throughout the United States. The announcement was made today by Andrea Wong, President and CEO of Lifetime Networks.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090421/LA02601LOGO)

The 70 million subscriber milestone, a 19% increase in distribution from April 2008, makes Lifetime Movie Network the industry's fastest-growing network.* The growth is primarily due to incremental carriage on DISH Network and across Comcast systems. The agreements with Comcast and DISH were spearheaded by Lori Conkling, Lifetime Networks' Executive Vice President, Distribution.

Wong also announced that Scott Garner, Senior Vice President, Planning, Scheduling and Acquisitions for Lifetime Networks, has been given the added responsibility of leading the Lifetime Movie Network task force. In this role, and with support from Gary Engel, Lifetime's Director of Media Planning and Strategy, Garner will oversee the Network's operations and coordinate strategies among all Lifetime departments. He will continue reporting to JoAnn Alfano, Executive Vice President, Entertainment, of Lifetime Networks.

"It is fantastic that Lifetime Movie Network is now getting the attention it deserves, and distributors are recognizing its value to them as a leading entertainment destination for women," said Wong. "Lori Conkling and her team are doing a terrific job of growing Lifetime Movie Network, which I know will have continued success this year."

Wong added, "Scott Garner has played an important role in Lifetime Movie Network's ratings success. His many contributions have stemmed from his keen ability to identify what our viewers want and his savvy in programming content that delivers an audience."

Launched in 1998, Lifetime Movie Network is currently America's number two-rated female network in both Primetime and Total Day among Total Viewers, Households, W18-49 and W25-54. The first three months of this year were the Network's most watched quarter ever in Households, P2+, W18+, as well as in Total Day among W18-49. Lifetime Movie Network also has had significant delivery increases in Primetime from 1Q'08 to 1Q'09, with a 19% jump among W18-49, 23% increase in W25-54 and 18% growth in Total Viewers. It also reached 15 million W18-49 viewers in March 2009, up 26% compared to last year. In 2008, Lifetime Movie Network's Household rating was more than 1.5 times that of such other established networks as Bravo, Oxygen, TLC, E!, BET and VH-1, and more than double that of WE and Style.

In 2009, Lifetime Movie Network boasts a slate of 16 original movies, including Natalee Holloway, which broke all Lifetime Movie Network records upon its initial April 19 airing. The #1 original movie in the Network's eleven year history, it was up 56% in viewership (W18-49) from the previous record holder, The Capture of the Green River Killer, and generated a 2.52 rating among W18-49 and a 3.45 household rating. Natalee Holloway, based on the book by her mother, is currently the #1 movie to air on all of basic cable this year (W25-54). In November, the Network will air The Wronged Man, starring Julia Ormond and from producer Gale Anne Hurd, as well as two murder-mystery movies based on Ellen Byerrum's Crimes of Fashion novels: Killer Hair and Hostile Makeover, both debuting in June.

Garner joined Lifetime Networks in January 2008 with the mandate to manage all scheduling for Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network, as well as Lifetime Real Women. In addition, he oversees the acquisition of all long-form movies and off-network series content for the Company. He joined Lifetime from Disney Channel, where he was Senior Vice President, Programming, and was involved in the programming of such key franchises as High School Musical, Hannah Montana and That's So Raven, among others. He joined Disney Channel as Director, Research, in 1999. He became Senior Vice President in 2005. Prior to Disney Channel, Garner was Director of Research at Cartoon Network.

About Lifetime Networks

Lifetime Networks is a diverse, multi-media company committed to creating high quality entertainment and information content for women across all media platforms. The Company's portfolio includes the cable industry's two highest-rated women's channels, Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network, as well as Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime HD, Lifetime Movie Network HD, Lifetime on Demand and Lifetime Digital (myLifetime.com, Mothersclick.com and Lifetime Games, which includes Roiworld.com and DressupChallenge.com). Long dedicated to implementing and cultivating positive change, Lifetime Networks' advocacy initiatives span a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Launched in 1984, Lifetime Networks is part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a joint venture of Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

*Among channels with at least 30 million households.

SOURCE Lifetime

Source: PR Newswire

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