'Beach Girls' Is Highest-Rated Drama Premiere In Lifetime Television History With 3.6 Million Viewers During July 31 Debut

'Beach Girls' Is Highest-Rated Drama Premiere In Lifetime Television History With 3.6 Million Viewers During July 31 Debut

Lifetime Television Posts Nine Consecutive Months Of Primetime Ratings Increases With 6% Gain In July

NEW YORK, Aug. 2 /PRNewswire/ -- Powered by the July 31 premiere of the summer drama series "Beach Girls" (3.6 million P2+ / 3.2 HH rating) -- the most watched series premiere in the network's history -- and the success of Lifetime Original Movies such as "Murder in the Hamptons" (4.8 million P2+ / 4.4 HH rating) and "The Dive From Clausen's Pier" (4.2 million P2+ / 3.8 HH rating), Lifetime Television scored its ninth consecutive month of primetime ratings increases in July with a 6% gain in households (1.7 vs. 1.6 in July 2004).

The first two episodes of "Beach Girls" (8-10PM, ET/PT), which stars Rob Lowe, Julia Ormond and Cloris Leachman in a six-hour series chronicling the intertwining lives and loves of summer visitors and residents of the coastal town of Hubbard's Point, averaged 3.6 million viewers, surpassing "MISSING" (3.3 million viewers for its series debut on 8/2/03) as the most watched original drama premiere in the network's history.

"Beach Girls" was also the highest rated program of the day on ad- supported cable (based on HH). And, the series won its 8-10PM time period versus all ad-supported cable networks among all Key Female demos, including Female Teens (12-17).

For the month, Lifetime also reported 12% gains among P2+ (1.9 million vs. 1.7 million), 13% among W18-34, 10% among W18-49 and 8% among W 25-54.

In July, Lifetime's movie showcase, "New Movie Monday," was up 71% in household rating, +36% W18-34 and +50% among W18-49.

"Beach Girls" is produced by Robert Greenwald Productions in association with Fox Television Studios for LIFETIME Television. Robert Greenwald and Alys Shanti (LIFETIME Television's "Plain Truth," "The Book of Ruth") are the executive producers. Edithe Swensen (LIFETIME Television's "Student Seduction" and "Too Young to be a Dad") wrote the teleplay for episode 1; Swensen and Elle Triedman ("Providence," "Cupid") wrote the teleplay for episode 2; Triedman wrote the teleplays for episodes 3 and 4, and Eric Tuchman (LIFETIME Television's "Defending Our Kids: The Julie Posey Story," "Three Days") wrote the teleplays for episodes 5 and 6. Paul Shapiro (LIFETIME Television's "Plain Truth," "Las Vegas") directed episodes 1 and 2; Sandy Smolan ("The O.C.," "One Tree Hill") directed episodes 3 and 5, and Jeff Woolnough ("Battlestar Galactica," "Navy NCIS: Naval Criminal Investigative Service") directed episodes 4 and 6.

LIFETIME is the leader in women's television and one of the top-rated basic cable television networks. A diverse, multi-media company, LIFETIME is committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming, and advocating a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Launched in 1984, LIFETIME serves over 89 million households nationwide. In 1998, LIFETIME launched Lifetime Movie Network, now in more than 45 million homes, and in 2001, Lifetime Real Women. LIFETIME Television, Lifetime Movie Network, Lifetime Real Women, Lifetime Radio for Women, Lifetime Home Entertainment and Lifetime Online are part of LIFETIME Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of The Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Source: Lifetime Television

CONTACT: Gary Morgenstein of Lifetime Television, +1-212-424-7162, or morgenstein@lifetimetv.com

Web site: http://www.lifetimetv.com/

------- Profile: Ent