Lifetime Television's 'Project Runway' Becomes Highest Rated Premiere Ever for the Series and in the Network's History

Lifetime Television's 'Project Runway' Becomes Highest Rated Premiere Ever for the Series and in the Network's History

Hit Unscripted Program Beats Cable Competition Among All Key Demos, with 3.2 Rating in W18-49, 3.8 Rating in W18-34 and 3.3 Household Rating with August 20 Return PROJECT RUNWAY: ALL-STAR CHALLENGE Two-Hour Special Generates 2.2 Rating in W18-49 and 2.3 Household Rating; All-New Companion Series MODELS OF THE RUNWAY Secures 1.4 Rating Among W18-49 and 1.6 Household Rating Lifetime Digital Sets Records in Unique Visitors and Visits; Records More Than 4.6 Million Page Views

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 21 /PRNewswire/ -- The eagerly anticipated premiere of Lifetime Television's Emmy -nominated and Peabody Award-winning hit series Project Runway generated a 3.2 rating among Women 18-49 (a 28% increase over the series' season five premiere) and a 3.3 rating in Households (up 32% from the season five premiere) on Thursday, August 20, at 10PM ET/PT, according to Nielsen Research. The Show beat all cable competition in key demos and made the program's return to television the highest-rated premiere for the series ever and in the Network's 25-year history, including Women 18-34 (3.8) and Adults 18-34 (2.5). The Program averaged more than 4.2 million Total Viewers and was the highest rated competition reality series premiere on cable this year.

   (Photo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090821/LA64657)   (Logo:  http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080804/NYM114LOGO)   

Project Runway's all-new companion series, Models of the Runway, which premiered at 11PM ET/PT, generated a 1.4 rating among Women 18-49 and a 1.6 Household rating, averaging 1.9 million Total Viewers. Lifetime kicked off the launches of Project Runway and Models of the Runway with the two-hour special, Project Runway: All-Star Challenge. The spirited competition, which featured eight fan favorites and

Project Runway superstars competing against one another, premiered at 8PM ET/PT and started the evening in style, securing a 2.2 rating in Women 18-49 and a 2.3 Household rating, as well as averaging 2.9 million Total Viewers. Last night's winner of Project Runway: All-Star Challenge was Daniel Vosovic.

"We are thrilled about Project Runway's very strong premiere, which surpassed all of our expectations," said Andrea Wong, President and CEO of Lifetime Networks. "Congratulations to our partners The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions, Full Picture Productions and Marie Claire, and Project Runway's loyal viewers for this successful launch. We can't wait to watch Project Runway and Models of the Runway along with them this season."

"This is only the beginning of an exciting season, and I want to send a huge 'thank you' to everyone involved with the Series, especially Heidi, Tim, Nina, Michael, Andrea Wong, JoAnn Alfano, Lew Goldstein, Bob Bibb and all the team at Lifetime," said Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairman of The Weinstein Company. "Not only has this premiere generated the series' highest rating, but the reviews have been the best we have ever received. I was thrilled to get our friends Nicole Kidman, Kate Hudson, Fergie, Lindsay Lohan and Diane von Furstenberg to help us launch this season, and I look forward to many more surprises in the coming months."

Lifetime Digital also generated strong numbers yesterday, setting company records with its highest-ever number of unique visitors (454,000) and visits (558,000), as well as more than 4.6 million page views, according to online tracking by Lifetime Internal Web Logs (Omniture). The impact of Project Runway was not limited to Lifetime Digital platforms, as "Project Runway" and "#projectrunway" were the top two trending topics on Twitter in the 10PM ET hour.

Last night's strong launch for Project Runway solidifies Lifetime's standing as the top-rated women's cable television network across key demographics, including Women 18-34, Women 18-49, Women 25-54 and Women 18+. The Network's hit drama Army Wives is averaging 3.6 million viewers this season and is the top rated program in Lifetime's history. Drop Dead Diva, the comedic drama that was recently renewed for its second season, premiered July 12 and is Lifetime's highest rated original drama premiere since the 2007 debut of Army Wives. Together, Army Wives and Drop Dead Diva make Lifetime the highest-rated and most watched Network in the Sunday, 9-11PM time period among Women 18-49. Lifetime is also the number one-rated and most watched ad-supported cable network for original movie premieres among Women 18+.*

ABOUT PROJECT RUNWAY AND MODELS OF THE RUNWAY

Hosted by supermodel and fashion maven Heidi Klum, the hit series Project Runway provides budding designers with an opportunity to launch their careers in fashion, under the watchful eye of mentor and Liz Claiborne Chief Creative Officer Tim Gunn. The wildly successful competition reality series has proven to be one of television's most talked about shows and was the highest rated unscripted competition on all of cable for 2008.

Models of the Runway, an exciting new companion series to Project Runway, will give fans a behind-the-scenes look at the reality competition - from the models' perspective. Viewers can experience the drama, anxiety, joys, tears and frustrations as the models themselves face elimination each week and compete for a cash prize and photo spread in Marie Claire magazine.

Produced by The Weinstein Company, Miramax Films, Bunim-Murray Productions and Full Picture Productions, Project Runway and Models of the Runway are executive produced by Bob and Harvey Weinstein, Co-Chairmen of The Weinstein Company, and Jon Murray and Sara Rea of Bunim-Murray Productions (The Real World). Heidi Klum; Desiree Gruber and Jane Cha of New York City-based Full Picture also executive produce both series. Barbara Schneeweiss oversees the production on behalf of The Weinstein Company.

ABOUT LIFETIME TELEVISION

Lifetime is a diverse, multi-media company, committed to offering the highest quality entertainment and information programming that celebrates, entertains and supports women. Through its award-winning public affairs initiatives, the Company also advocates a wide range of issues affecting women and their families. Lifetime Television and Lifetime Movie Network - cable's two highest-rated women's channels - Lifetime Real Women and Lifetime Digital (which includes myLifetime.com, LMN.tv, Lifetime Games, Roiworld.com,

DressUpChallenge.com and MothersClick.com) are part of Lifetime Entertainment Services, a 50/50 joint venture of Hearst Corporation and The Walt Disney Company.

Photography is available at www.lifetimepress.com.

*Excluding networks with only one movie in 2009.

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Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080804/NYM114LOGO
AP PhotoExpress Network: PRN4

Source: Lifetime Television

CONTACT: Les Eisner of Lifetime Networks, +1-310-407-8526,
leisner@lifetimetv.com; or Kannie Yu LaPack of Lifetime Television,
+1-310-556-7582, kyu@lifetimetv.com

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

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Profile: International Entertainment