#1 WITH A BULLET (OR A SHARP STABBING UTENSIL),
“THE WALKING DEAD” RETURNS AS THE #1 SHOW ON TELEVISION AMONG ADULTS 18-49
SEASON SIX DEBUT OF “THE WALKING DEAD” IS THE #1 PREMIERE FOR THE 2015/2016 SEASON AMONG ADULTS 18-49, DELIVERING 19.5 MILLION VIEWERS AND 12.8 MILLION ADULTS 18-49 IN LIVE+3 RATINGS
“TALKING DEAD” RETURNS WITH 6.5 MILLION VIEWERS AND 4.2 MILLION ADULTS 18-49 AMC ANNOUNCES THE SECOND HALF OF “THE WALKING DEAD” SEASON SIX
WILL PREMIERE SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 14TH AT 9:00PM ET/PT
NEW YORK, NY – October 16, 2015 – “The Walking Dead” remains the #1 show on television among adults 18-49, extending its unprecedented three-year run as the only cable program in history to ever hold the top spot. Its 90-minute season six premiere on October 11th delivered 19.5 million viewers, 12.8 million adults 18-49 and 12.1 million adults 25-54 in live+3 ratings, which include three days of time-shifted viewing. The episode is the highest-rated premiere for the 2015/2016 season among adults 18-49 and adults 25-54 in live+3 viewing.
“Talking Dead,” the live aftershow hosted by Chris Hardwick that recaps the evening’s episode, delivered 6.5 million viewers, 4.2 million adults 18-49 and 4.0 million adults 25-54 in live+3. Sunday night’s season premiere featured showrunner Scott M. Gimple, executive producer Greg Nicotero and Ethan Embry (Carter).
“What an unforgettable week for all who love ‘The Walking Dead’ – from sharing the premiere with more than 13,000 screaming fans at a packed Madison Square Garden to our sixth season return on Sunday as the number one show in all of television. We’re so humbled and proud of the way this incredibly ambitious episode has been received,” said Charlie Collier, president of AMC, SundanceTV and AMC Studios. “All credit goes to the amazing talent that continues to drive this show, beginning with Robert Kirkman, Scott M. Gimple, the executive producers, cast and crew and, of course, the terrific fans who inspire us all.”
Key Nielsen Highlights for the Season Six Premiere of “The Walking Dead” (Live+3)
- 19.5 million viewers, up 33% from live/same day (an increase of 4.9 million viewers)
- 12.9 million adults 18-49, up 36% from live/same day (an increase of 3.4 million adults 18-49)
- 12.1 million adults 25-54, up 37% from live/same day (an increase of 3.2 million adults 25-54)
Key Nielsen Highlights for the Season Five Premiere of “Talking Dead” (Live+3)
- 6.5 million viewers, up 14% from live/same day (an increase of 801,000 viewers)
- 4.2 million adults 18-49, up 13% from live/same day (an increase of 495,000 adults 18-49)
- 4.0 million adults 25-54, up 15% from live/same day (an increase of 503,000 adults 25-54)
Playback
15/16 BROADCAST SEASON (9/14/15 to 10/11/15) – A18-49 L+SD L+3 Increase
Premiere Date Network Program Name (000) (000) (000)
10/11/15 AMC THE WALKING DEAD 9,421 12,848 3,427
09/23/15 FOX EMPIRE 8,442 11,002 2,560
09/21/15 CBS THE BIG BANG THEORY 5,945 8,100 2,155
09/23/15 ABC MODERN FAMILY 4,092 6,229 2,137
10/07/15 FX AMERICAN HORROR STORY 3,795 6,125 2,330
The season six premiere of “The Walking Dead” also dominated social media. “The Walking Dead” was mentioned in nearly 1 million tweets on October 11th (956,480), generating 3.6 billion potential impressions via 825,000 unique users. The top four hashtags on October 11th on Twitter were all related to “The Walking Dead,” and the show was the most engaging television program for the week on both Facebook and Instagram.
AMC announced from “The Walking Dead” 2015 Fan Premiere Event at Madison Square Garden on October 9th that the second half of the show’s season six will premiere Sunday, February 14th at 9:00 p.m. ET/PT. As in previous seasons, the show’s sixth season of 16 episodes will be airing in two parts, with the final eight returning next February. Internationally, “The Walking Dead” will return for its mid-season debut in 125+ FOX International Channels (FIC) markets within 24 hours of the U.S. premiere, as part of FIC’s continued commitment to broadcast the series near day-and-date globally.
Sources: Nielsen L+3 (9/14/15-10/11/15). Nielsen Social (Twitter, ranked based on tweets); ListenFirst DAR (10/5-10/11/15 (week); 10/11/15 (premiere)).
