2017 – A Great Year for CBS UK

AMC Networks International UK and CBS Studios International-owned Channels CBS Reality, CBS Action, CBS Drama and Horror Channel have delivered their best year ever in terms of share of commercial impacts growth for advertisers.

The channels delivered 2.58% of the UK’s adult commercial TV audience in 2017, a 4% increase compared with 2016 and an 18% increase against two years ago. The CBS UK Channels also garnered an overall UK audience share of 1.51% in 2017, up 4% on 2016 according to official BARB data. The channels’ top, and record-breaking, month was May with 1.62% share of UK viewers, and the strongest share of UK viewers was reached on 24th September with 1.92%.

On BARB data, CBS Reality was in 2017 the most watched factual entertainment channel in the UK amongst adult women and the tenth most watched non-PSB channel amongst all adults. The channel upped its original programming slate during the year by premiering seven new series and one new documentary in 2017, including Written in Blood, Voice of a Serial Killer and Click for Murder. 2017 saw Horror Channel produce its strongest ever year of viewing with audiences up 10% year-on-year and 26% in the final quarter of the year, making the channel one of the fastest growing in the UK with over six million adults tuning in every month.

“2017 was another record year of audience delivery for our CBS portfolio in the UK with another 4% growth in our share of the market,” said Kevin Dickie, SVP, channels group, UK, MEA & Poland, AMC Networks International. “We remain focused on maintaining this growth by producing more original crime content for CBS Reality; bringing iconic series such as ER and Dynasty to CBS Drama and featuring the best in horror, sci-fi and fantasy on Horror Channel and the top detective and western dramas on CBS Action.”

Added Robert Haiat, SVP business development from CBS Studios International: “With strong brands and a wide range of compelling programming, the CBS UK channel portfolio continues to make a strong impact in the market. We are looking forward to working with the AMCNI team to deliver viewers and advertisers a robust schedule of CBS Original Series and world-class library programming in 2018.”

Upcoming premieres for 2018 include Insidious, 28 Days Later and 28 Weeks Later, alongside Star Trek: Next Generation, Star Trek: Enterprise, Seaquest DSV, Andromeda and Under the Dome, within Horror Channel’s highly popular SciFi Zone programming slot. CBS Reality also recently announced two new originals launching in February 2018.