STARTING OVER STARTS SECOND SEASON WITH DOUBLE-DIGIT GROWTH IN RATINGS

Series Jumps 50% in Key Women 18-49 and 25-54 Demos

New York, Los Angeles and Other Top Markets All Growing By Double-Digits

BURBANK, Calif. - September 29, 2004 - NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution and Bunim-Murray Productions' nationally syndicated daytime series Starting Over has started it second season off with double-digit ratings increases in both households and key female demographics, it was announced today by Barry Wallach, President, NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution.

Starting Over, which moved its production location from Chicago to Los Angeles for its second season, has jumped 50% nationally in both women 18-49 and women 25-54 versus its premiere week a year ago, according to Nielsen Media Research data. The series is also up 25% in households and another 29% in women 18-34 vs. its premiere week performance in 2003.

"Starting Over continues to be a great story both nationally and locally with young female viewers," says Wallach. "Our partners at Bunim-Murray continue to produce one of the highest-quality series in all of daytime television and the new Los Angeles location seems to fit the show perfectly. We are very encouraged by the show's steady growth season-to-season."

Starting Over is also showing strong growth in local markets including New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Atlanta. On WNBC-TV New York, the show's first 11 days of this season (Sept. 13-27) vs. last season (Sept. 8-22, 2003) are up 18% to a 1.3 HH rating, on KNBC-TV Los Angeles it's up 27% to a 1.4 HH rating and on WRC-TV Washington D.C. it has improved 157% to a 1.8 HH rating. In Atlanta on WXIA-TV, Starting Over jumped 54% to a 2.0 HH rating for its first 11 days.

And Starting Over is showing very strong signs in local people meter demographic data, as well. On WNBC-TV during the first 11 days of the season, the series delivers the station's high rating in Women 25-54 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and is building by 120% on its lead-in with Women 25-54.

Nationally, Starting Over averaged a .9 rating in both women 18-49 and women 25-54 for the week of Sept. 13-17, up 50% in both categories from the show's premiere week a year ago (Sept. 8-12, 2003). It also averaged .9 in women 18-34 and a 1.0 household rating during the week of Sept. 13-17, up 29% and 25% respectively.

Starting Over is the first ever real-life daytime drama. The series features six women living under the same roof, each striving to meet challenging goals and improve their lives while living together. They are supported by "life coaches" who offer guidance and direction. Each woman is expected to reside in the Starting Over house for six to twelve weeks, depending on the scope of her "project" and her rate of progress toward her goal.

Starting Over is produced by Bunim-Murray Productions, the creators of the hit series "The Simple Life," "The Real World" and "Road Rules." It is distributed by NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution. Jonathan Murray and Millee Taggart-Ratcliffe are Executive Producers. STARTING OVER is currently sold in more than 90% of the U.S. for its second season in national syndication.

NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution's current syndicated programming includes the first run series "Access Hollywood," "Blind Date," "The Chris Matthews Show," "Fifth Wheel," "The Jane Pauley Show," "Jerry Springer Show," "The George Michael Sports Machine," "Home Delivery," "Maury," "Rebecca's Garden," "Starting Over," "The Wall Street Journal Report," "Wild Moments," "Your Total Health," and the off-network syndication sales of the series "Boomtown," "Crossing Jordan," "Ed," "Fear Factor," "Law & Order," "Law & Order: SVU," "Law & Order: Criminal Intent," "Providence," and many more. NBC Universal Domestic Television Distribution also distributes the first-run specials "The Remarkable Journey" and "Good Housekeeping Reports" inserts.