LIFETIME Original Movie 'Plain Truth' Starring Mariska Hargitay & Alison Pill Becomes Network's Highest-Rated Movie of 2004

Second Highest-Rated Original Movie on Basic Cable This Year

- Averages a 4.3 Household Rating and 4.7 Million Persons 2+ -

NEW YORK, Oct. 5 -- The Lifetime Original Movie "Plain Truth," starring Mariska Hargitay and Alison Pill, became the network's highest-rated movie of the year when it premiered last night, Monday, October 4, scoring a 4.3 primetime household rating, averaging 4.7 million Persons 2+ and 3.8 million households. The previous highest-rated Lifetime Original Movie was "Gracie's Choice," which posted a 3.8 household rating in January.

With this 4.3 household rating, "Plain Truth" ranked second among all 2004 original basic cable movies*.

In this adaptation of Jodi Picoult's controversial best-seller, Emmy Award nominee Hargitay starred as a tough trial lawyer who is thrown into a close- knit community to defend a young Amish girl (Pill) accused of murdering a newborn.

The next Lifetime Original Movie is "Identity Theft: The Michelle Brown Story," starring Kimberly Williams-Paisley and Annabella Sciorra, premiering Monday, November 1 at 9PM (ET/PT).

"Plain Truth" was produced by Plain Truth Productions (Muse) Inc., and distributed by Robert Greenwald Productions for Lifetime Television. Michael Prupas ("This Is Wonderland," "Icebound") and Alys Shanti ("The Crooked E," "The Book of Ruth") were the executive producers. Philip Kleinbart was the supervising producer and Michael Mahoney was the producer. The teleplay was written by Matthew Tabak (Lifetime's "Obsessed," "The Stranger Beside Me") and was based on the novel by Jodi Picoult.

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 88 million households nationwide. In 1998, LIFETIME launched Lifetime Movie Network, now in more than 42 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.

*TNT's "Salem's Lot" averaged a 4.4 household rating for Parts One and Two

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