BBC AMERICA REPORTS HIGHEST RATINGS GROWTH AMONG TELEVISION NETWORKS

Q3 rates as channel's best ever quarter

BBC AMERICA registered the highest ratings growth in prime time among television networks for September 2011, up 55% year on year*. The channel also recorded its best ever quarter in Q3 prime and total day, up 18% and 23% respectively**.

BBC AMERICA General Manager, Perry Simon, said: "We've recorded best ever ratings three straight quarters in a row and introduced new drama and comedy destinations Dramaville and Ministry of Laughs. These results underline the sheer quality and strength of the programming we're delivering to viewers, which will continue to grow as we add original programming to our slate in the coming months."

The channel's top-rated shows in Q3 included iconic sci-fi series, Doctor Who, and the world's biggest car show, Top Gear. It also won acclaim for 1950s conspiracy thriller The Hour and powerful detective series Luther.

BBC AMERICA airs its first unscripted original series next month, panel show Would You Rather? with Graham Norton, premiering November 5 as part of the Ministry of Laughs.

* Source: The Nielsen Company, September 2011 vs September 2010, 8P-11P, BBC AMERICA vs all broadcast & cable networks. P25-54, ACM + 3 Day.

** Source: The Nielsen Company, Q3 2011 vs Q3 2010, 8P-11P, 9A-3A. P25-54, ACM + 3 Day.

BBC AMERICA delivers U.S. audiences high-quality, innovative and intelligent programming. Established in 1998, it has been the launch pad for talent embraced by American mainstream pop culture, including Ricky Gervais, Gordon Ramsay, Graham Norton, and successful programming formats including ground-breaking non-scripted television like Top Gear and top-rated science-fiction like Doctor Who. Owned by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, BBC AMERICA has attracted both critical acclaim and major awards including an Emmy, four Golden Globes and ten Peabody Awards. The channel attracts one of cable's most affluent and educated audiences and is available on digital cable and satellite TV in more than 70 million homes. It broadcasts in both standard and high-definition, with content available On Demand across all major digital platforms. Online, www.bbcamerica.com is the place to go to dig deeper into pop culture with a British twist.