TBS

The Big Bang Theory got the New Year off with a real bang last week with its biggest numbers ever on TBS. The show scored a whopping 4.3 million viewers Tuesday night at 9:30 p.m., making it basic cable's #1 comedy telecast for the week.

Overall, The Big Bang Theory on TBS accounted for all 20 of the week's top sitcom telecasts on basic cable with viewers, adults 18-34 and adults 18-49, with 15 of them drawing 3 million or more viewers.

With The Big Bang Theory firing on all cylinders, TBS ranked as basic cable's #1 entertainment network in primetime among adults 18-34 and adults 18-49.

truTV

After scoring its biggest year ever among young adults and men in 2011, truTV continues to show tremendous momentum in 2012. For the first week of the year, truTV ranked among basic cable's Top 10 networks in primetime delivery of adults 18-49, men 18-34 and men 18-49, with solid growth across the board.

For the second consecutive week, truTV's hit show Hardcore Pawn set a new record for truTV's most-watched series telecast ever, with 3 million viewers and 1.5 million adults 18-49. The show scored Top 5 rankings among ad-supported cable programs in its Tuesday 9 p.m. timeslot with viewers and key demos and helped truTV deliver its most-watched Tuesday ever.

truTV's Full Throttle Saloon continues to build steam, bringing in a remarkable 2.3 million viewers and 1.4 million adults 18-49, making it ad-supported cable's #1 entertainment program in the timeslot. The show also took its place behind the previous night's Hardcore Pawn with truTV's second biggest delivery of adults 18-49 ever.

Friday night at 10 p.m., Wipeout scored 1.5 million viewers, its biggest audience since joining the truTV lineup. The show ranked among ad-supported cable's Top 5 programs in the timeslot with key adult and male demos, which also scored the best deliveries for the series on truTV.

truTV also enjoyed solid performances from Lizard Lick Towing (2 million viewers Monday at 10 p.m.; Storage Hunters (2.3 million viewers Tuesday at 9:30); Black Gold (1.4 million viewers Wednesday at 10 p.m.); and new hit Impractical Jokers (1.3 million viewers Thursday at 10 p.m.). All four shows ranked among ad-supported cable's Top 5 programs with key demos in their respective timeslots.

TNT

TNT's blockbuster dramas The Closer and Rizzoli & Isles finished their winter runs with outstanding numbers last Monday, ranking as basic cable's most-watched entertainment programs for the week. The two shows combined with the first week of TNT's regular-season NBA coverage to rank TNT as basic cable's #1 entertainment network in total viewers for the week, with close second-places finishes (behind TBS) with key adult demos.

The winter finale of The Closer chalked up 7.9 million viewers in Live + 3 (6.2 million Live + Same Day), with 2.6 million adults 25-54 (1.8 million L+SD). The season two finale of Rizzoli & Isles built on that lead with an exceptional 8.1 million viewers in Live + 3 (5.8 million L+SD) and 2.9 million adults 25-54 (1.8 million L+SD).

In time-shifted viewing, The Closer's Dec. 12 episode scored a final tally of 7.3 million viewers and 2.1 million adults 25-54 in Live + 7, while the Dec. 12 episode of Rizzoli & Isles delivered 7.7 million viewers and 2.7 million adults 25-54.

On Sunday, a new episode of TNT's caper series Leverage brought in 2.3 million viewers in Live + Same Day, up a remarkable 14% over the prior week. The episode also averaged 1.1 million adults 25-54, up 18%. Meanwhile, time-shifted viewing has lifted the series' Dec. 18 episode to 3.3 million viewers and 1.6 million adults 25-54 in Live + 7.

Turner Sports

Through the first week of the 2011-12 NBA season vs. the first week of the 2010-11 NBA season, TNT experienced a +127% increase with Total Viewers (3,957,000 vs. 1,743,000) , +127% US HH Rtg (2.5 rating vs. 1.1 rating ) and +116% HH (2,843,000 vs. 1,317,000).

Additionally, TNT also had large triple-digit increases with key adult and male demographics:
A18-34: 1,338,000 vs. 487,000 (+175%)
A18-49: 2,245,000 vs. 865,000 (+160%)
A25-54: 2,007,000 vs. 843,000 (+138%)
M18-34: 930,000 vs. 327,000 (+184%)
M18-49: 1,527,000 vs. 560,000 (+173%)
M25-54: 1,319,000 vs. 540,000 (+144%)

Source: Nielsen Media Research, Star Trak. Based on Live + Same Day data stream for NBA Regular Season on TNT game dates (2011-2012 NBA Regular Season 12/25/11 through 12/29/11 - 5 games vs. 2010-11 NBA Regular Season 12/26/2010 through 12/30/2010).

NBA TV's first week of the 2011-2012 regular season performed with stronger ratings than the comparable period during the 2010-2011 regular season. For the first six games of the 2011-2012 regular season, the network averaged 456,000 total viewers, up 112% from last year (The 2010-11 NBA TV regular season Q1-to-date averaged 162,000 homes). NBA TV also averaged 333,000 households for the first six games, up 106% from last year (The 2010-11 NBA TV regular season Q1to-date averaged 215,000 total viewers).

Adult Swim

Despite several premiere sporting events across the first week of January 2012, Adult Swim still ranked #1 on basic cable for Total Day Delivery of adults 18-34, adults 18-24 and men 18-24.

Adult Swim programming - including Family Guy and American Dad - accounted for 13 of the top 50 telecasts for the week on basic cable among adults 18-34 (more than any other network), and 16 of the top 50 among men 18-34, both more than any other network.

Cartoon Network

Cartoon Network's early evening primetime (M-Su, 7-9 p.m.) posted solid double-digit gains across kids 6-11 & 2-11 vs. the same time period last year - average kids 6-11 delivery (504,000) increased by 13% and kids 2-11 (748,000) by 11%. Total Day delivery also grew by double digits across all kids demos - average kids 6-11 (393,000) grew by 10%, kids 2-11 (608,000) by 14% and kids 9-14 (300,000) by 14%.

Monday night comedies (7-9 p.m.) ranked as the #1 destination on all broadcast & cable television among all boys 6-11, 2-11 and 9-14, earning double-digit gains across all kids and boys demos. Compared to the previous year's time period, average kids 6-11 delivery (546,000) grew by 35%, kids 2-11 (805,000) by 18%, kids 9-14 (349,000) by 26%, boys 6-11 (385,000) by 43%, boys 2-11 (523,000) by 18% and boys 9-14 (273,000) by 41%.

Four original animated series on Monday night also scored as the #1 telecasts in their respective time periods among all boy demos: The Amazing World of Gumball (7:30 p.m.), Adventure Time (8 p.m.), Regular Show (8:15 p.m.) and MAD (8:30 p.m.).

Tuesday night (7-9 p.m.) also scored for Cartoon Network, earning double and triple-digit delivery gains across kids and boys 6-11 & 2-11 - average kids 6-11 delivery (560,000) improved by 96%, kids 2-11 (766,000) by 69%, boys 6-11 (393,000) by 106% and boys 2-11 (482,000) by 63%.

With encore airings of Monday night's comedy line-up, Wednesday night earned Cartoon Network the #1 television destination, broadcast and cable, for boys 6-11 & 2-11.