"SHARK WEEK" LAUNCHES DISCOVERY TO #1 NON-SCRIPTED CABLE SPOT*

- 25th Anniversary of SHARK WEEK Most Social with On-Screen Fan Tweets, Chompdown -

(Silver Spring, Md.) - After 25 years, Discovery Channel's SHARK WEEK shows no signs of slowing down. Ratings for 2012 propelled Discovery Channel to the #1 non-scripted cable network spot for P18-49 delivery and the top cable network for P/W 18-34 delivery.*

Reeling in 21.4 million viewers P2+, premieres of SHARK WEEK 2012 surpassed SHARK WEEK 2011 premiere viewership (18.63M P2+) in all key demos. **

On the social media front, fin-aticism hit a new high this year with more than 1.6 million Tweets about SHARK WEEK (doubling last year's volume) with several celebrities getting in on the action from Leonardo DiCaprio to Adam Levine to Ellen DeGeneres. SHARK WEEK ranked #1 on Trendrr's social TV charts across cable and broadcast for both August 6-12 and August 13-19. Additionally, SHARK WEEK accounted for 35% of all cable social activity from August 12-16, according to Trendrr. In the most extensive on-air social integration to date, Discovery Channel viewers had the opportunity to have their Tweets appear on television during ten hours of primetime premiere programming. Viewers also took to Facebook and Twitter to vote for the item to meet its demise in the nightly Shark Week Chompdown hosted by Philip DeFranco.

Online, Shark Cam average daily visits were up 11% and visitors spent 76% more time per visit than last year, with fans getting their shark fix with the first live, 360-degree underwater camera. Overall, visits to the SHARK WEEK fansite increased 6% over 2011, with visitors streaming 11% more video than last year.

* Source: Nielsen. NHI Calendar. Mo-Th, 8/13/12-8/16/12. L+SD AA(000) Rank.

** Source: Nielsen NPower. Cume. 6min Qual. All Shark Week Premieres. 7/31/11-8/6/11 vs. 8/12/12-8/18/12