Posted: Wed., Mar. 11, 2009, 3:58pm PT
Global audiences love 'The Listener'
Fox Intl. Channels' bow scores record viewers
By BOBBIE WHITEMAN
Last week's global launch of drama "The Listener" may bode well for NBC back here at home.
Fox Intl. Channels' bow for "The Listener" in territories such as Italy, the U.K., Germany, Spain and elsewhere paid off big time, as the skein scored record audience results in some of the 180 countries it which it debuted.
In Italy, which is one of FIC's largest markets, "The Listener" not only grew the timeslot average by 470%, according to research company Auditel/AGB, but it was the second-most watched show ever on Fox.
It finished first in its time slot in most territories, building on its lead-in in all territories for which overnight ratings were available at press time, which also included Portugal, Brazil, Argentina, Turkey, Greece, Japan and Hong Kong.
In most cases the series doubled or tripled the average share of its specific time period, according to FIC.
"The Listener is a global content project for FIC," said Sharon Tal Yguado, FIC's VP of development and an executive producer on "The Listener."
"The fact that FIC delivered these numbers before a U.S. premiere is a phenomenon."
"The Listener," produced by Shaftesbury Films with FIC, NBC and CTV, is a drama series about a paramedic who can read minds. It is scheduled to launch this year on the Peacock in the U.S. and on CTV in Canada.
"FIC took a risk on launching 'The Listener' ahead of North America. But it paid off," said Christina Jennings, chairman and CEO of Shaftesbury Films. The show is distributed internationally by ShineReveille.
"FIC put all of its marketing and PR muscle behind 'The Listener,' and we're delighted by the results," said Hernan Lopez, COO of FIC. "We're confident we'll see similar success with the upcoming series 'Mental', which we are launching globally later this year."
John DeBoer
Director Of HD Sales
SIM VIDEO INTERNATIONAL
