Comcast “TV Pulse Survey” Reveals New Fall Viewing Trends: Drama Series & Multiplatform Viewing Is Hot

PHILADELPHIA-(Business Wire)-September 22, 2009 - With the new fall television season heating up this week, Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) announced the findings of its “TV Pulse Survey”, an independent nationwide survey*, which revealed an overwhelming 81 percent of individuals plan to watch primetime TV this fall and nearly 60 percent stated the fall TV season is important to them. The data also reported that while many consumers plan to tune into this year’s fall primetime line-up live, the usage of time-shifting technologies such as On Demand, the Internet and through digital video recorders (DVRs) continues to increase.

"The research clearly indicates that time- and place-shifting convenience is complementing live TV viewing and making entertainment better for consumers," said Derek Harrar, General Manager and Senior Vice President of Video Services for Comcast. “As the leader in Video, Broadband, On Demand and related technologies, the trend toward watching entertainment on consumers’ terms is playing to our strengths."

Fall Primetime Trends

With several new programs debuting and many favorites returning to primetime TV, when viewers were asked what they planned to watch the most this fall, they said:


				— Drama Series			68 percent
				— Comedy			67 percent
				— Movies			61 percent
				— News/Educational			47 percent
				— Sports			43 percent
				— Reality TV			41 percent

Comcast customers will have access to all of the highly anticipated shows in these categories this season whether they want to watch live on TV, On Demand, online or by DVR. Comcast is also reporting a nearly 25 percent increase among its customers viewing fall TV series through Comcast’s On Demand service from 2007 to 2008. This year, customers will be able to pick from more than 1,000 TV episodes from 200 TV series On Demand including this year’s hot shows such as: Accidentally on Purpose, Big Love, CSI, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Dexter, Lost, Mad Men, Nip/Tuck, The Office, Trauma, Ugly Betty and much more. Consumers will also be able to view hundreds of shows online at Fancast.com, in addition to getting the most up-to-date television news, blogs, TV listings and slideshows.

Time-Shifting Trends On the Rise

Also, according to the TV Pulse Survey, nearly 85 percent of consumers plan to tune into this year’s fall primetime line-up when the shows air on TV while 78 percent of individuals under 35, and more than 50 percent of those over 35 also plan to use technologies such as video-on-demand, DVRs and the Internet to watch their favorite fall primetime programs. In fact, more than 67 percent of consumers said if they missed a show and knew it was available through video-on-demand, they would watch it. The survey further demonstrated that individuals are turning to time-shifting technologies to complement their live TV viewing due to personal schedules (81 percent).

About Comcast Corporation

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA, CMCSK) (www.comcast.com) is one of the nation's leading providers of entertainment, information and communication products and services. With 23.9 million cable customers, 15.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and 7.0 million Comcast Digital Voice customers, Comcast is principally involved in the development, management and operation of cable systems and in the delivery of programming content.

Comcast's content networks and investments include E! Entertainment Television, Style Network, Golf Channel, VERSUS, G4, PBS KIDS Sprout, TV One, ten sports networks operated by Comcast Sports Group and Comcast Interactive Media, which develops and operates Comcast's Internet businesses, including Comcast.net (www.comcast.net). Comcast also has a majority ownership in Comcast-Spectacor, whose major holdings include the Philadelphia Flyers NHL hockey team, the Philadelphia 76ers NBA basketball team and two large multipurpose arenas in Philadelphia.

* CONDUCTED BY INDEPENDENT RESEARCH FIRM, INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS RESEARCH (ICR) ON BEHALF OF COMCAST. NATIONWIDE 500+ INDIVIDUALS WERE SURVEYED.

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