National Geographic Channel's Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron Makes Ratings Splash Leading to 100th Anniversary of Titanic's Sinking

Timed to "Titanic 3D" Release, More Than 1.7 Million People Tune In to First Half Of Landmark Two-Night World Premiere Titanic Event

WASHINGTON, April 9, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- National Geographic Channel's Sunday night premiere of Titanic: The Final World with James Cameron proves that a century after the RMS Titanic sank, the world is still captivated.  The two-hour special on Sunday, April 8, at 8 p.m. ET/PT, averaged a P25–54 0.8 rating — the network's highest-rated special since George W. Bush: The 9/11 Interview on Sunday, August 28, 2011 (P25–54 1.0 rating).  More than 1.7 million total viewers over age 2, including 771,000 viewers in the key P25–54 demo, tuned in to the premiere.  The special encores tonight at 8 p.m. ET/PT.   

Timed to the release of "Titanic 3D," Oscar-winning filmmaker and National Geographic Explorer-In-Residence James Cameron brings together some the world's leading Titanic experts, including engineers, naval architects, artists and historians, to solve the lingering mysteries of why and how the "unsinkable" ship sank in Titanic: The Final Word with James Cameron.  With their combined expertise, they examine the feature film and determine what technology has revealed since its release in 1997.  

After tonight's encore, NGC's two-night world premiere event continues with the man who discovered the ship's final resting place more than 25 years ago: Dr. Robert Ballard.  In Save the Titanic with Bob Ballard, premiering at 10 p.m. ET/PT, Dr. Ballard retraces Titanic's beginnings and examines the ship's original plans to reveal untold stories of Titanic's heroes and the unwritten story of Titanic's future.

The two landmark specials are the centerpiece of a larger cross-platform National Geographic Society initiative to commemorate the 100^th anniversary, which include the April 2012 cover story in National Geographic magazine, a major digital hub, interactives, exhibition, books, home entertainment, lectures, maps and kids' products.

For more information, go to natgeotv.com/titanic.

Source:  Nielsen Media, Sunday 8:00 P.M. – 10:00 P.M., Live+SD

National Geographic Channels
Based at the National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channels US are a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks.  The Channels contribute to the National Geographic Society's commitment to exploration, conservation and education with smart, innovative programming and profits that directly support its mission.  Launched in January 2001, National Geographic Channel (NGC) celebrated its fifth anniversary with the debut of NGC HD.  In 2010, the wildlife and natural history cable channel Nat Geo WILD was launched, and in 2011, the Spanish-language network Nat Geo Mundo was unveiled.  The Channels have carriage with all of the nation's major cable, telco and satellite television providers, with NGC currently available in 83 million U.S. homes.  Globally, National Geographic Channel is available in 435 million homes in 173 countries and 37 languages.  For more information, visit www.natgeotv.com.

SOURCE National Geographic Channel