ARLINGTON, VA; February 9, 2014 -- For a fifth year in a row the Emmy®-, Golden Globe®-and SAG Award®-winning series, “Downton Abbey,” a Carnival Films/MASTERPIECE co-production, was the #2 rated 9pm show to the Super Bowl with a 4.4 overnight rating (Nielsen Overnight Metered Markets). The overnight rating is up from last year’s 4.3 rating.
Sunday night’s episode averaged 6.6 million viewers based on PBS Research projections based on Overnight Metered Markets.
Even competing with the Super Bowl, this episode generated substantial social media activity. On Sunday, 5,700 people sent 11,600 Tweets about PBS’s “Downton Abbey,” yielding 1.2 million impressions. (Source: Nielsen). The series was also the #2 most social program during primetime (Source: Nielsen, 2/7/16, excluding sports events and sports related programming, ranked on unique authors/tweets).
Viewers can catch up on “Downton Abbey” by streaming it free on PBS station websites, PBS.org and PBS’ apps for iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, Android TV, Xbox, Chromecast and FireTV, for a limited time after each national broadcast.
Amazon Prime members can now stream all five past seasons of “Downton Abbey.” Amazon Prime Instant Video is the exclusive subscription video on demand (SVOD) home for “Downton Abbey.”
New episodes of “Downton Abbey, The Final Season” can be purchased the day after their broadcast premieres through iTunes, Amazon Instant Video, VUDU and Google Play. Fans can also purchase Seasons 1-6 of “Downton Abbey” through sites and services including iTunes, Amazon.com and ShopPBS.org.
“Downton Abbey” is a Carnival Films/MASTERPIECE Co-Production written and created by Julian Fellowes. The series is Executive Produced by Gareth Neame, Julian Fellowes, Liz Trubridge, and Nigel Marchant. Chris Croucher is the Producer. The Executive Producer for MASTERPIECE is Rebecca Eaton. The Senior Series Producer for MASTERPIECE is Susanne Simpson.
About PBS
PBS, with 350 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and online content. Each month, PBS reaches more than 103 million people through television and over 33 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’ broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. PBS’ premier children’s TV programming and its website, pbskids.org, are parents’ and teachers’ most trusted partners in inspiring and nurturing curiosity and love of learning in children. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the Internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Pressroom on Twitter.
About MASTERPIECE
The top-rated primetime show on PBS, MASTERPIECE is celebrating its 45th anniversary in 2016. MASTERPIECE is presented on PBS by WGBH Boston. Rebecca Eaton is Executive Producer. Funding for the series is provided by Viking River Cruises and Audible with additional support from public television viewers and contributors to The MASTERPIECE Trust. MASTERPIECE is known for presenting iconic shows such as Upstairs Downstairs, Prime Suspect, The Forsyte Saga, Poldark, Sherlock and Downton Abbey.
About WGBH
WGBH Boston is America’s preeminent public broadcaster and the largest producer of PBS content for TV and the Web, including FRONTLINE, NOVA, AMERICAN EXPERIENCE, MASTERPIECE, ANTIQUES ROADSHOW, ARTHUR, CURIOUS GEORGE and more than a dozen other primetime, lifestyle, and children’s series. WGBH also is a major supplier of programming for public radio, and oversees Public Radio International (PRI). As a leader in educational multimedia for the classroom, WGBH supplies content to PBS LearningMedia, a national broadband service for teachers and students. WGBH also is a pioneer in technologies and services that make media accessible to those with hearing or visual impairments. WGBH has been recognized with hundreds of honors. More info at www.wgbh.org.
About CARNIVAL FILMS
Carnival Films is a division of NBC Universal International Studios and is the UK’s largest drama specialist. The company is responsible for the global TV sensation Downton Abbey, winner of three Golden Globes and 12 Primetime Emmy awards, including Best Mini-series. It is the most-nominated non-US show in the history of the Emmys with a total of 59 nominations and is now in over 250 territories worldwide. Among numerous national and international awards, including three Screen Actors Guild Awards and four National Television Awards, the show has even garnered a Guinness World Record for highest critical ratings for a TV show, and the BAFTA Special Award in recognition of its outstanding global success. Downton Abbey is executive produced by Carnival’s managing director Gareth Neame, who sold the production company to NBCUniversal in 2008.
Founded in 1978, Carnival Films has produced many hundreds of hours of popular drama both in the UK and US, including primetime series such as Poirot, Hotel Babylon, Whitechapel, Dracula and The Philanthropist, as well as miniseries such as C4’s iconic Traffik, David Nicholl’s The 7:39, David Hare’s Worricker Trilogy as well as William Boyd’s BAFTA-winning Any Human Heart, and Peter Morgan’s BAFTA-winning The Lost Honour of Christopher Jefferies.
The sixth and final season of Downton Abbey aired on ITV in the UK and returned to PBS in January 2016. Carnival’s latest series The Last Kingdom recently concluded on BBC TWO and BBC America. Stan Lee’s Lucky Man also airs on Sky One in 2016.
Carnival Films was recognized as best production company at the 2011 Bulldog Awards and 2012 Broadcast Awards.
