Food Network Renews ‘Beat Bobby Flay’ as Cabler’s Ratings Perk Up

Food Network has ordered another 26 episodes of its latest Bobby Flay series, “Beat Bobby Flay,” which is among a handful of new shows showing some life for the Scripps Networks Interactive cabler this past quarter.

Scripps Networks has been under scrutiny from investors for ratings dips at its flagship Food Network cabler — a topic of much discussion for its past two quarterly earnings calls with Wall Streeters. But in Q1, Food Network saw some gains with its newest trio of competition series, “Beat Bobby Flay” (averaging .6 in adults 18-49 since its March 10 debut), Guy Fieri-hosted “Guy’s Grocery Games” (with an average .7 in adults 18-49) and Alton Brown’s “Cutthroat Kitchen” (average .8 adults 18-49).

Food Network’s primetime numbers for the quarter inched up 3% in adults 18-49 (to 490,000) and 10% in among women 18-49 (310,000) compared to the year-ago quarter. The cabler noted that its median age has dropped two years, to 47, compared to first-quarter 2013.

Food Network also saw 25% year-to-year viewership gains in its morning lineup with “Pioneer Woman” and “Trisha’s Southern Kitchen,” both averaging a .9 in women 25-54.

“Beat Bobby Flay” features three contestants who battle on another for a chance at a cook off with Flay. Series hails from Flay’s Rock Shrimp Prods. and its exec produced by Flay and Kim Martin.

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