‘Shark Week’ With Host Jason Momoa Tops TV Demos, Has Highest Rating In Three Years

“Shark Week,” Discovery Channel’s week-long celebration of sharks hosted by Jason Momoa, was back for its 35th year on July 23. We’re going to need a bigger boat if its ratings continue along week one’s path.

The show drove the network to rank #1 in primetime for all of television with Adults and Men 18-49 and #1 across cable television with Adults and Men 25-54, Adults and Men 18-49, and Adults 18-34. The highest-rated “Shark Week” premiere night in three years, the programming event reached more than 5.3 million total viewers across Discovery Channel, discovery+, and Max on its first night.

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Sunday night’s telecasts averaged a 1.13 L3 rating among Adults 25-54 – a 9% increase from a year ago and the largest opening night growth in six years. Through the first four nights of “Shark Week” (Sunday-Wednesday L+SD), Discovery is the #1 network on cable in Adults, Men and Women 25-54, Adults, Men and Women 18-49 and Women 18-34.

“We were able to harness the strength of the Warner Bros. Discovery portfolio to cross promote “Shark Week,” and now, with double-digit gains throughout the week, it is the highest-rated in three years – with every night outperforming a year ago,” said Howard Lee, President of Discovery Networks and TLC. “It’s a powerful example of how we can use our platforms to showcase high-profile programming events. Also, our collaboration with host Jason Momoa, the fan-favorite actor and conservationist who guides viewers through each night of programming, ensured that our first night

“We engaged viewers across every brand and platform because we wanted to provide memorable Shark Week experiences for them, including offering an exclusive sneak peek of Meg 2: The Trench, the next big theatrical release from Warner Bros. Discovery,” said Josh Kovolenko, SVPof Marketing, US Networks Group. “We also brokered various marketing partnerships with influential brands that are organically connected to our long-standing mission to highlight and celebrate sharks.”

On Sunday, Discovery Channel owned the #1 cable telecast in primetime among Adults and Men 25-54 and Men 18-49. “Belly of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy,” which provides a close-up look at a great white shark feast captured by researchers with cameras inside a whale carcass decoy, kicked off the night with a 1.10 L3 rating with Adults 25-54.

“Jaws vs The Meg,” which showcases scientists’ research on how great whites defeated a super predator, delivered a 1.24 L3 rating with Adults 25-54 from 9-10 p.m. ET, a 7% increase over a year ago, and was the #1 Primetime telecast on all of television with Men 25-54. Closing out the night at 10pmET, Serial Killer: Red Sea Attacks, investigating deadly shark attacks in Egypt, delivered a 1.01 L3 with Adults 25-54, a 20% increase from last year.

Warner Bros. Discovery’s linear and streaming portfolio – including TBS, TNT, truTV, TLC, Food Network, HGTV, CNN, Travel Channel, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Animal Planet, Science Channel, ID, TCM – are also airing Shark Week-inspired content or cross-promoting the event through Saturday, July 29.

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