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Anarchy, Sunny, Nip and League give FX a merry 2009 in ratings

By April MacIntyre Dec 31, 2009, 0:47 GMT

US actor Danny DeVito EPA/ALEX GALLARDO

FX president John Landgraf and company have many things to toast this New Years' Eve: Their FX network pulled out the highest ratings in the cabler's 15-year history.

In the target rich demos of Adults 18-49, Adults 18-34 and Adults 25-54, it was a banner year as FX enjoyed the highest primetime ratings in its 15-year history and posted double-digit percentage growth across many key demos and total viewers. The network closed out 2009 on a high note as December marked the best month in its history and the fourth quarter was its single best quarter ever.

Thanks to the excellent sophomore season drama, "Sons of Anarchy," original comedies "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "The League" and the stylish noir dramedy "Nip/Tuck", the cable channel delivered some of the best TV for the entire year.

FX has a new half-hour animated comedy series "Archer" set to premiere on January 14th, 2010 at 10 pm.

The show revolves around the International Secret Intelligence Service or ISIS. H Jon Benjamin voices Sterling Archer (codename: Duchess), Jessica Walter is Archer’s Mom Malory, Aisha Tyler is Archer’s ex-girlfriend Agent Lana Kane and George Coe is the butler Woodhouse.

From FX:

FX ratings highlights for 2009:

2009 Prime

·         Averaged 780,000 Adults 18-49 marking a +9% increase vs. 2008 (715,000)

·         Most A18-49 in a single year, surpasses previous FX high by +6% -- 2007 (739,000)

·         FX ranked #5 in delivery of Adults 18-49, #6 in delivery of Adults 18-34 and Adults 25-54, and

#9 in Total Viewers among all basic cable networks

·         Largest percentage growth in A18-49 of any top 10 basic cable network

·         Averaged 723,000 Adults 25-54, +13% vs. 2008 (642,000)

·         Most A25-54 in a single year, surpasses previous FX high by +8% -- 2006 (672,000)

·         Averaged 397,000 Adults 18-34, +5% vs. 2008 (377,000)

·         Most A18-34 in a single year, surpasses previous FX high by +2% -- 2007 (390,000)

·         Averaged 1.37 million total viewers, +10% vs. 2008 (1.25 million)

·         Most Total Viewers in a single year, surpasses previous FX high by +8% -- 2007 (1.28 million)

·         FX had four of the top 20 scripted series in A18-49 in basic cable

(#2 Sons of Anarchy; #6 Nip/Tuck-ssn 5B, #18 Sunny, #19 Nip/Tuck-ssn 6)

·         FX had five of the top 20 scripted series in M18-49 in basic cable

(#1 SOA, #5 Sunny, #6 Nip/Tuck--ssn 5B, #17 The League, #18 Nip/Tuck--ssn 6)

·         FX had five of the top 20 scripted series in A18-34 in basic cable

(#2 SOA, #3 Nip/Tuck-ssn 5B, #4 Sunny, #9 Nip/Tuck-ssn 6, #14 The League)

·         FX had six of the top 20 scripted programs in M18-34 in basic cable

(#2 SOA, #3 Sunny, #6 Nip/Tuck-ssn 5b, #8 The League, #11 Nip/Tuck –ssn 6, #18 Rescue Me)

·         4Q marked single highest quarter ever, averaged 1.5 million Total Viewers and 868,000 A18-49 –

tops previous FX high by +6% in P2+ (1.4 million, 1Q08) and +7% in A18-49 (808,000 1Q08)

·         Dec. ‘09 marked single highest month ever, averaged 1.72 million total viewers and 936,000 A18-49 –tops previous FX high by +14% Total Viewers (1.52 million, 2/08) and +5% in A18-49 (888.000, 2/08)

·         Season 2 of Sons of Anarchy averaged 4.48 million Total Viewers and 3.16 million A18-49 –

Gains of +72% (2.61 million) and +81% in A18-49 (1.75 million) compared with Season 1

·         Season 5 of It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia averaged 2.28 million P2+ and 1.85 million A18-49 –

Gains of +45% in Total Viewers (1.57 million) and +61% in A18-49 (1.15 million)