'High School Musical 2' Makes Cable History

Movie Premiere Draws 17.2 Million Viewers

By R. Thomas Umstead -- Multichannel News, 8/20/2007 1:42:00 AM

Disney Channel’s Friday night premiere of its original movie High School Musical 2 sang and danced its way to the most viewed basic cable show in history.

An ABC Cable analysis of Nielsen Media Research data reports that Disney’s Aug. 17 debut of the much-hyped original movie drew 17.2 million viewers, tackling the previous high of 16.0 million viewers garnered for ESPN’s Oct. 23, 2006 New York Giants-Dallas Cowboys Monday Night Football game.

The two-hour movie easily topped Turner Network Television’s Crossfire Trail (15.5 million viewers) as the most watched basic cable movie of all time.

As for its target tween audience, the movie drew 5.9 million 9-14 year olds, ranking it as the second most watched entertainment telecast ever, behind the 6.75 million drawn for the 2004 Super Bowl.

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