Discovery Channel’s Shark Week celebrated its 35th year this past week. It took a chunky bite out of the ratings, too — according to new data.
Discovery ranked at the top in major categories
According to Discovery, the premiere of Shark Week’s 35th year was the highest-rated Shark Week premiere night in three years. The week-long celebration as a whole helped Discovery reach #1 in primetime for all of television with Adults and Men 18-49, and #1 across cable television with Adults and Men aged 25-54, Adults and Men 18-49, and Adults 18-34.
Discovery also noted that it ranked #1 in the cable telecast primetime spot on Sunday evening, when it kicked off its Shark Week programming. Shark Week 2023 began with Belly of the Beast: Feeding Frenzy, a look into the diet of the great white shark via cameras placed in a whale carcass decoy.
“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 was a success and set the stage for the week’s strong performance.”
For those looking to still catch any action on Shark Week, there are two days left, with content beginning at 8 p.m. EST on Discovery Channel.