Premiere of HSM2 Breaks Rating Record

The Friday night premiere of the Disney Channel made-for-television movie "High School Musical 2" has set numerous ratings records and delivered the largest single audience in basic-cable television history, according to preliminary ratings reports provided by Disney.

In early overnight estimates, the debut of "High School Musical 2," a sequel to the wildly popular 2006 children's television movie about a diverse group of teenagers who learn to channel their inner theater geeks, was watched by 17.2 million viewers nationwide.

If these estimates hold up, it would make "High School Musical 2" the most watched event ever broadcast on basic cable, surpassing the debut of "Monday Night Football" on ESPN, which attracted 16 million viewers on Sept. 23, 2006.

It would also mean that "High School Musical 2" is the most watched movie to be shown on basic cable, toppling the previous record holder, the TNT western "Crossfire Trail," which was seen by 15.5 million viewers when it aired on January 21, 2001.

Among the youth demographics that the Disney Channel values most, "High School Musical 2" was once again a ratings smash: the broadcast is now the most-watched single event among children aged 6 to 11, and it represents the channel's most watched event among tweens aged 9 to 14.

Young viewers had been anticipating the sequel to "High School Musical," which catapulted young stars like Zac Efron and Vanessa Hudgens to stardom and generated an estimated $100 million in sales of DVDs and CD soundtracks for the Walt Disney Co., for more than a year and a half.

In recent months, the Disney Channel, which is available in 92 million homes nationwide, has been reaping the benefits of the frenzied excitement for "High School Musical 2." For the last five weeks, Disney has been the most watched of all basic cable channels in prime time.

Original Article Site: http://www.nytimes.com/2007/08/18/arts/television/18cnd-disn ey.html?ref=arts