LOS ANGELES, April 25, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- WGN America's first original scripted series "Salem" surged to more than 3.1 million Total Viewers in time shifted Live + 3 viewing for last Sunday night's premiere.  Tribune Company (TRBAA:OTC) announced last year WGN America's expansion into original programming to become a top-tier destination for viewers driven by high-quality content.  The premiere of "Salem" and its impressive viewership – on a network that is available in only 62.3% of U.S. households – represents significant momentum for WGN America. 

• WGN America's "Salem" increased its audience for last Sunday's premiere night, with exceptional  Live + 3 gains, climbing to more than 3.1 million Total Viewers (+36% vs. 2.3 million) and 1.3 million Adults 18-49 (+51% vs. 886,000), during the four combined telecasts on April 20.
• The 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT telecast grew to 2,145,000 Total Viewers (+41% vs. 1.5 million) and 1,008,000 Adults 18-49 (+56% vs. 647,000) in Live +3 DVR viewing over Live + Same Day.  WGN America only covers 62.3% of the U.S. and is available in 72 million homes, and has only a single feed, making for an early West Coast premiere at 7 p.m. PT.   
• The performance of the 10 p.m. ET telecast represents a momentous +996% increase over the network's Adults 18-49 time period season-to-date average.
• This represents WGN America's best time period performance among Adults 18-49 since December 2003, and best performance in Total Viewers since December 2001.

"We are proud to have attracted so many viewers to 'Salem' and that the performance of the network - which few people are familiar with - was on par with some of the more well-established cable brands on the air today," said Matt Cherniss, President and General Manager, WGN America and Tribune Studios.  "As with 'Salem,' our launch this summer of 'Manhattan' reflects our commitment to reshape WGN America through investments in quality, distinctive and original programming."

"Salem" boldly re-imagines the infamous witch trails in the 17^th century Massachusetts town and dares to uncover the dark, supernatural truth behind them.  "Salem" stars Janet Montgomery, Shane West, Seth Gabel, Xander Berkeley, Ashley Madekwe, Tamzin Merchant, Elise Eberle, and Iddo Goldberg.  The series is co-created and written by award-wining Brannon Braga and Adam Simon who serve as executive producers alongside Prospect Park's Josh Barry and Jeff Kwatinetz, as well as David Von Ancken.  "Salem" hails from Fox 21, the prolific cable production division of Twentieth Century Fox Television.

"Salem" is WGN America's first original scripted series and launches the network's strategy to become a dedicated destination for high-quality, scripted fare.  The network's second original scripted drama, "Manhattan," set in Los Alamos, N.M. at the Manhattan Project, will premiere in July, followed by "Ten Commandments," a 10-part scripted event series, launching in 2015. 

[Source: Nielsen Media Research, Live + 3.]

WGN America, the flagship network of Tribune Broadcasting Company, is nationally distributed in 72 million homes via cable, satellite and telco, with entertainment programming including the original, scripted series "Salem," premiering April 20, 2014, "Manhattan," premiering in July 2014 and "Ten Commandments," along with first-run syndicated series, blockbuster movies and live sports.  Through Tribune Studios, the creative development arm of Tribune Company, original content is produced for WGN America and Tribune local stations nationwide.  

TRIBUNE is one of the country's leading multimedia companies, operating businesses in broadcasting, publishing, and interactive. The company's broadcasting group owns or operates 42 television stations, WGN America on national cable, the national multicast networks Antenna TV and THIS TV, Tribune Studios and Chicago's WGN-AM. In publishing, Tribune's leading daily newspapers include the Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, The Baltimore Sun, Sun Sentinel (South Florida), Orlando Sentinel, Hartford Courant, The Morning Call and Daily Press. Popular news and information websites complement Tribune's broadcast and print properties and extend the company's nationwide audience.

SOURCE WGN America