via Cartoon Network press release:

A Child Scientist, A Cow and A Chicken Lead Cartoon Network to Best Month Ever

An aggressive new programming strategy, which includes the Monday-through-Friday prime time stripping of the Emmy-nominated series Dexters Laboratory and Cow and Chicken, helped Cartoon Network shatter its prime time and total day delivery records during the July 1998 rating period (6/29/98-7/26/98), while also setting the network record for prime time ratings.

Cartoon Network’s prime time records for the month:

• Rating (1.7) , an increase of 31 percent*
• Household delivery (851,000), up 50 percent
• Kids 2-11 (696,000), up 46 percent
• Kids 6-11 (327,000), up 69 percent

Cartoon Network set equally impressive records in total day performance in finishing second for the month in ratings (1.1):

• Household delivery (581,000), an increase of 42 percent
• Kids 2-11 (427,000), up 47 percent
• Kids 6-11 (203,000), up 61 percent

In its first full month in strip, Dexter’s Laboratory increased its Monday-through-Friday 8:00 pm ET/PT time period 41 percent in household delivery, and 62 percent in kids 6-11 delivery, while Cow and Chicken grew its Monday-through-Friday 8:30 pm ET/PT slot 44 percent in household delivery, and 84 percent in delivery of kids 6-11.

Both Dexter’s Laboratory and Cow and Chicken were just nominated for Emmy awards as Outstanding Animated Program, joining The Simpsons, King of the Hill and South Park. In November, Cartoon Network launches two new original series, The Powerpuff Girls and Ed, Edd, and Eddy.

Cartoon Network also added a weekly movie franchise in July, Cartoon Network’s Cartoon Theater, seen Saturday nights at 8:00 pm ET/PT, with an encore presentation Sunday morning at 10:00 am ET/PT. The Saturday night telecast has increased its time period a whopping 121 percent in household delivery, and 176 percent in kids 6-11 delivery. The Sunday encore of Cartoon Theater has driven up its time slot 73 percent in household delivery, and 185 percent in delivery of kids 6-11.

In addition, July was a solid month for Turner Network Television (TNT), TBS Superstation and CNN:

Turner Network Television finished July number one in prime time delivery of adults 18-49, and number one in the prime time delivery of all key male demographic categories (18-49, 25-54, 18-34, and 12-34). The acclaimed TNT Original Everything That Rises was basic cable’s most watched movie for the month and the number one movie in the delivery of adults 18-49 and 25-54. Nearly 26 million different viewers watched Dennis Quaid’s directorial debut across its eight plays.

TBS Superstation finished first for the month in the total day delivery of the key adult 18-49 and 25-54 demographic categories.

CNN continues to be basic cable’s dominant news and information network. CNN’s live breaking coverage (3:45 – 8:00 pm ET) of The Shootings at the Capitol on Friday, July 24 averaged a 2.2 rating and 1.6 million households, more than doubling the combined delivery of CNBC, MSNBC and Fox News Channel. CNN’s coverage peaked between 6:00 – 6:15 pm ET with a 2.8 rating and 2.1 million households, nearly tripling the combined delivery of CNBC, MSNBC and Fox News Channel. CNN’s coverage drove the network to its second highest rated day since January 22, 1998 (0.8).Turner Broadcasting System, Inc., a subsidiary of Time Warner Inc., is a major producer of news and entertainment product around the world and the leading provider of programming for the basic cable industry.

SOURCE: Turner Entertainment Research from Nielsen Media Research data.

* All increases compared to July 1997.