England-Argentina No.1 With World Cup Viewers; Contest Draws Highest TV Audience During Week of June 3-9, But Home-Team Matches Prove More Popular with Local Viewers

Business Wire, June 20, 2002

Business & Entertainment Editors/Sports Writers

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--June 20, 2002

England vs. Argentina proved to be the most popular match with FIFA World Cup viewers during the week of June 3-9, capturing the largest overall audience and placing within the top five most-watched matches in each of the 17 countries measured by Nielsen Media Research.

(Note to Editors: In the U.S., next-day audience estimates for World Cup matches are available from Nielsen Media Research and from its clients.)

According to preliminary audience estimates, more than 36 million people in Nielsen's measured markets viewed the June 7 match - won by England, 1-0. Only France-Senegal, with 38 million viewers on May 31, drew a larger World Cup audience this year.

The England-Argentina match, at Sapporo, Japan, grabbed the largest TV audience for the week in Australia, Canada, Finland, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and the United States, among the Nielsen countries reporting results (see table below). The contest was also among the top five most-watched matches in China, Hong Kong, Ireland, South Africa, South Korea and Taiwan.

In the United States, the match was seen by more than three million viewers, combined, when it was telecast live by ESPN2 at 7:30 a.m. (U.S. Eastern time) and shown on tape delay by ABC at 1:30 p.m. that day. The combined audience surpassed the two million people who watched England vs. Sweden on June 2, and the USA vs. Portugal on June 5. Among Hispanic viewers, Univision's live telecast of the England-Argentina match drew an audience of more than one million.

Teams Draw Largest Audiences in Home Countries

As popular as England-Argentina was with viewers, it was eclipsed by TV audiences in the home countries of teams competing for the World Cup.

The largest single-country audience for the World Cup thus far was in South Korea, where a combined total of more than 14 million people saw the Korea Republic defeat Poland, 2-0, on June 4. The match, at Busan, South Korea, was carried simultaneously on three channels and, along with replay telecasts, captured a combined 56% of the country's potential viewing audience.

Other teams to draw large audiences in their home countries include:

-- China - An estimated 10.7 million viewers in the country's 11 largest cities
(about 28% of the potential audience) watched Brazil defeat the People's
Republic of China, 4-0, on June 8 from Seogwipo, South Korea. This was the
largest single-game audience in China through June 9, surpassing the nine
million people who watched France vs. Senegal on May 31.

-- South Africa - Approximately 1.9 million people (14% of the potential
audience) saw South Africa defeat Slovenia, 1-0, at Daegu, South Korea. The
only match to draw a higher audience in South Africa (through June 9) was the
June 2 Paraguay vs. South Africa contest, watched by two million people.

-- Ireland - An estimated 726,000 people (20% of the potential audience) tuned
in as Ireland battled Germany to a 1-1 draw in Ibaraki, Japan, on June 5. This
audience was second to the 786,000 who watched Ireland vs. Cameroon on June 1.


      Highest World Cup Audiences (by Country), Week of June 3-9

 Country        Gross     Gross      Match (Date/Kickoff Time(b))
(Ranked by      Audience  Rating(a)
 Audience)               (Persons)

South Korea    14,366,000   56     Poland/South Korea (4 June/8:30 PM)

China          10,693,000   28           Brazil/China (8 June/8:30 PM)

Thailand        7,227,000   13      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

Indonesia       4,846,000   17      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

USA             3,036,000    1      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

Malaysia        2,754,000   19      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)
                                         Brazil/China (8 June/8:30 PM)

South Africa    1,943,000   14  Slovenia/South Africa (8 June/3:30 PM)

India           1,353,000    2      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

Canada          1,164,000    4      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

Ireland           726,000   20        Germany/Ireland (5 June/8:30 PM)

Hong Kong         537,000    8           Brazil/China (8 June/8:30 PM)

Australia (c)     531,000    9      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

Finland           424,000    9      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

Taiwan            445,000    2         France/Uruguay (6 June/8:30 PM)

Singapore         206,000   16      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

New Zealand        76,000    2      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

Philippines        36,000   <1      Argentina/England (7 June/8:30 PM)

(a) Gross rating is a percentage of the total measured population

(b) Kickoff times are local times in Japan and South Korea

(c) Includes only regional TV audiences (outside of major

metropolitan areas)

About Nielsen Media Research

Nielsen Media Research is the leading provider of television audience measurement and related services, worldwide. In the United States, Nielsen's National People Meter service provides audience estimates for all national program sources, including broadcast networks, cable networks, Spanish language networks, and national syndicators. Local ratings estimates are produced for television stations, regional cable networks, MSOs, cable interconnects, and Spanish language stations in each of the 210 television markets in the U.S., including electronic metered service in 55 markets. Nielsen Media Research is active in 40 countries worldwide, offering television and radio audience measurement, print readership and customized media research services. Nielsen Media Research also provides competitive advertising intelligence information through Nielsen Monitor-Plus both in the U.S. and in 30 markets worldwide. Through a network of affiliates, coverage is extended to more than 70 countries, representing 85% of the world's advertising spending. In addition, Nielsen collects Internet usage and advertising information through Nielsen//NetRatings. More information is available at www.nielsenmedia.com.