Press Release: Premiere Night Ratings for America The Story of US

AMERICA THE STORY OF US
BREAKS RECORDS FOR HISTORY™

FIRST NIGHT OF THE SPECIAL BECOMES THE NETWORK’S HIGHEST-RATED & MOST-WATCHED OF ALL TIME

New York, April 26, 2010 – The first night of AMERICA THE STORY OF US has become the highest rated, most watched special in network history, it was announced today by Nancy Dubuc, President and General Manager, HISTORY™. The first night was watched by 5.7 million total viewers and drew a 4.0 household rating. Last night 8-11pm will go down as HISTORY's best night ever across the board.


AMERICA, THE STORY OF US - 9-11PM

HH Rating: 4.0

Total Viewers: 5.7 million

A18-49: 2.6 million

A25-54: 2.7 million

M18-49: 1.6 million

M25-54: 1.6 million



“We’re thrilled by the launch of AMERICA THE STORY OF US,” said Ms. Dubuc. “The success personifies the hunger for information and the desire to re-connect with our past. Ultimately there’s no story more dramatic and gripping than the story of America itself. We’ve tried to present this incredibly diverse narrative in a way that is engaging for people today. We’re very pleased with the response and look forward to sharing the upcoming episodes with the American public.”



AMERICA THE STORY OF US is an epic six-night television event – new episodes premiere on HISTORY™ this Sunday, 5/2 at 9pm ET and with new episodes premiering Sundays at 9pm and culminating on Memorial Day 9pm ET.



This Sunday, May 2, 9-11pm ET, AMERICA THE STORY OF US follows westward expansion in WESTWARD (9pm Eastern) and as America experiences rapid change in trade, transport and manufacturing, quickly turning America into one of the wealthiest nations on Earth there is increasing animosity between North and South in DIVISION (10pm Eastern).



In conjunction with the broadcast, HISTORY has launched its largest ever educational outreach initiative and is for the first time offering a DVD of the entire 12-hour series to every single school and accredited college in America – free of charge. The series is being presented by Bank of America® and narrated by Liev Schreiber.



AMERICA THE STORY OF US tells the extraordinary story of how America was invented, looking at the moments where Americans harnessed technology to advance human progress— from the rigors of linking the continent by transcontinental railroad, the internet of its day, to triumphing over vertical space through construction of steel structured buildings. The series is also a story of conflict – with Native American peoples, slavery, the revolutionary war that birthed the nation, the Civil War that divided it and the great world war that shaped its future. This is a look at the forces that have shaped our nation - the people, places and things that created this most astounding country. It’s a tough and thrilling adventure.



In addition, back-to-back premieres of PAWN STARS in the 8pm hour averaged a 3.6 HH rating and 5.0 million total viewers, up 24% and 28%, respectively, from the Season 2 to-date average.



AMERICA THE STORY OF US is produced for HISTORY by Nutopia, a new production company started by Jane Root, former President of Discovery Channel. Prior to that Jane ran BBC2, and was a founder of the production company Wall to Wall Television. Jane Root is Executive Producer, Michael Jackson is co-Executive Producer and Ben Goold is Series Showrunner. For HISTORY, Nancy Dubuc, David McKillop and Julian P. Hobbs are Executive Producers.



HISTORY™ and HISTORY HD™ are the leading destinations for revealing, award-winning original non-fiction series and event-driven specials that connect history with viewers in an informative, immersive and entertaining manner across multiple platforms. Programming covers a diverse variety of historical genres ranging from military history to contemporary history, technology to natural history, as well as science, archaeology and pop culture. Among the network's program offerings are hit series such as American Pickers, Ax Men, Battle 360, How The Earth Was Made, Ice Road Truckers, Pawn Stars and The Universe, as well as acclaimed specials including 102 Minutes That Changed America, 1968 with Tom Brokaw, King, Life After People, Nostradamus: 2012, Star Wars: The Legacy Revealed and WWII in HD. HISTORY has earned four Peabody Awards, seven Primetime Emmy® Awards, 12 News & Documentary Emmy® Awards and received the prestigious Governor's Award from the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences for the network's Save Our History® campaign dedicated to historic preservation and history education. Take a Veteran to School Day is the network's latest initiative connecting America's schools and communities with veterans from all wars. The HISTORY web site, located at www.history.com, is the definitive historical online source that delivers entertaining and informative content featuring broadband video, interactive timelines, maps, games and more.

Review - America The Story of US, Ep. 1 - Rebels

We Americans take ourselves for granted. As we strive to balance national pride in our accomplishments with a realistic appraisal of our problems, we tend to overlook what makes us unique to begin with and why so many others try to emulate and improve on our social, economic, and political systems, including those who once ruled us. In a country that constantly changing and creating historical moments, we also tend to teach only the key moments. The History Channel^TM's series America The Story of US strives to present both famous and obscure moments during a dozen eras of our existence.

The first episode, entitled "Rebels," accomplishes this objective. Using a fast-paced film technique, re-enactments and CGI, The Story of US is a compelling introduction to colonial history, which premieres Sunday, April 25, 9:00PM ET/PT on The History Channel^TM. An hour-long preview of the entire series debuts immediately following "Rebels" at 10:00PM ET/PT. America The Story of US will then air Sundays at 9:00PM ET/PT through Memorial Day.

We learn that John Rolfe, who married the legendary Indian princess, Pochohantas, came to Jamestown, to plant tobacco. Sounds simple, doesn't it? What we learn is that nearly all the residents of the fledgling settlement have died of starvation. One man has been executed for murdering his wife for the purpose of cannabalism. The place is hopeless.

But Rolfe risked his life to get hold of tobacco seeds, which the Spanish monopolized (the Spaniards guarded this precious commodity with a death sentence for anyone who sold the seeds). He had found his method of making a fortune providing the plant to an addicted England - if only he can get them planted. Rolfe is successful Within two years, Jamestown was, in the words of narrator Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine, View from a Bridge), America's "first boomtown." Rolfe was, perhaps, America's first true entrepeneur.

We also learn that the first African Americans were not slaves, but contract workers just like Europeans and that ten percent of Boston's population in the mid-eighteenth century was African American.

A minor, but irritating mistake was calling the Pilgrims of Plymouth "Puritans." The nomenclature "Pilgrim" was created by the religious group while in exile. They were Separatists, who wished to totally break from the Church of England. Puritans were exactly that - a religious sect established to purify the existing church. Both, however, faced horrendous persecution in England, sometimes execution for their beliefs.

The series also employs famous faces to comment on the impact of the colonial era on modern America from their perspective, including Gen. Colin Powell and Donald Trump.

America: The Story of Us is documentary series implementing filmmkaing techniques that appeal to our modern visual and audio senses.

That The History Channel^TM is providing a free DVD for classrooms is significant for those looking for an appealing documentary for our younger citizens. This offer is open to every school in the United States. The school must be an accredited public, private or home school, grades K-12 and college. In order to receive your school's DVD, your school principal (grades K-12) or Dean of Students (college) should fill out the request form at History.com. HISTORY strictly limits each school to one request. DVD requests must be made prior to July 1, 2010. DVDs will be mailed around August 2010, and free shipping is included in this offer. See History Classroom to order.

More
America the Story of US Contest
America the Story of US Trailer
America the Story of US Episode Guide

Related Sites
History's America the Story of US
History's America the Story of US Family Viewing Guide (PDF)
History's America the Story of US Activity Guide (PDF)