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Viacom's MTV Has Record Ratings For Younger Demos

MTV's third-quarter ratings had its largest-ever year-over-year jump for its target 12-to-34-year-old audience, reflecting strong ratings from the Viacom Inc. unit for shows such as "Jersey Shore" and The 2010 "MTV Video Music Awards." MTV's third-quarter ratings for the 12-34 group jumped 30% from a year earlier, the network said. MTV's year-to-date ratings are up 14% from a year earlier. MTV has helped Viacom's media-networks operations, which account for about two-thirds of the parent company's revenue, boost both sales and earnings this year.

MTV is planning more "Jersey Shore" this year, reports Reuters. The network is lining up a pair of specials to air after the Miami-set second season finale October 21. The first will be a cast reunion show, scheduled for October 28. The second is a behind-the-scenes special, for which a premiere date has not been determined. Season 3, for which the crew goes back to the Shore, will launch next year. "Jersey Shore" has been the cable ratings phenomenon of the summer, with each recent week setting an all-time record for the show. The most recent episode drew 6.5 million viewers.

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MTV Video Music Awards telecast was up over 27% from last year, bringing the network its highest-rated telecast since Aug. 2002, says The Wrap. The VMA's, which were hosted by comedienne Chelsea Handler, averaged 11.4 million total viewers, making it MTVs most-watched show since the 2002 Video Music Awards. Sunday's was the network's third most-watched telecast ever.

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