The Jonas Brothers and Demi Lovato packed them in Friday night.
Disney Channel original move Camp Rock drew just under 9 million viewers to its June 20 premiere, making it cable’s most-watched entertainment telecast in 2008. The film averaged 8.9 million in its 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. window, according to Nielsen Media Research fast national ratings provided by Disney/ABC Cable Networks Group.
But the movie fell well short of the 17.2 million High School Musical 2 captured for its Aug. 17, 2007 premiere. When gauged on live, plus 7-day basis, HSM2 is not only the top show in Disney Channel's Nielsen pantheon, but cable history.
Camp Rock, about teens finding their voice at a summer music camp and starring popular rock band the Jonas Brothers and Disney Channel’s “next girl” Lovato, garnered 3.5 million kids 6 to 11 and 3.4 million tweens 9 to 11 during the movie’s 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. run. The movie was the most-watched show in all of TV June 20 with those demos and in total viewership, topping runner-up CBS by more than 3.0 million (5.8 million).
Camp Rock’s first weekend Nielsen tally won’t be known until Monday: The movie airs on ABC’s Wonderful World of Disney on Saturday night and on ABC Family Sunday. It will premiere on Disney.com on Monday.
The movie became the 12th out of the last 13 Disney Channel releases to record more than 5 million viewers in its premiere run, dating back to the supernatural-themed Twitches movie in October 2005. Disney’s last original movie – the Jan. 25 time-travel-based Minutemen telepic -- averaged 6.5 million viewers.
