TLC’s 2010 Miss America Pageant grabs the crown as cable’s top show

Steve Marcus

Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron, center, reacts after being named Miss America at the 2010 Miss America Pageant at Planet Hollywood. With Cameron are Miss New Mexico Nicole Miner, left, and Miss Hawaii Raeceen Anuenue Woolford.

By Robin Leach (contact)

Tuesday, Feb. 2, 2010 | 9:56 a.m.

2010 Miss America Pageant: The Big Night

Launch slideshow »

The 2010 Miss America Pageant broadcast on Saturday from Las Vegas gave the crown to the 89th annual pageant and TLC as the No. 1 telecast of the night against all advertising-supported cable shows excluding movies. The official ratings were released at 9:30 a.m.

The telecast from the Theater for the Performing Arts in Planet Hollywood attracted 4.5 million viewers, making it the highest delivery of any Miss America telecast on cable ever in all key demographics. Miss America even beat its beauty pageant rival, besting the delivery performance of any Miss USA Pageant in the past two years in the key women’s demographic of ages 18 to 34.

Additionally, Miss America posted triple digit gains in the first quarter year-to-date primetime premiere average in all key demographics. The 2010 Miss America Pageant, which crowned Miss Virginia Caressa Cameron as this year’s winner, scored a 3.1 rating overall.

Negotiations are continuing between TLC, Planet Hollywood executives, the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority and the Miss America Organization about a renewal contract for 2011 and beyond. Vegas DeLuxe will continue to monitor the negotiations.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.