Duck Dynasty's fourth-season premiere has shattered cable TV ratings records. 

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Duck Dynasty's hour-long premiere, which aired Wednesday night at 10PM ET/PT on A&E, was the most-watched non-fiction series broadcast in cable television history with 11.8 million overall viewers and also smashed the cable record in the Adults 25-54 ratings demographic with 6.3 million viewers.

In addition, Duck Dynasty's fourth-season debut set A&E network records among the Adults 18-49 and Adults 18-34 demographics with 6.3 million and 3 million people watching respectively. 

"Thanks to its authentic and engaging characters Duck Dynasty has become more than just a reality show, it is a cultural phenomenon," A&E executive David McKillop said in a statement. "We would like to thank the Robertsons for their incredible partnership. We are all Happy, Happy, Happy."

Compared to Duck Dynasty's third-season premiere, it's fourth-season debut was up 37% in total viewers -- and also increased 29% in Adults 25-54 and 26% in Adults 18-49. 

TLC's Jon & Kate Plus 8 previously held the overall viewers record, which it set when 10.6 million viewers tuned in to watch a 2009 broadcast in which Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin announced they were ending their marriage, according to Entertainment Weekly.  

Duck Dynasty is produced by Gurney Productions with Deirdre Gurney, Scott Gurney, Elaine Frontain Bryant, and Lily Neumeyer serving as executive producers.
About The Author: Elizabeth Kwiatkowski
Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade.