Will Networks Survive This Summer?
WQ
Summer blahs sink network TV ratings
Big Five draw a 6.6 rating in adults 18-49
By Toni Fitzgerald
Jun 4, 2007
Apparently TV viewers aren't interested in reruns this summer. With
almost no original content on the English-language broadcast networks
last night, the Big Five had an atrocious first Sunday of June.
ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox and the CW combined for just a 6.6 rating and 20
share last night among adults 18-49, according to Nielsen overnights,
down 26 percent from an 8.9 rating and 26 share on the same night last
year.
As with last year, original programming last night was limited to
newsmagazines. CBS's "60 Minutes" and NBC's "Dateline" both averaged
under a 2.0.
No network averaged better than a 1.7 for the night. Last year ABC
managed a 2.4 on the evening.
And while repeats rarely draw big numbers during the summer, several
of last night's reruns fell to simply awful numbers. NBC's "Friday
Night Lights" at 9 p.m. averaged just a 0.8, while the CW's replay of
the "Hidden Palms" pilot at 8 p.m. pulled only a 0.4.
That could be an ominous sign for repeats this summer. With digital
video recorders and shows available online, there's less and less
reason to watch them, as there are now so many other ways to catch up.
Fox and CBS tied for first last night among viewers 18-49, each with a
1.7 average rating and a 5 share. ABC was third at 1.6/5, NBC fourth
at 1.2/4, Univision fifth at 1.1/3 and CW sixth at 0.4/1.
ABC started the night in the lead with a 1.8 rating at 7 p.m. for a
repeat of "America's Funniest Home Videos," followed by CBS with a 1.5
for "60 Minutes." NBC and Fox tied for third at 1.1, NBC for
"Dateline" and Fox for a repeat of "The War at Home" and the first 30
minutes of the movie "Bad Boys 2," with Univision fifth with a 0.9 for
the first hour of the movie "Okey, Mister Pancho" and CW sixth with a
0.4 for a repeat of "7th Heaven."
At 8 p.m. ABC led again with a 2.2 rating for a repeat of "Extreme
Makeover: Home Edition," with Fox moving to second with a 1.7 for
another hour of "Boys." NBC was third with a 1.6 for another hour of
"Dateline," CBS fourth with a 1.4 for a repeat of "Without a Trace,"
Univision fifth with a 1.2 for the second half of its movie and CW
sixth with a 0.4 for a repeat of "Palms."
Fox took the lead at 9 p.m. with a 2.3 for the last hour of "Boys,"
while CBS moved to second with a 1.9 for a "Cold Case" rerun. ABC fell
to third that hour with a 1.3 for a repeat of "Desperate Housewives,"
with Univision fourth with a 1.1 for the first hour of the movie "La
Presidenta Municipal," NBC fifth with a 0.8 for a repeat of "Lights"
and CW sixth with a 0.5 for a "Supernatural" rerun.
Finally, at 10 p.m., CBS led with a 2.0 for another "Without a Trace"
repeat, with NBC second with a 1.4 for a repeat of "Law & Order:
Special Victims Unit," ABC third with a 1.2 for a repeat of "Brothers
& Sisters" and Univision fourth with a 1.1 for the second hour of its
movie.
Among households, CBS led the night with a 5.8 average rating and a 10
share, with ABC second at 3.1/5, NBC third at 2.8/5, Fox fourth at
2.6/5, Univision fifth at 1.2/2 and CW sixth at 0.8/1.
David
from roaming nomads, bringing tales of wonderment from faraway lands
(like Connecticut).
WQ
--- Starting to get into the drugs, I see. Some comparative numbers:
First Sunday of June:
ABC CBS NBC FOX WB/CW TOT
2005 4.4 5.2 5.6 3.4 1.2 19.8
2006 3.8 5.5 5.4 2.8 1.0 18.5
2007 3.1 5.8 2.8 2.6 0.8 16.1
CBS improving with each summer, ABC, FOX and WB/CW declining each
summer, and NBC bombing, thanks to network-killer Friday Night
Lights. Get rid of that show already. How much you wanna bet
Silverman pushes it away from fall to next spring and burns off six
episodes?
David
>On Jun 4, 10:37 pm, David <dimla...@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Of course not. By Fall I expect to be getting all my entertainment
>> from roaming nomads, bringing tales of wonderment from faraway lands
>> (like Connecticut).
>
>--- Starting to get into the drugs, I see.
I don't need drugs. I get a high from making fun of you.
WQ
--- Hate to see how you'll crash and burn whenever I decide to leave
this group.
muzicmakr
does no one watch because the networks air crap?
I think I'm chilling with the History & Discovery channels this summer.
Steven L.
> Do the networks air crap during the summer because no one's watching, or
> does no one watch because the networks air crap?
The latter. Due to production constraints and production crew schedules
(even they take summer vacation), it is physically impossible to produce
more first-run episodes of popular shows all thru the summer.
Reality TV has been a godsend to the networks because that stuff is
cheap enough to be produced as first-run summer fare, since it doesn't
need big Hollywood stars and so on.
> I think I'm chilling with the History & Discovery channels this summer.
Animal Planet is my favorite alternative channel when there's nothing on
the major networks.
--
Steven D. Litvintchouk
Email: sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net
Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me.
jack ak
Please keep posting. I'm looking forward to the next topic on which
you will demonstrate ignorance.
We now know you have little knowledge of your government AND television
programming.
Default User
Ha ha. Leave? You?!
Brian
--
If televison's a babysitter, the Internet is a drunk librarian who
won't shut up.
-- Dorothy Gambrell (http://catandgirl.com)
David
You should teach me to be more appreciative by leaving right now.
muzicmakr
"Steven L." <sdli...@earthlinkNOSPAM.net> wrote in message
news:7M69i.16792$Ut6....@newsread1.news.pas.earthlink.net...
> muzicmakr wrote:
>> Do the networks air crap during the summer because no one's watching, or
>> does no one watch because the networks air crap?
>
> The latter. Due to production constraints and production crew schedules
> (even they take summer vacation), it is physically impossible to produce
> more first-run episodes of popular shows all thru the summer.
I wouldn't want that if they could; I think the tv season is a little too
long as it is. I'd like them to take a chance on some new scripted fare
though.
WQ
--- No. You first.
David
No need. Everyone already appreciates me.
WQ
--- Delusional. As always.
Artis
I live in the suburbs, and the local channels are pulling their
signals into a different direction this summer. About all I can
receive now are ABC and Fox. I think they are doing this because I
live in a poor area and they are pulling their signals into a richer
area.