Despite new episodes, TV ratings are down
By Miranda Likes
Remember that pesky writer’s strike that shut down all known television except for reality shows? Sure you do. Now remember how excited writers and television fans were when it was announced back in February that the strike was over and America’s favorite television shows would be returning to the air?
Well apparently a few people didn’t get the memo.
While most shows that were interrupted by the writer’s strike came back on the air to finish out their abbreviated seasons a month ago, ratings are still down across the board. According to Nielsen Media Research, which tabulates the de facto standard Nielsen television ratings, ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox had roughly 9 percent fewer viewers in April and May then they did at the same time last year. The major networks also lost about 5 percent of their audience when 2007 was compared against 2006.
This comes as bad news for several reasons. First, most shows are ending their seasons this month. This time is often reserved for big, altering storylines that could impact the course of next season’s show, but if nobody is watching, what does it matter?
Also, and much more important to executives, broadcasters have to make their “upfront” presentations this week. An upfront presentation is where television network executives gather their advertisers and try to sell them on why they will have a great fall season. This is usually the time when fans of television shows also find out whether their favorite show has been renewed or not. If advertisers are impressed by what they see, then they can buy advertising “up front,” months ahead of the actual season.
Up until very recently, upfronts were very lavish affairs, with networks sparing no expense to impress the advertisers who support the billion dollar television industry. This year, however, many networks are taking a more subdued approach.
ABC and CBS both announced they would cancel their lavish parties that usually follow the upfront presentation. According to the Associated Press, ABC is even downsizing their presentation, instead having a much more subdued “sales meeting.”
Advertisers know they don’t need to keep paying for highly priced placement if ratings continue to slide off on shows. Even some of television’s most popular shows are posting losses: Ugly Betty and Grey’s Anatomy are both down by about 20 percent of its normal viewers. Over on CBS, CSI is down by about 15 percent. Even NBC’s Deal or No Deal and The Office have posted season lows since returning from the strike.
In an effort to cut costs, many networks opted not to make fewer television show pilots. A pilot is a show that may or may not get picked up by the network. Typically, many pilots are discarded by the networks every year, never to be produced into a full series. The money used to produce these pilots is then subsequently wasted, never to recoup its expenses back.
It is still unclear how much of a role the writer’s strike played in the dwindling television ratings lately. Once May is over, however, and advertisers have had a chance to look at whether or not they want to invest highly in an ABC, an NBC, or a CBS, then there will be a much clearer picture on the true impact of the writer’s strike that keeps on giving.
Originally Published: Issue 648 - May 14, 2008
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