Comments on: Nielsen Ratings Friday, July 25: Swingtown Doesn't Swing on Fridays

By: Stephanie

Stephanie — Sun, 07 Sep 2008 22:50:57 +0000

Who cares about Moonlight, Ex-list, Ghost Whisperer or what ever fake show they come out with next….Swingtown was set on what really did happen in the 70′s.
The fact that they put it in the time slot that they did killed it.
The actors were good the story plot was right on and I as sorry to see it end.
Lets all watch some stupid show that they come up with to replace it, or no, I will go to the local highschool football game instead of watching some bimbo try to figgure out which of her old boyfrieds she SHOULD have kept….how pathetic!

By: Ninja

Ninja — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 05:20:43 +0000

I fail how anyone can compare “Moonlight” to Swingtown. Two completely different audiences. One likes to watch what is based on fact, and the other likes to live in an Ann Rice novel. Let’s be realistic about this: Swingtown was the only show I have watched (except for Big Bang Theory) other than reality tv. PLUS, with the exception of people with children (ahem), I would say that most people go out on Friday nights, so Swingtown was almost pushed off of a cliff…it had nothing to do with the premise in the show, the timeslot was shite. And it was bound to get the sack as it is a bit subversive; we all know America would rather watch Buffy slay a vampire than an intelligent show like Swingtowm. I will lament it’s demise in advance. Hey, at least I have BBT to look forward to…

By: Sophia

Sophia — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 04:54:52 +0000

Gloat? Damn straight I'll gloat…and I maintain that Moonlight on it's worst evening was indeed far and away better than Swingtown on it's best evening. I could wait until the fall to post this comment, but who in their right mind doesn't know this now…of course, this would require the folks over as CBS to actually attempt to grow a brain…

By: Sophia

Sophia — Tue, 26 Aug 2008 23:54:52 +0000

By: angelscrest

angelscrest — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:01:38 +0000

Regarding Friday nights: after viewing the promo for CRUSOE, which will be seen on NBC in the Fall, I am predicting that NBC will rule Friday nights!

The trailer was seen by tens of millions of viewers who were watching the Olympic diving competition at 9:00 pm (Pacific time), and the show looked exciting and romantic. Since the Moonlight fans are looking for a new network home, I think this is right up their alley, and NBC is wisely snapping those viewers up.

CBS, on the other hand is still foolishly chasing after a younger demographic on Friday nights, seemingly oblivious to the fact that young people go out on the town Friday nights, and certainly won't stay home to watch a lame show about a girl with a lot of ex-boyfriends any more than they were willing to watch a bunch of neighbors swapping STDs in the hot tub.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:22:08 +0000

Lizzy, Nielsen does have a way to measure DVR usage. DVR numbers for viewing that occurs the same night shows aired (live+SD) are commonly reported and most of the numbers we report here are Live+SD.

Nielsen also reports six additional days of DVR viewing (live+7) and we report that too, at least when Bill isn't on vacation. Generally around a million people watched Moonlight original episodes (not repeats) via DVR within a week of the original air date (this includes the people who watched it via DVR the same night the show aired).

By: Lizzy

Lizzy — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 23:11:02 +0000

Too bad Nielsen doesn't have a way to count how many times fans watch episodes of Moonlight recorded on their DVRs – especially on Friday nights. I can't wait until fall…..the numbers will speak for us all! You would be surprised how many people are still just finding out this popular show was cancelled. Very disappointed people, I might add!

By: Tia

Tia — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 19:54:28 +0000

I just love the fact that you have to even mention Moonlight fans. That is so amusing to me.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 17:53:00 +0000

I’m one of the gloaters but don’t expect anyone at CBS to be smart enough to bring Moonlight back. After all they did cancel a show with a growing audience for one with a dying audience. How smart could they be..

They still have one show I like even if Numbers is aging a litte. We’ll see if they can put together a fall schedule worth my time. I have my doubts, but hope springs eternal.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:12:00 +0000

Well I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments here and have one last thing to add and its positive.

1, I am now the most informed I have ever been in my life about HN ratings, network decision making processes, upcoming shows for the fall and critical reviews of them. All this because two of my fav. shows were cancelled.

2. I’ve also come to realise why this bugs me so much. I haven’t been a fan of a TV show in years. Most of my TV watching consists of turning of the TV and flicking and putting on a show that looks ok. Then I usually get up and attend to all the things I have to do without paying much notice to the show.

Moonlight and Blood Ties changed all that for me when I became a ‘fan’. Took me by surprise I can tell you. When both shows where threatened with cancellation I jumped in and did what I could to try to save these two shows. In both instances the networks canned them.

Now the lesson learnt. I LOVE reading books and have re-discovered my passion for reading when the shows where cancelled as I could find books on paranormal romances that filled my need. Authors don’t cancel books series because of readership numbers, so long as book sales are ok to great the series will continue. Also authors never get to say chapter 25 and then say ‘oh the numbers are bad I wont finish this novel’.

Also films are the same. You never have a director in the the middle of a film you are totally engrossed with ‘neglect’ to finish the movie. That’s how it felt for us fans.

Soooooooo, I’m keeping my fandom and dollars with books and films as those to mediums don’t let you down the way a network can.

End of long rant!

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:12:00 +0000

Well I’ve enjoyed reading all the comments here and have one last thing to add and its positive.

Also films are the same. You never have a director in the the middle of a film you are totally engrossed with ‘neglect’ to finish the movie. That’s how it felt for us fans.

Soooooooo, I’m keeping my fandom and dollars with books and films as those to mediums don’t let you down the way a network can.

End of long rant!

By: xerxes

xerxes — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:48:00 +0000

I commend you for your donations. I myself have donated 35 times. I love doing it because so many people can not. As a Swingtown fan, all I object to from some Moonlight fans are the direct or veiled comments like, “they cancelled Moonlight for this?” Why should your brand of entertainment be more valid than mine? I not out to slam Moonlight because I have never watched it. Why slam mine then? Hey, some day I might get Moonlight fan’s blood in me and they might get a Swingtown fan’s blood in them. Then we’d both start supporting Moontown or Swinglight. It could happen!

By: Sandy

Sandy — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:24:00 +0000

I have donated blood before, and it’s good that anybody does it, regardless of the reason. That being said, CBS is still a business, and regardless of whatever goodwill and philanthropy is done in the name of a show, it all depends on the ratings, which it just didn’t perform well enough. By other network’s ratings standards it could’ve been renewed, but being the #1 network, (I know Fox was technically #1 but that had a lot to do with the strike) it just wasn’t enough. Doesn’t matter how dedicated or passionate an audience is. And as for Nielsen ratings being inaccurate, it very well may be, but that’s the standard right now and it doesn’t look like it’s being changed anytime soon, so it’s out of our hands.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 04:24:00 +0000

By: KC

KC — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:35:00 +0000

Robert,

Please take off those sunglasses. I’d love to see what color your eyes are.

By: KC

KC — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:07:00 +0000

Sandy, have you given blood to the American Red Cross on behalf of MOONLIGHT? I have and I know of at least a dozen other members of the audience who happen to be admirers of MOONLIGHT that have given blood. Pretty cool huh? What better “positive” approach to take to show your support. And do you know that because of the support of viewers of MOONLIGHT that Alex O’Loughlin offered his time to become a spokesperson for the American Red Cross and very much appreciates what the “fans” are doing to help save lives. I guess you also missed Alex’s comments that he was “shocked and saddened” at the cancellation of Moonlight. No matter what anyone says, it’s common knowledge that MOONLIGHT was abruptly cancelled without merit.

By: KC

KC — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 03:07:00 +0000

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:06:00 +0000

I agree Pearl. I am a Moonlight fan, 51 year old woman who is home on Friday nights. My prime years were in the 70′s and I think Swingtown would have been a big hit on HBO. That way they could really SWING. I get upset when 7 million Friday night viewers are not enough. Winning a People’s Choice Award is not enough. When fans are mocked even as they work for blood related charities. Granted some fans are intense but it is because they are hurt. I am intelligent woman and I loved Moonlight. It was a treat for the end of the week. I was a Nielsen family in the 80′s. I believe that the old demographics need an overhaul. My spending habits have not changed except I buy more skin care products. I do not like to be dismissed due to my age. We have so many ways to be entertained today. I have not stopped watching CBS because I love NCIS and Criminal Minds. I have encouraged other Moonlight fans to continued to watch CBS EXCEPT during the old Moonlight time slot. I say make the slot a Dead Zone for CBS. That may have an impact targeting a very specfic time slot. I now watch USA and TNT. I love Burn Notice, Monk, Psych, The Closer, Saving Grace, and the newbie In Plain Sight. I still hope Moonlight will return to some cable channel but I know not to hold my breath. I think an indicator of the popularity of Moonlight will be shown by the DVD sales numbers. I always buy the DVD’s because of the extras. If the number is very high then someone did make an error canceling the show. See a 51 year old knows what a DVD is and how to play it but most importantly I can afford it. I am an advertisers dream demographic.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 00:06:00 +0000

By: Event Horizon

Event Horizon — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 11:43:30 +0000

Oh Darn!!! I missed the Series Finale of DUEL !! Apparently so did mostly everyone else. If it was a series version of the 70s classic with Dennis Weaver it might have done better – each week a different driver is menaced by the same creepy truck and is dispatched in a different way to end each episode. Of course because its Demonic (like in the THE CAR or THE WRAITH) it reassembles itself and searches for new prey in the next episode. Ok, it probably wouldnt last longer than DRIVE, but it would be better than DUEL the game show.

Great to see SWOONTOWN, I mean SWINGTOWN, go into the dumper – that show is sleazy beyond belief and belongs on pay cable.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 03:36:00 +0000

The men in suits need to back shows with potential even if the numbers arn’t all they should be after one season.

It takes time to build up a following and for people to appreciate a show. I also have issue with always going for the big numbers. I think there is a place on mainstream TV for “niche” shows. Quirky offerings that are sold into non primetime slots. Shows which the network can develop and build unique material.

Always going for the BIGGEST is a losing formula as it leaves in the dust great “little blue engine” shows that with a little bit of belief and a whole lot of commitment could become the next big thing.

By: Doug

Doug — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 21:33:29 +0000

Mentioning Moonlight here is akin to a series doing a big stunt for sweeps. It gets lots of viewers, sure, but only for that one post, and you eventually lose your more loyal viewers.

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:49:00 +0000

NOW you’ve gone and done it Robert! I’ll just have those brownies sent over there!

By: Gina

Gina — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:40:00 +0000

Pot brownies all around for those rabid moonlight fans!

And your so, so worn out call to arms of VAMPIRE SOLIDARITY…RAH! RAH! RAH! The character who said it was being sarcastic and it’s your battle cry? lmao

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:14:00 +0000

An interesting read in light of some of the comments here. I’d been so checked out over the last month that I hadn’t realized P&G had opted to not run ads during Swingtown. This article discusses networks need to evaluate “merits” of shows, not just ratings. The author also suggest that CBS might want to to give Swingtown one more summer.

http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/07/adalian_column_networks_must_e.php

By: Sandy

Sandy — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 04:02:00 +0000

I’m not laughing at Ladyhawke’s comments, just very frightened.
And to be fair and balanced, Swingtown did not do extremely well by any means. The only thing slightly positive about it was that it was CBS’s most watched show of the night in the demo, something that could never be said about particular shows.

By: KingM0f0

KingM0f0 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 03:08:00 +0000

can u suk my dik plz?

By: BriCA

BriCA — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:49:39 +0000

flmicklover, Criminal Minds does have 9.1 millions viewers
for a rerun, Moonlight never got even close to Criminal Minds
numbers even with a first time run. Moonlight best first run rating
was 8.54 millions not even close to a Criminal Minds rerun. Guess why we are seeing Criminal Minds reruns this summer and no Moonlight reruns.

By: xerxes

xerxes — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:56:46 +0000

LadyHawke, does someone need a pot brownie? (All Swingtown fans on the floor laughing hysterically)

By: xerxes

xerxes — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:47:16 +0000

Foolforlove, love the name, . . . a lot of Swingtown viewers are swingers, who tend to do a lot of swinging on Friday night. I thought that was self-evident.

By: odedukna

odedukna — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:23:57 +0000

Swingtown performed extremely well, considering it was changed virtually WITHOUT NOTICE to Friday night at 10 pm!

Swingtown is a high quality network series with intelligent writing, fine production, and superb acting. The themes are communication, honesty, and loyalty, and whether or not you approve of the swinging aspect, you will see a great show, discreet and mature, when you give it a viewing!

By: ladyhawke_2006

ladyhawke_2006 — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:14:45 +0000

Gusar…For your information…This still remains a free country. And as such we are ALL entitled to express our opinions. And I, for one, am going to express mine. Whether or not I was a MOONLIGHT fan, there is ABSOLUTELY NO WAY I was going to watch Swingtown!!!! I think we have enough examples of bed hopping and the like on most daytime soaps. Additionally, I have NO INTENTION of watching The Ex-List. Why would any intelligent female want to watch another female making a pathetic attempt to find “The One” by culling through either those who have already dumped her or those she has already discarded. And NT says she wants to attract more female viewers…Why try to re-invent the wheel. She had the perfect formula in MOONLIGHT!!!!!!!!!! And ,if she had put even a fraction of the advertising revenue into MOONLIGHT that she has into Swingtown, I venture to guess that even Nielson would have shown significantly more than 8 million viewers.
We MOONLIGHT fans are not going anywhere!!!!!!!! So, for those of you on this and other comment boards making disparaging comments about us, my advise is let us say our piece and we will be on our way. Otherwise, I can assure you that if you continue to bait us, we will respond in kind!!!!!!!!!!!

VAMPIRE SOLIDARITY…RAH! RAH! RAH!

By: flmicklover

flmicklover — Mon, 28 Jul 2008 01:11:00 +0000

Thank you for the information stated above. However, there are 5 people in my house alone who are very depressed that Moonlight wasn’t on the rerun schedule. That said, all you would have to find is another 40 households to “think” we would be the only ones watching the reruns…Remember….one tv does not mean ONE person. Do you think CBS thought that? With their highest rank with Criminal minds with 9.1 million, they decided not to renew over 1 million votes with it being it’s first time run? It’s ok if CBS says they made a mistake with Moonlight. 8 million PLUS fans are willing to return. P.s. I have my Moonlight on DVR, and I watch it OVER and Over and OVER….

By: Gusar

Gusar — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:46:36 +0000

I see an annoying problem here: come fall, the comment section of every Friday ratings report will be totally spammed by crazy Moonlight fans, no matter how good or bad Ex-List does. They will come up with a way to claim that things would be better if ML were still around.

Note: Like Robert, I also believe that these crazy Moonlight fans are a minority and that there are a lot of smarter ML fans around, who realize that spamming comment sections of various websites is totally counterproductive.

By: Foolforlove

Foolforlove — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:19:00 +0000

Xerxes, I’m sorry, but I just have to ask…How do you back up your statement that a lot of viewers that watch Swingtown usually have a date with a real person and not a vampire on Friday night? Did you conduct a poll? Do you have some sort of mystical insight and knowledge regarding the dating habits of Swingtown watchers versus Moonlight watchers? Let’s not confuse opinion with facts please.

By: Em

Em — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:58:00 +0000

I think Mandi’s comments are just perfect and all others could be reduced to 6 font.

By: Mandi

Mandi — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:29:00 +0000

Lol! Robert! Please do not rile the Moonlight fans! It’s like poking a bear with a stick! I like Swingtown well enough, but I could see it wasn’t going to do well. I don’t think Americans have much nostalgia for the 70′s. I have similar concerns for Life on Mars next year.

By: Foolforlove

Foolforlove — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:28:00 +0000

There wouldn’t be so many comments about Moonlight if other poster’s here didn’t insist on baiting them. You just bring it on yourself and then sit back and laugh at the reactions. And Moonlight fans? Don’t react, okay? State your opinion if it has anything to do with the topic and then ignore the trouble makers.

I believe it must be very difficult to talk about numbers in todays “tv world”. Like many, many others, my family uses the Tivo, itunes, youtube and dvd’s to make our viewing choices. How in the world our viewing habits can be accurately tracked to make programming decisions is beyond me. There is no question that a new system should be developed, or the old one should be added to appropriately.

Summer is a tough time to make any asessments, but as a 48 year old woman, making the spending decisions in my household, the themes explored in the Ex-list and Swingtown do not appeal to me at all.

By: Christy

Christy — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 19:34:00 +0000

The Nielsen rating system is so outdated and ridiclous, it makes me sad that TV shows live and die due to those false numbers. It may be “just business” to the execs, but to the viewers, the characters are larger than life. We get attached to them and that’s why you had those Twilight fans at Comic-Con going NUTSO! Wait until the movie comes out…wow! People who watch TV these days are looking for characters and storylines to get lost in. With the real world being in the garbage these days, I don’t need to see any more reality TV.

I wish these networks would wake up and realize good stuff when they have it. Also, I wish people would stop making snide remarks about ML fans, like xerxes did in their post.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:23:05 +0000

Julie, the “few hundred” reference was addressing the people likely to visit our site. I have no idea what the total number of people is nationwide, but I do have a fairly good idea how many visit our site. Hope that makes sense.

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 17:21:00 +0000

Again, the Moonies insist on giving their two dollars worth on a topic not related to their show. Despite a last minute schedule change, Swingtown still pulled in decent numbers, especially considering that a lot of viewers that watch Swingtown usually have a date with a real person and not a vampire on Friday night. The general viewing public is not supporting Moonlight because IT is on the wrong network, not Swingtown. It should be on the Sci-Fi Channel, where I might actually consider watching it. Swingtown is MASH quality TV. If CBS keeps it alive in some form, it’s going to break some eggs, baby, but the final product will be one very delicious omlet. Wait till Friday and the Sex Club episode. Then watch the Nielsen ratings.

By: Dan Smith

Dan Smith — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 16:31:00 +0000

We don’t know if Swingtown stunk it up on Friday nights or not. That’s just Nielsen ratings, which as everyone knows, hardly represents the viewing habits of the country.

By: vampira4

vampira4 — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 13:44:21 +0000

I do appreciate not being called a stupid fat housewife, fanatic, person with no life, too fat to get up off the couch and all the other slurs we moonlight fans have been callled!!! we are a teensy bit more than a few hundred fans,last rime I checked we were 8 to 10 million and from all over the world!!!!!!!!!!!!! We are growing everyday,
every state in the union was accounted for and australia, england, portugal, israel, turkey, spain,ireland, greece, just to name a few!! we do want our show moonlight to fill our fridays once again, take its rightful place as the peoples choice award winner and entertain us again with the TALL,DARK,AND IMMORTAL ONE, AND ALL HIS OTHER VAMPIE FRIENDS!!!!!!!!!!!! we will never give up and would like a little respect as we are very respectful to others. WE JUST WANT MONLIGHT BACK. There will never be a show to replace that hole MOONLIGHT left when it was cancelled.I do not watch cbs and never will until we see MOONLIGHT again. as always vampira4

By: laurapesada

laurapesada — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 11:56:00 +0000

To be honest Swingtown doing good or bad., doesn’t make me feel better or worse. And yes I am a Moonlightfan. I never watched Swingtown, I don’t know really if I would like it or not. I just don’t watch CBS anymore, and believe me it’s not out of revenge, just trying to protect me and ny family from the hell we got with Moonlight. We just got HBO added, and we are going to watch it’s new vampire show. My husband is searching in other network for shows to watch this fall. But about Swingtown, ok,I am curious ,that’s why I read this blogg, but like I said swingtown going down just don’t make my day better. I am a bigger person than that.

By: Julie

Julie — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 09:14:00 +0000

Robert states that the impact of “a few hundred people” not watching CBS any longer is not going to have much of an impact. I don’t know where you got those figures, but by my estimate there are several million viewers who will be boycotting CBS in the fall due to the cancellation of Moonlight.

Robert , realistically, do you think several million viewers boycotting CBS in the fall will have an impact?

By: Pearl

Pearl — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 08:59:00 +0000

Robert,
I agree that the summer ratings have little impact on anything at this point. How Moonlight would have done against Swingtown is a moot point. BTW, I am a Moonlight fan, but most of us realize that the ranting and raging about the show ‘s demise is counterproductive and has hurt our cause to some extent. We are moving on to more positive avenues and will continue to the show support through blood drives and other means of charity.

By: michael

michael — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 05:53:44 +0000

all I have to say is that if the title of the show was anything but Swingtown the numbers would be bigger. I persopnally like the name and feel that the show is more about neighborhood interelations and making new friends and keeping the old . The swinging in the show has only really been the first episode with inuendows of swinging and now it is all about the inter workings of each of the couples in the show

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:45:00 +0000

Its funny, I’ve been insulted by so many people on-line for being a fan of Moonlight fan but I’ve never insulted anyone. I think people are entitled to like what they like and fight for things they care about so long as its respectful.

The networks should be happy to have produced a show that has such a loyal and passionate following.

By: watcher

watcher — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:14:00 +0000

Moonlight fans have been motivated enough to get to the top of the polls on several voting sites. For each of us that is fighting hard for more seasons of Moonlight there are 100′s who loved the show but are so used to the networks telling us what to watch never thinki to look for the fan sites. We are fighting for them too.

By: Sandy

Sandy — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 04:08:00 +0000

And to add, if and when CBS’s ratings are down this season, it will be because of increased DVR usage and competition from cable networks, the Internet, video games, and movies. Not because of a few fans throwing a hissy fit and threatening a boycott. That’s just incredibly arrogant and delusional.