'Secret Life' Gets Better Ratings than 'Gossip Girl'
Any day that ends in a 'y' is a good day to bash the CW and Gossip Girl. This time it's not me doing the bashing, but our friend James Hibberd at the Hollywood Reporter on his THR blog, 'the live feed'. Last night's ABC Family channel airing of Secret Life of an American Teenager drew 3.6 million total viewers, 1.6 million of them in the 18-49 demographic (and we imagine it did quite nicely in the 12-17 demo as well), prompting Mr. Hibberd to write:
That means the fifth episode of "Secret Life" outperformed any given episode of the CW's "Gossip Girl" in total viewers and bested the "Gossip" season average by 11% -- despite being on a cable network in the summer instead of a broadcast network during the regular season. (Is this a fair comparison? Not for "ABC Family," but they certainly don't mind.)
So a show without the New York Magazine covers, tons of press coverage and hardly any buzz at all, on cable, during the summer draws more viewers. In fairness to Gossip Girl, I never have received e-mails from teenagers from Soho to Singapore telling me they download the torrents for Secret Life as soon as they become available, at least not yet. I have seen a few of those e-mails from Gossip Girl fans.
Are the CW shows being fairly measured?
Steven, I have no basis to assume otherwise and I’ve never heard CW speak out about it being adversely impacted with regard to measurement relative to other networks.
Steven, I have no basis to assume otherwise and I’ve never heard CW speak out about it being adversely impacted with regard to measurement relative to other networks.
You’re right about the show besting Gossip Girl among teens, but it didn’t have to wait for episode 5 for that.
Gossip Girl’s first episode earned a 5.3 with female teens. The show dropped with female teens somewhat slower than it did with viewers overall, but over the season it got as low as a 3.2 or 3.3 before rebounding to a 4.2 with female teens for the finale. The CW was proud of all of the numbers; the media dutifully reported that, sure, more than a million viewers ditched the show after the premiere but at least teenagers loved the show!
Secret Life started with a 6.5 with female teens. By episode 4 it had grown to 7.8. I don’t know what it got with female teens last night but if it grew 7% with adults 18-49 and 16% with total viewers, than either middle-aged and elderly people tuned into this show, or it hit a new high with teens.
Hey Robert– anytime you want to bash Gossip Girls, I’m there! The CW keeps on making excuses for the show’s (and the network’s) poor ratings, but how can they explain away the fact that the exact same demo is able to ‘find’, and be counted by Neilsen for a brand new show? The fact of the matter is that a lot of ABC Family shows are doing quite well because they are actually Good, and have broader appeal. The CW ,in an attempt to ‘redefine’ themselves, completely ostracized whole swatches of their demographic and makes no signs of trying to rectify that. Maybe this will be a wake-up call that their demo wants shows that AREN’T GG knock-offs. I know, for me at least, ABC Family for some time now, has replaced the CW (or more accurately, the WB) as my stop for good youth-focused television.
I’m not a fan of the Nielsen ratings system so that being said…Why do networks try and justify shows that get really low ratings. I mean sure there are always a number of viewers that don’t get counted but even if you doubled the number here you still don’t get enough to bother with. GG is boring.
I’m not a fan of the Nielsen ratings system so that being said…Why do networks try and justify shows that get really low ratings. I mean sure there are always a number of viewers that don’t get counted but even if you doubled the number here you still don’t get enough to bother with. GG is boring.
Gossip Girl, along with the CW, is all Buzz and no ratings.
They claim and clammer about their shows, but no one watches them. And as long as they have niche viewer demographics, they will continue to charge small fees for commercial spots.
Time for the CW to end, have CBS take complete control and call it CBS.2
ABC Family seems to be on the rise. I hear more and more about that network, even though I’m outside their target demo. Good for them.
It seems to me like it’s time for the CW to hang it up. When UPN and WB merged or did whatever it was they did, they formed the CW, and the stations that got left out became “MyNetworkTV,” which to my knowledge airs no original programming. As far as I’m aware, at least in my locale, “MyNetworkTV” just airs syndicated shows and offers no news programming and basically ties CW for ratings. Our local CW affiliate is owned by the CBS affiliate and they simulcast news programming on both stations, so at least the CW station is saved that expense.
Off-topic ABC Family comment: I have to wonder what they were thinking with that “Middleman” show — I’ve watched a few episodes of it, and while it struck me as being funny and well-written, it seemed like a poor match for their network, and I think the show’s poor ratings reflect that.
ABC Family seems to be on the rise. I hear more and more about that network, even though I’m outside their target demo. Good for them.
It seems to me like it’s time for the CW to hang it up. When UPN and WB merged or did whatever it was they did, they formed the CW, and the stations that got left out became “MyNetworkTV,” which to my knowledge airs no original programming. As far as I’m aware, at least in my locale, “MyNetworkTV” just airs syndicated shows and offers no news programming and basically ties CW for ratings. Our local CW affiliate is owned by the CBS affiliate and they simulcast news programming on both stations, so at least the CW station is saved that expense.
Off-topic ABC Family comment: I have to wonder what they were thinking with that “Middleman” show — I’ve watched a few episodes of it, and while it struck me as being funny and well-written, it seemed like a poor match for their network, and I think the show’s poor ratings reflect that.
Steven — Nielsen’s methodology for measuring viewership is the same across the board. Although, the CW is claiming that they need a new measurement because people MUST be watching Gossip Girl that they can’t count. Which is a load of bull. Somehow, magically, the Hills, ABC Family and other stations can manage to count their audiences just fine (including the fact that Secret Life is #1 on iTunes now).
This is proof of what people have always been claiming, which is that Gossip Girl has a lot of network-based promotional money and fake buzz behind it, but no one really cares. It’s viewership is abysmal and nothing the CW does is going to change that. Why? Because unlike Secret Life, the show is trashy. And for whatever reason, people will watch trashy reality, but not trashy scripted dramas.
Steven — Nielsen’s methodology for measuring viewership is the same across the board. Although, the CW is claiming that they need a new measurement because people MUST be watching Gossip Girl that they can’t count. Which is a load of bull. Somehow, magically, the Hills, ABC Family and other stations can manage to count their audiences just fine (including the fact that Secret Life is #1 on iTunes now).
This is proof of what people have always been claiming, which is that Gossip Girl has a lot of network-based promotional money and fake buzz behind it, but no one really cares. It’s viewership is abysmal and nothing the CW does is going to change that. Why? Because unlike Secret Life, the show is trashy. And for whatever reason, people will watch trashy reality, but not trashy scripted dramas.
My Network TV launched with 5 nights of original programming in the form of 2 Primetime Soaps. Each soap aired M-F and Saturday nights was a weekly recap for each show.
Aftert that concept tanked in the ratings, They quickly came up with a couple of movie nights and brought back a couple of old reality programs (Paradice Hotel 2, Meet My Folks, etc.). Last Fall they began airing other original programs like JAIL, Street Patrol, The Academy, IFL, and other non-scripted series.
In Late April they launched their first sitcome, Under One Roof, staring Flavor-Flav.
This Fall, they will return with Under One Roof, JAIL, Street Patrol, Celbrity Expose, and two Movie Nights. New to the Network will be WWE Smackdown (from the CW), Funniest Moments w/ Arsenio Hall and a project by Tony Rock (Brother of Chris). http://www.mynetworktv.com/fall_schedule.php
So, My Network TV is not just about reruns but do offer original programming. Its been a slow climb back after the Soap Series failures in ’06
My Network TV launched with 5 nights of original programming in the form of 2 Primetime Soaps. Each soap aired M-F and Saturday nights was a weekly recap for each show.
Aftert that concept tanked in the ratings, They quickly came up with a couple of movie nights and brought back a couple of old reality programs (Paradice Hotel 2, Meet My Folks, etc.). Last Fall they began airing other original programs like JAIL, Street Patrol, The Academy, IFL, and other non-scripted series.
In Late April they launched their first sitcome, Under One Roof, staring Flavor-Flav.
This Fall, they will return with Under One Roof, JAIL, Street Patrol, Celbrity Expose, and two Movie Nights. New to the Network will be WWE Smackdown (from the CW), Funniest Moments w/ Arsenio Hall and a project by Tony Rock (Brother of Chris). http://www.mynetworktv.com/fall_schedule.php
So, My Network TV is not just about reruns but do offer original programming. Its been a slow climb back after the Soap Series failures in ’06
Is that the reason why a CW show has never reached The Top 20 in ratings?
oh sure, pick on GG…but lets keep in mind, the CW is a new network with plenty of crappy shows, and Gossip Girl is one of its few diamonds in the rough. ABC Family is an established, known network…just saying…
CC,
Fair point — you might want to read this:
http://tvbythenumbers.com/2008/07/31/is-mad-men…
Um, ABC family is not an established network. It’s only been around for a few years. The CW has been around longer in the forms of UPN and the WB. They should’ve been able to carry over at least SOME of their audience, but instead they seem to be losing more viewers every year. Not only that, it’s a broadcast network, and ABC family is a cable network! Which means ABC family reaches fewer households than the CW. So . . . I think Robert has the right idea. Robert, you should’ve have back-tracked with your Mad Men post. The fact of the matter is, if people find something worthy of watching, they will turn the t.v. on. If they don’t, then no amount of “buzz” will make them tune in.
For “Secret Life” Fans – Starting tonight, ABC Family and Lycos will begin running new episodes of the hit show ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’ on Lycos Cinema. What’s new that Lycos Cinema brings to the online viewing experience is the ability to socialize and chat with friends and fellow fans while watching episodes through Lycos’ online video player. So fans can discuss every scene, character and detail in real-time while watching. To check it out or schedule viewing parties for tonight’s episode, go to: http://secretlife.lycos.com/
For “Secret Life” Fans – Starting tonight, ABC Family and Lycos will begin running new episodes of the hit show ‘The Secret Life of the American Teenager’ on Lycos Cinema. What’s new that Lycos Cinema brings to the online viewing experience is the ability to socialize and chat with friends and fellow fans while watching episodes through Lycos’ online video player. So fans can discuss every scene, character and detail in real-time while watching. To check it out or schedule viewing parties for tonight’s episode, go to: http://secretlife.lycos.com/