I've heard about shows being warned that if they were renewed, they'd need to cut costs and I've heard it in regards to several different shows on different networks. But I'd not heard any kind of blanket slashing across all of a network's shows as Nikki Finke is reporting:
I've just learned that CBS has demanded that each existing TV show -- even the hit ones -- reduce their budgets for next year, if renewed. This may mean smaller writing staffs. - read the rest on Deadline Hollywood Daily
In the good old days it seemed like show budgets increased as they extended their runs. These clearly are not the the good old days, but across-the-board cuts for CBS' renewed shows would surprise me. None of the shows I'd heard being asked to cut budgets would be deemed hits (except by the PR and advertising departments). The cuts I'd heard about were in the range of 5%-10%.
That’s pretty shocking…CBS is doing great right now. I’m surprised they would need to do many cuts…
CBS the broadcast net may be doing great, but the corporation is in trouble.
Big trouble in little CBS. That’s why Zucker likes to pump up the NBC cable networks, because they are making all the money. For the longest time CBS resisted investing in a cable net (have they yet still??), and that’s a bummer for them. While it’s cool to be king of what is now a small broadcast mountain, that alone, especially considering their money making demos don’t correlate to their overall viewer dominance, isn’t really enough to make you the king of the money making hill. Wouldn’t surprise me if they were actually making the least amount of cash as an overall company than are any of their competitors.
After all, why do you think Zucker still has a job?
This is old news. EW, I think had a piece on this last month, and the pressure was also on the lead actors to forego annual raises, or they would slash secondary actors from the regular castof the shows.
Gotta agree with Schmoker.
Right now they’re struggling as a business and they’re basically kicking ass (by modern standards) in the ratings.
Network ratings are cyclical. What the heck is going to happen to CBS when they fall to third (they will never fall below the new NBC)?? It’s going to happen someday.
Really Julia? what’s up with the corporation?(I actually am curious)
Yeah, national prime-time ratings, while of huge interest to US, are but a small sliver of the CBS enterprise. I think all the broadcast networks with local affiliates are hurting when it comes to that model, but CBS with local radio and billboard business on top of it are getting hammered.
ABC (ESPN, Disney, ABC Family, etc), Fox (FX, Fox News, etc), NBC (USA, Scifi, Oxygen, etc.) and Warner (TBS, TNT, etc) all have established basic advertising supported cable franchises, but CBS doesn’t.
Jared, the link I had where an analyst said CBS is one of the corporations in danger of being one of the media giants that fall in 2009 no longer works. But Robert sums it up pretty well.
Which is why CBS lead the way in making affiliates switch from free to paid for by cable companies.
I think CBS should be fine. If it’s not, we’ll hear that the CW is shutting its doors or returning to “The WB.”
funny – I’m not seeing fewer commercials????
huh, i guess I never really thought that cable brought a company so much revenue. Thanks for the info.
Its a business tactic