I'm guessing the short version is "this route is much cheaper for MyNetworkTV"
Now that it's no longer a network, MyNetworkTV is out of the nightly ratings game.
Nielsen informed its clients Tuesday that MyNetworkTV has stopped supplying program information to its daily reporting service effective this week.
Instead, MyNetworkTV will now receive its numbers as part of the weekly syndication ratings report, which is released every Tuesday.
Move comes as MyNet officially morphed on Monday from a network into a programming service, airing off-net programming and movies as well as "WWE Smackdown" on Fridays.
mynetwork tv was a sadder excuse of a network than the CW ever was
and that’s pretty low
CW should have kept WWE Smackdown. With Fox’s current Friday line up, I wonder if the powers that be thought of putting Smackdown on the Fox line up instead of MNT. Smackdown’s ratings potential is wasted on MNT. Oh and by the way. they should rebrand MyNETWORKtv already since they are no longer a NETWORK.
MyNet should’ve been folded 2 years ago, and re-branded as a OTA version of ESPN.
I disagree with the previous posters, granted it wasn’t ever great, but when we didn’t have cable, and I had a tiny little baby at home, it had some entertainment on during the day, once we loose our cable again (move out of this apartment complex) I’ll be missing it…. not that I care now.
Tdot – I think the opposite. Mynetwork is smarter than CW, and ratings are actually somewhat better despite having syndicated and repeated programming.
what’s a mynetwork tv?
^^^Better off not knowing.
Just a sad, failed attempt at a broadcast network.
Ummm I concur with grr_argh. I never heard of this mynetworktv. Their website says that my Local CBS channel is mynetworktv which it clearly isn’t.
I miss Fashion House
I’m wondering how much longer Smackdown will last on MyNetworkTV
My guess would be that as and when Dawn O is booted from The CW, Smackdown will surely be welcomed back with open arms, right? It made no real sense to ditch Smackdown in the first place and will represent a fast and relatively cheap solution for whoever takes over at The CW to increase Friday night’s and the network average.
On a MyNet note, it is what it is and this apparently works for them.
Alex, I don’t think there’s any chance (not even a teeny tiny one) that you will see the return of Smackdown to CW with Dawn at the helm. Even if it is offered for FREE.
It seems assumed the show is fairly cheap; but how cheap? It is also assumed it wasn’t a show the advertisers were clamoring to advertise on. The loss of Smackdown significantly impacted CW’s average ratings. However, don’t jump to the conclusion that it was necessarily as significant in terms of actual revenue impact.
The CW needs a REAL hit- something which can pull like 6-8 million viewers. I’m sure Smallville can hit 5 million on a Wednesday.
MyNetworkTV was an attempt to provide programing to several Fox owned TV stations that were without programing after the UPN/WB merger into the CW. In my market it is a digital sub channel and cable channel. It would be a good opportunity to do some niche programing like Science Fiction, Paranormal, Horror as well as cop procedurals. I think I read somewhere NBC Universal will be doing some programing from their archives of past successful programs. If they were to really go after these niche shows they could grow an audience for folks that don’t get cable and only receive over the air digital TV. I suspect in the larger cities the viewer number could be substantial. Also if they get the shows correct, they could market their programing as a digital sub channel to stations all the country that still has unused slot in their digital capacity. Done correctly they could grow an audience.
Robert I agree that Smackdown won’t come back to The CW with Dawn at the helm but I still think its something that her eventual predecessor has to at the very least give serious consideration to. Its inconceivable to me that The CW or any other network for that matter is going to be able to programme a successful two-hour block 52 weeks of the year for less than the Smackdown license and from what I remember of the figures thrown around when the show moved to MyNetworkTV the license fee is comparatively speaking cheap.
On the subject of advertisers I think there has to be an ‘if you build it they will come’ mentality, advertisers might not be thrilled about the content but if the numbers are there then you’ll get them. It also needs to be said that the WWE has rebranded itself with a more advertiser friendly PG rating since leaving The CW. Of course The CW could always shoot for an RCM like deal and ‘rent’ Friday nights to the WWE…
Having said that there’s some major upsides to Smackdown from where I’m sitting.
It consistently pulled big numbers on a night that all the networks struggle with. Just a glance at the numbers for Friday nights right now suggests that its entirely possible if not likely that The CW could win Friday nights at least in the demo with Smackdown. It also provides a strong promotion base for them. There’s a guaranteed audience every Friday night to promote new shows to, sure it doesn’t sync with the women 18-34 demo but that’s what Top Model is for. Smackdown seems like a good place to promote something like Smallville and shows focused more at young men.
I think there is MAD potential with Smackdown, network revenue-wise. Look at RAW staying on top of the cable board. Also, WWE has now rebranded itself as family-fare, which ticks off loyal viewers, but makes it marketable for kids (and for advertisers to get to kids). WWE relies on ticket sales (and PPV buys) for the most of their revenue, so they can be on TV for relatively little.
I don’t care how many times Dawn says they specialize in W18-34. Look at the numbers for the main 5 networks, and you’ll see that Dawn is in fact full of crap. Which W18-34 is she referring to? Because to me it looks like ABC & FOX are taking that demo more than she is.
And when it comes to mynet, what a spectacular fall for them.
2006 was their start, and they were going to have these English telenovelas run throughout the week. They promised not to switch it up and wait the full season to let it grow.
They soon ditched this (before that promised year was up) to put in movies, MMA, reruns of old shows, and a HORRIBLE (HORRIBLE) sitcom with Flava Flav as the role of Kali Kal (UGH).
Then Magic was Revealed (10 years after THAT concept was fresh).
Finally this year they went to syn. progamming. Luckily, Smackdown is doing well, but that’s about it.
And the world is somewhat righted. This is what MyNetworkTV should have been in the first place — a programming service.
It’s almost a reinvention of an old business model of such programming services supplying content for largely independent television stations.
The CW is next. They have to alter their own model. Targeting W1834 is ridiculous. It should not be even considered a network. It can’t compete — especially now that they’ve stopped trying. It can’t even program TEN hours of programming without relying on encores (“America’s Next Top Model” on Friday).
Worse, they sent one show that could actually generate some audience to the Friday night graveyard. Awful. Just awful.
I look forward to the CW going the way of Dumont and now MyNetworkTV.
I agree they should rebrand and then remove the affiliation from those stations so they can brand themselves as independent stations.
I could see Smackdown going to FOX Friday Nights.
I actually had this idea im my head on how MNT could help reinvent FOX. At the 11:00 AM hour on FOX they need to have 5 Prime time budget (although not prime time actors salaries) Dramas. Having them begin to compete in the Daytime Field. To cover all costs it could be on MNT during Primetime. and My FX during weekends to have three sources of revenue.
My Network TV keeps playing High School football games – so no loss…
On a side note I will be changing my “name” there seeme to be other RG’s and similar to my name – (I’m the “Dancing With The Pretend Stars” jerk) so I’m going to be X-R.G. on my future posts.