Comments on: Fox, Most Improved, Now Leads 18-49 Ratings After 5 Weeks; Competitors Sulk

By: J.R. Herbaugh

J.R. Herbaugh — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:56:02 +0000

Yes it does, RR.

Cody, soaps failed in MyNet’s first year in primetime, and NewsCorp isn’t about to give MyNet a primetime budget for anything. News shows skew old, and the affiliates would rather not give up the adtime. Alot of FOX stations have a lengthy local newscast in the morning. FOX has been a Big 4 network since either “The Simpsons” debuted, when FOX bought NFL rights, or when “Idol” became the #1 network show. Some people still say Big 3 because, well, those 3 have been around since 1948.

By: RockiesRule

RockiesRule — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:15:37 +0000

Bill, guess I’m confused how can Fox be ahead of ABC in all of the age categories (actually one is tied) yet behind in overall viewers? Is that because people > 54 years old watch more ABC by a large amount?

By: Cody

Cody — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:14:58 +0000

They need a Network News to compete with the BIG 3. They have the number 1 Cable news network. Why not translate that sucess to the broadcast net.
EX.
9-11 America’s News Room (all they would have to compete with is TODAY)
11-12 5 Daytime Dramas (Primetime Budget and aired in Primetime on My Network TV)

11PM-12AM The best of the Fox News Channel (BECK HANNITY OREILLY etc…)

By: Cody

Cody — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 13:10:59 +0000

FOX is my favorite of the Broadcast Nets and am happy for there sucess. Although I wish they had a daytime to feel like the BIG 2 (ABC and CBS) and NBC

By: Samuel

Samuel — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:42:12 +0000

Its funny to see some people still call ABC, NBC, CBS the big three. Its also fun to see Obama’s war against Fox, asking “the big three” to boycott them…

Well, seems like Fox is there to stay, and it’s a good thing

By: FrankieR

FrankieR — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:33:10 +0000

NBC is looking much better than ABC. I believe that Leno is a benefit for them right now. It’s cheap! I don’t think we can debate the question about killing network tv. The old format is gone. FOX is programing 2 hours with dramas sports cartoons and reality. Give us the mix like cable does. CBS will be in trouble after the trend ends. Variety not signature is the future. Maybe the CW can pull it off a few more years.

By: Riff Rafferty

Riff Rafferty — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 22:05:45 +0000

It must be because of their incredibly successful Friday night lineup.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:29:01 +0000

Tom, Beautiful Life and (sort of) Southland are the only shows that have been removed from broadcast line ups so far.

The accountants are in control.

I just came up with the idea for a post

By: Tom

Tom — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:27:22 +0000

What I find funny about these numbers is how they influence behavior.

Fox is so far up from last year that they can allow shows to play out a little longer (Dollhouse is the obvious example but I firmly believe Lie To Me would have been pulled by now if not for Fox’s good fortune elsewhere).

At the same time NBC is so low that they’re hanging on to things simply to have stuff to air (Trauma for example)

So what you have is the #1 network and the #4 network both acting in the same way but for vastly different reasons.

By: jay

jay — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 21:06:36 +0000

I agree that these kinds of posts are among the things that make this site great. Individual network shows I, for subjective reasons, may see as a marker or tag for public opinion or short-term trends and fads – ” the delusions of crowds ” – type thing, but I say with complete honesty and non-elitist truthiness that if they were to cancel 100% of the network shows and replace them with 100% new shows, I would not only not care, but would see it, in a slash and burn and let new growth come up sense, as almost a certain improvement.

By: BIG DADDY

BIG DADDY — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 19:37:18 +0000

That’s hilarious that “AMERICA’S MOST WATCHED NETWORK” is dead last in 18-34

By: craigward

craigward — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:18:54 +0000

It’s true that I’m more interested in the shows I like than the networks they air on, but all my shows (the animated ones) are on Fox, and I have a couple friends who like Fringe and Dollhouse, so Fox is my dawg!

By: Mel

Mel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:07:01 +0000

Oh Bill, you mean its not the Blur to the rescue???? Too true.
Honestly — I really think that the CW has squandered a real chance here to pull themselves out of a hole and its like they jump back in on purpose.
If SV was pulling the numbers it did last year AND TVD was doing as well as it is — wouldn’t that perk up the numbers a bit? I know SV is doing better than the comedies on Friday, but wouldn’t it be better still if it was doing as well as last year on Tuesdays and 90210 was stinking up Fridays?

By: wd

wd — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:34:18 +0000

Channel Nerds …Good Times..

By: dumont

dumont — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:31:21 +0000

This is a good fall for News Corporation. Not only is FOX leading all broadcaster and cabler networks, but MyNetworkTV is showing surprising strength with their syndicated programming services strategy which is showing year-over-year metered market improvements on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

After just three weeks of comparable year-over-year national syndication viewership roll-up numbers, ‘WWE Friday Night Smackdown’ is up from 3,330,000 viewers to 3,421,000 this year, a 3% rate of growth.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:18:27 +0000

Mel, the CW vs. last season is about the same as last week, and Smallville isn’t saving the networks ass (seasonal ratings) the comparisons without last season’s dreadful Sunday numbers is

By: Mel

Mel — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:14:22 +0000

Wow, they should be sulking. That’s pretty pathetic.
Is it my imagination or is that an improvement for the CW from last week’s? Flat is better than down.
Smallville once again saving the network’s ass.

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:08:25 +0000

Julia, CW could show real % improvement soon, some data points from last season that will drive that:

1. Their Sundays got worse right after they dumped MRC in Nov. that will be good for comparisons. The Sunday numbers actually picked up a little at the end of the season.
2. The Gossip Girl (and other shows) slide accelerated as the season went on. That’s going to improve year to year comparisons.

By: AppleStinx

AppleStinx — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 17:07:25 +0000

Fox has come a long way. It seems like yesterday they weren’t expected to challenge the big three. But sorry to inform them, it IS going to be a 4-game Phillies sweep.

By: Julia

Julia — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:59:35 +0000

So when does CW actually start showing improvement sans Sundays? I don’t think it will be next week, because of the repeats this week. Will they actually improve the following week?

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:45:42 +0000

TomKH, the comparison in the second chart is 5 weeks vs. 5 weeks.

By: TomKH

TomKH — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:44:38 +0000

Bill, those the average from last season on the second table is from the entire season (sep 08 – may 09? or just the first five weeks of the 2008/2009 season?

By: Bill Gorman

Bill Gorman — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:40:03 +0000

Mine too, but we’re in the minority.

Most folks, understandably, care about individual shows.

By: J.R. Herbaugh

J.R. Herbaugh — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 16:37:14 +0000

This is my favorite kind of post.