[A]t least one broadcast network will flunk. Right now, I think the CW is on the edge of the cliff. I know they are going after the young audience, but their shows are not working for the most part. "Melrose Place" is a disaster. "90210" is the same thing. Both shows are done.
I think CW has a year or two to make it. This could be the final year of the CW if the ratings don't get better I think that network will drop.
via MediaPost.
I'm not so sure about that prediction. As long as CBS and Warner Brothers develop all the programming on the CW, their overall financial situation, considering the value of those developed show franchises, may be enough to have them continue to fund the CW. As for the CW's strategic direction, and its current boss, Dawn Ostroff, that's entirely another matter.
Other predictions from the same interview:
- ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox may decide to go all cable, and then local affiliates will have to scramble to survive.
- The number of television stations will decline
Click to read the rest of the excerpt from the video interview.
The CW’s in trouble, but I imagine they would axe Ostroff and try a different strategy (next season or the season after, whenever) first. If that new strategy fails, then the network would be done no doubt.
NBC, ABC, Fox, and CBS (in that order) switching to a national broadcast rather than the affiliate system is probably down the road, but I’d imagine that’s still a long way off.
IF the CW were to fold, what would happen to their existing shows that are still performing well. And by that I mean The Vampire Diaries lol.
ridiculous…..
Ok, CW it’s not best audience channel, bus I think for this channel the audience are OK!
Yes Melrose it’s a kind of disaster, and GG it’s goin’ down. But they’re having excelent numbers for OTH, Supernatural, VAMPIRE DIARIES, Smallville (fridays). And even 90210 are gettin’ greats numbers comparing the other shows.
I like most of these shows, and I think this prediction it’s completely ridiculous.
Mumbo, I agree. The next move at the CW will be a strategy/management change, not a shut down.
Chief, I don’t expect that to happen, but I think successful shows could end up on cable networks.
Pedro, OTH and GG perform about the same in A18-49, but GG usually kills OTH in W18-34. So saying GG is going down but OTH has excellent numbers is interpreting the numbers from a very very biased standpoint.
I think what always puzzles me about the CW is why they stay with Ostroff, and why they don’t try to look slightly outside of their current box. I get their strategy (faulty as it might be), and I’m not saying they need to abandon it entirely, but trying a little diversity in their schedule might really put some much needed energy into the network. Try developing another superhero show to pair with Smallville, try to include young men in your desired demo, stop the lazy re-animating of long dead shows. TVD is their biggest “hit” (relatively speaking), and its a show that targets the young female demo, but still tries something the network wasn’t previously doing.
But really, Ostroff’s continued employment is the biggest WTH to me.
I suppose if all else fails (Dawn gone, one more CW strategy revamp) they can rebrand the entire network into a new name and reboot it. SyFy, TNN (now Spike), and others have been changing directions and names. Not sure if that would count as a “dead network” but it’s possible.
As for successful shows, cable networks would be good. If it came to that, SyFy might be a front-runner for Vampire Diaries (although if it has enough in the character-driven department USA could take a look, too — I don’t know since I have not watched it, so draw your own conclusions on that notion, please
)
I think Dawn gets one more year (unless she has some really good material on someone higher up), the CW gets 1 or 2 more years, and, if improvement not significant by then… bye bye.
^Actually, I’m not so sure that’s true. This week they tied in W18-34
Oops, that was to Julia
Yeah Julia, that’s right….
but what I’m just tryin’ to sau is that, close the network it’s completely ridiculous. The shows don’t have the same numbers as ABC, NBC, CBS and FOX shows, but comparing between them, the numbers are great!
BTW, I don’t care if it ends, If they put OTH, 90210, Supernatural and The Vampire Diaries in another net!!!
I’ll be happy
I think its sad the way were simply giving up on Broadcast TV. ITS FREE TV people. I’ve been saying for years that the big 6 media companies need to trim their cable assests (trim not liquidate) to give the Big 4 networks audiences that will sustain them again.
I’m only interested in them finishing with Supernatural and they can go down. Heck, I can even push them if necessary.
Dawn is the source of The CW’s woes, we’ve seen that it’s the shows that don’t feature rich spoiled teens that are doing well and while I think they will keep one or two of them, they need a Major rethink in their development slate.
Like we haven’t seen it coming?
It’s all going to fall hard on Dawn Ostroff if it crashes and burns completely.
@ Morgan, I don’t get it either.
I read an interview where she stated that they didn’t want to develop procedural shows like the other networks.
That’s fine. After all, procedurals are getting so out of hand, but they bring in viewers.
My biggest complaint has always been putting women front and center, but pushing the male audience off to the side like cattle, as if they don’t matter.
You can’t target one group and marginalize the other.
Also, I never really understood the name of the network. Back in 2006, when they announced the actual name of it, I remember thinking: “What the hell are they thinking?” The CW?
If it were me, I would’ve gone with WBC (Warner Bros. / CBS)…but what do I know? According to Dawn, I’m a male who doesn’t watch television.
Holly, this week they tied, and last week it wasn’t an outright killing (2.9 vs 2.6), but in their averages, GG is still killing OTH.
Julia, you’re probably right. I haven’t really been paying attention, I just remembered them being close this week.
Considering the shows in development for the CW that were announced here on tvbythenumbers.com a few weeks ago, I would agree that the network has a very short life ahead of it.
GG 90210 ANTM are 100% for next season, OTH,SV SN the cw will try to bring back but they may want to end
It could be that they are evening out more now that we’re really into the season, but it still doesn’t change how wrong Pedro is, considering GG is CW’s #1 show in W18-34.
You can’t target one group and marginalize the other.
Yes, I can.