According to the numbers and Airlock Alpha it is:
…the audience that turned out was 26 percent smaller than it did in the first week of November Sweeps.
Yes, it’s that time when networks put out their best to attract new advertising dollars, but genre programming — missing some of its November guns like “V” and “FlashForward” on ABC — is down more than 22 percent.
Source: Airlock Alpha
The reason? I can only guess that the big mid-season breaks, the ever longer hiatuses, and overall network nervousness when it comes to genre shows contribute to it all. For Pete’s sake, I had to try to remember everything that happened on LOST way last year–in essence had to re-catch myself up so I could get in to the season premier. And right now V is just a blur, too. I have a good memory, but when the networks take shows off for months at a time they will lose audiences. It’s what happened to Jericho and what will continue to happen with any serious genre TV that takes some brain power and viewer commitment.
My advice is to do much more pre-work, then let the series run. Pick them, test them, put them on the schedule and let them roll, good or bad. It’s terrible form to put up a show with a lot of hype and then pull it after two weeks or put it on the back burner until way later in the year, after everyone has forgotten about it. It’s okay to take breaks for holidays and all that, but breaking up a season by three to six months is programming suicide. What it means is more work at the front end to pick good, solid series, test market them, and only then put them on the air.
How can this be done effectively? Let’s take genre shows for an example. There’s Comic-Con in San Diego and New York, not to mention hundreds of other genre conventions around the country. A network can take a series pilot, or even a short film (not a whole episode), take it to those conventions and solicit feedback from the target audience. If the feedback isn’t good, then fix the show. If the show can’t be fixed, don’t put it on the schedule. It’s good business. It’s hard to take the pulse of the nation unless you go out on the street and do it one on one.
I don’t blame the shows themselves or the viewers for the low numbers. It’s the business model. It needs to change. It’s not 1972 anymore. It’s easier than ever to reach a target audience and get feedback. And once you get that feedback heed it–make the changes, get more feedback, market, and put it on the air. Then run the show and if you did your job well up front, the ratings will come.
Yes, the model is broken.. Fix it ! But the networks, in general, seem oblivious to the preferences of viewers. A show is premiered than gone in a few episodes. Perhaps months later it tries to return. Often it is not well remembered and subsequently fails. MASH didn’t hit it’s stride until the second season. It wouldn’t have had a chance to be successful if it come onto television now.
Television is not a mindless baby sitter for adults. But that is how the networks treat it. Networks again, in general, produce for the lowest level of viewer, not even the average viewer. There are a few exceptions, but they are few and far between.
If the model is not fixed, then the major networks will themselves ultimately fail. But they are too short sighted to see or even consider that.
TV something I used to look foward to, but these days especially in the last 10 years it has given way to mindless and cheap reality shows amongst all the clones. I have always looked for something outside the box. The way programing is done these days lacks any intelligence at all. The Strange thing is when hear CBS tote NCIS as being one of its best shows I want to laugh. The only reason it is that is between getting 3 years and reruns on USA is why it is a success. It very mediocre begins as far as it’s ratings. (BTW I do watch NCIS on USA and use COMCAST On DEMAND). But I will never waste my valuable time to be there live because I was never counted originally. Shows like Jericho, FireFly, and TSCC(The Sarah Conner Chronicles) are reason why I will take my money where I am appreicated and it is obviously not with any of the Networks.
So while the networks Continue to think they are still in the golden years of Televsion and not realize it is the 21st century they will eventually end up on the short end of the stick
I really enjoyed ‘The Sarah Conner Chronicles.’ I’m glad Fox gave them a second season, but it stopped too soon… just as it was getting even better!