29 replies to this topic

[Jaelle]

http://nytimes.com/2...dia/22ADCO.html

THE NEW YORK TIMES
October 22, 2003
Few Viewers and Network Executives Scratch Their Heads
By BILL CARTER

AS the ratings have rolled in for the first three weeks of the new television season, one question has dominated the conversations inside the industry's executive suites: what the heck is going on?
Network executives are baffled by a season unlike any seen before.

Returning hit shows like "Friends" and "E.R." are losing significant numbers of viewers from previous years. New shows have performed far worse than almost anyone expected, a result capped off Monday night when the Fox network started two shows that had received huge promotional pushes during the baseball playoffs, "The Next Joe Millionaire" and "Skin," and they posted crushingly disappointing numbers.

And men between 18 and 24 are apparently deserting television in droves. So far this year nearly 20 percent fewer men in that advertiser-friendly demographic are watching television during prime time than during the same period last year.

The drop-off in these viewing figures tabulated by Nielsen Media Research is inexplicable to industry executives. "Frankly what we're seeing strains credulity," said Alan Wurtzel, the president of research for NBC.

Executives are demanding an explanation from Nielsen for these discrepancies, which, if they continue, could leave the networks on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars in so-called make-goods, free commercials to make up for falling short of guarantees to advertisers. A permanent decline in television viewership could jeopardize the broadcast and cable networks' advertising bonanza, which reached a record $15 billion in national advertising commitments for this season.

Jack Loftus, the corporate spokesman for Nielsen, said the ratings company had assiduously checked its data and was confident the numbers were accurate. He said that while the drop in young men watching television was highly unusual, it was real. Mr. Loftus said Nielsen was examining several possibilities to explain the decline, including some unexpectedly high use of video games and DVD players by the young men now absent from television, and even the possibility that a certain number of the young men who are supposed to be in the sample may have been called to duty in Iraq by the National Guard.

Mr. Loftus said another factor might be the improvement in Nielsen's techniques for selecting viewers, so that some people who signed up might not necessarily be heavy television viewers, where earlier the Nielsen sample was dominated by those who watched a lot of television.

Steve Sternberg, a research executive in the advertising industry as senior vice president for Magna Global USA, said the situation "is certainly a mystery." But he said that the make-good issue would probably not become acute for a while. "Everybody at this point is saying let's see what happens when baseball gets finished," Mr. Sternberg said.

Network executives said none of Nielsen's explanations so far could explain the suddenness of the viewing drop-off and its concentration in just one demographic group.

"You can't explain a 12 percent decline in men 18 to 34 or close to 20 percent in men 18 to 24 by saying they're playing a lot more video games," said David F. Poltrack, the executive vice president for research at CBS.

He added, "The fact that it's concentrated in one small age group makes it worse, and even more likely that it's an aberration."

Mr. Wurtzel had another suspicion, having to do with who is chosen for the Nielsen sample. He said that Nielsen tends to skip homes where the equipment may be extremely complicated to wire, and that with more homes now adding digital boxes and satellite dishes, those homes might be skipped more often, meaning heavy viewers of television are being systematically excluded.

A Nielsen executive said the skipping over of such homes was rare.
One possible factor is more basic, Mr. Sternberg said

[Kingdom Come]

Great news - it's about time t.v. and film people got a kicking. In Britain we have to put up with a huge reduction in quality; teenagers been thrown at the screen. I know my television viewing habits have changed dramatically simply because the quality is the bottom of the barrel over here. All our soaps have lost half of their viewers over the last 5 to 10 years - and they were the most watched things on television. Most t.v. people are possesed by the 16 to 34 year olds and never mind that watching television is a middle-aged / elderly pastime. People like me are instead in chat rooms - many of em - meeting terrific people [real ones at that] I now only watch the box for films and doc's. The only thing that IS improving over here is the doc's. If t.v. people want to get back those HUGE amounts of viewers all they have to do is go back and have a look at what made people watch in previous years gone by.

They now tell us that it's because people have more free time; mulit-channels etc etc - they said this 10 years ago as well, when a tiny monority of viewers had multi-channels over here, all are in self denial.

In Britain, all drama's look the same; scripts the same; actors the same; locations the same; photography the same; stories the same - all melodramatic to the hilt - they look down upon the public like you would't believe. That has to change. It may well do.

It is a sorry state of affairs when the public have now stopped moaning about repeats!

[Tarl_Cabot]

This is bad news?

I hate TV except for boxing/football/discovery channel and CNN news.

Maybe everyone is online or here at CBN...I noticed tons of new members since taking a holiday.

[Blue Eyes]

I'd be interested to see this story progress over the next few weeks.

Perhaps people are just sick of the content? Has 'reality' TV finally turned away the viewers? The concept of reality TV has hit pathetic recently. No doubt it's much the same overseas, but in Australia we now have a dog talent reality TV show on during prime time Sunday. No doubt you could find that on some US TV station, but we only have 6 tv stations out here.

[SeanValen00V]

DVD as well, some people don't watch shows, and rather get the dvd boxset when its out.

[Xenobia]

Perhaps folks are so tired of "bad news" -- the wars, the constant parade of the disease of the week, lying politicans at every turn -- they just gave up.

God forbid this, but maybe folks are honestly turning off the TV and spending time with their families.

-- Xenobia

PS: I know a little something about Nielson families, and I doubt that that many folks are in the National Guard. What are they trying to do now? Make the war itself a weapon of mass TV destruction! Please!

[DLibrasnow]

I don't watch any television. Here it is at 11 p.m. on Thursday night and the last time I remember watching any television at all was 5 days ago. Even tjough I have over 100 channels there's never anything I feel like watching on any of them.
Really I could live quite happily with just my DVD collection.

[mattbowyer]

There's so much great television out there I can't believe how horrid some of you are about it.

24 : Day 3 starts this week in the US, watch it you soured masses and be free.

[DLibrasnow]

My landlord tried to persuade me to get a TiVo but I told him there was no point because I don't watch any TV. It's true - I don't watch TV when I go home at night.

[Kingdom Come]

Sorry this a wee bit off topic but ironically after what I have just written above, I shall soon be getting a multi-channel deal as my bro has a hundred or more channels - BUT! you literally have to flick through every channel to get to what you really want. Surely there is a way to erase channels that have no interest for the viewer to save having to go through sooooooooooooooooo many? Anyone?

[Athena007]

Originally posted by Jaelle
And men between 18 and 24 are apparently deserting television in droves.

Thank Gawd! Seriously, I think tv is over rated. I mean there's so much more people can do with their own creativity than sit on the couch and watch tv... like... play on the internet lol... this is just as bad.

Anywho, you know... this test that records tv watching doesn't include the cable channels, so in reality these people and even more could still be watching tv, just not basic tv. You know.

[Turn]

This is isn't surprising at all, especially with the 18-24 male group. What do they really offer this group? Everything is either a CSI clone, a wacky family sitcom or some back-stabbing reality show. Is there really any drama left in who gets voted off the island or what gullible bimbo will get the shock of her life by some cowboy?

NBC waved millions in the face of the Friends cast and look where it's getting them. Have they ever heard of such a thing as too much of a good thing? It me appreciate what Seinfeld did by stepping out when he did more and more.

I've watched mostly sports over the past month. With a few exceptions like Alias and The Simpsons, most of the series I watch these days are on cable. I watch Nip/Tuck, Six Feet Under, The Sopranos and Sex and the City in particular.

Not just because they offer more freedom from conventional network standards, but because they offer something different. And not a wacky family in the bunch.

[Righty007]

I don't watch TV anymore. Last year the only show I watched on a regular basis was Boston Public on Fox. I haven't watched that at all this season because it moved to Friday and I am usually busy on Friday's. TV shows these days suck!

[BONDFINESSE 007]

Originally posted by Righty007
I don't watch TV anymore. Last year the only show I watched on a regular basis was Boston Public on Fox. I haven't watched that at all this season because it moved to Friday and I am usually busy on Friday's. TV shows these days suck!

righty when your right you are right:)

[Johnboy007]

Well here in America, we've been captivated by the baseball playoffs for the first time in like 50 years. that might contribute to the tv ratings decline.

[PaulZ108]

I don't really watch TV. I use my TV for games and DVDs only, but I'll occasionally watch CNN or something (I think I'm the only person my age who has even the slightest interest in current events).

[Righty007]

Originally posted by PaulZ108
I don't really watch TV.  I use my TV for games and DVDs only, but I'll occasionally watch CNN or something (I think I'm the only person my age who has even the slightest interest in current events).

I am around you're age and I like the news also. I like Fox News the best.

[Tarl_Cabot]

I don't watch TV when I go home at night"

We're not surprised with 6,000 posts!

[DanMan]

I've been watching much less T.V. lately. Most of the time I'm outside with friends. The only T.V. I watch is Sopranos/Baseball/MTV/NBC Late Night.

[ChandlerBing]

I watch USA, watch JAG, watch Fox News, watch Bill O Reilly.

[Athena007]

The only think I really watch on regular tv is reruns of "Seinfeld" (and The Amazing Race what it was on and if it returns). Then on cable... MI-5 all the way!

[Xenobia]

For those who know me well, they may be shocked to hear that I watch a lot of Fox News too, and that's mostly because they tend to get the news fastest, even if I don't like their commentary.

That being said, Bill O'Reilly is one entertaining fellow.

I no longer watch anything with absolute regularity anymore, but I try my very best to catch West Wing and The Handler when they are on.

-- Xenobia

[Genrewriter]

Color me very surprised, Xen. I think I'd rather be tied to a tree on top of some fire ants then sit through any amount of the pointless self-adoration, bickering and kindergarten level immaturity that is the political talkshow arena.

The only shows I view with any amount of regularity are 24, NYPD Blue, Conan O'brien and when I have access to cable, re-runs of Mystery Science Theater 3000 on the Sci-Fi Channel.

[Xenobia]

I enjoy watching the verbal traps BOR(e) sets up for his guests, and how these alledgely intelligent people fall into them.

That, and he does occasionally have some interesting segments on. I may not agree with his POV, but I do appreciate him bringing these issues to light.

-- Xenobia

[TGO]

Actually, I have been watching little TV ever since I got my afterschool job. But I have been watching I Love The 80's: Strikes Back. That, and the DVD sets of Family Guy.

[killkenny kid]

Yoy mean to tell me that other than CNN and MI5 there are more shows on t.v. I'll tell you this, last monday I did some bodyguard work for David Smith the next Joe Millionaire.( a side job) He was in New York on tour. He seems like a cool guy. But I had no desire to watch the show. And the trun out for him was low. And yes Xen, if you watched Fox news that nite. It was the Kid standing behind Mr. Smith.

[Xenobia]

Alas poor love...I MISSED IT! Boo-hoo! Did someone tape it?

Love...Xenobia

[killkenny kid]

God, I hope not. My niece said I looked big as a house.

[Matt O'S oo4]

004 turns of the TV

Thre seconds later

ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

004

[DLibrasnow]

Yeah, I actually watched part of the Kansas City Chiefs game last night. I flipped through the other 100-plus channels and there was nothing else on.