I doubt CSI dropped that much, but I do find it funny that the CBS cheerleaders are claiming that the top series haven't dropped, then ignoring little things like the fact that they haven't shows new episodes this year. Are we really suppposed to look at zero or one datapoint as proof that CBS series are as strong as last year? The 3 months of writer's strike conditioned many CBS viewers (especially the 18-49demo) to look for something else (other than dead bodies) on TV. The long term effects of that are not clear yet, but the short term effects (the last 3 months of data) are clear. CBS is in a steeper decline than the other networks.
Originally posted by Obveeus: I doubt CSI dropped that much, but I do find it funny that the CBS cheerleaders are claiming that the top series haven't dropped, then ignoring little things like the fact that they haven't shows new episodes this year. Are we really suppposed to look at zero or one datapoint as proof that CBS series are as strong as last year? The 3 months of writer's strike conditioned many CBS viewers (especially the 18-49demo) to look for something else (other than dead bodies) on TV. The long term effects of that are not clear yet, but the short term effects (the last 3 months of data) are clear. CBS is in a steeper decline than the other networks.
Well, now that I've seen the overnights I guess they'll be pretty much on par with their just-before-strike numbers, but I do think the big issue with CBS is that CSI pretty much saved it, so they figured if they made ten CSIs they'd be fine. The result is that, 8 years later, people are sick of the same thing over and over. But when they try new things (Viva Lauglin) they, well... suck.
So they're very good at making the clone of a show that was good, but now has started to have the life drained out of it, and I think they're on the way to NBC-ville. Not perhaps as dramatically as NBC fell, but slowly starting a downward spiral.
CSI won't be getting 20 million next season at all, is my guess, and that's really their only BIG hit, so they can coast with a number of smaller shows, but without a big headliner, I think they're screwed.
-Percent Change From the Year-Ago Evening (Thursday, April 5, 2007) Fox: +33, NBC: +16, CW: - 5, CBS: - 7, ABC: -35
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Note: The fast affiliate results for Thursday will be posted at PIFeedback by 12 p.m. ET. Go to the website, click on Ratings Box (the first category), then Last Night’s Results, and Thursday, April 3, 2008.
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-Yesterday’s Winners: Survivor: Micronesia (CBS), CSI (CBS), Without a Trace (CBS)
-Honorable Mention: Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (Fox)
-Yesterday’s Losers (Excluding Repeats): Miss Guided (ABC)
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-Ratings Breakdown: Led by the return of an original installment of CSI (and still minus Grey’s Anatomy on ABC), CBS stood well above any competing network on Thursday in the overnights. And it is poised for a hefty victory in total viewers and adults 18-49 once the fast affiliate results are posted at PIFeedback.com. Second overall was Fox care of a double dose of Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?, followed by NBC, ABC and the CW.
CBS’ veteran Survivor: Micronesia opened the evening on a dominant note, with a 7.1 rating/11 share in the overnights from 8-9 p.m. Compared to Survivor: Fiji on the year-ago evening (7.6/13 on April 5, 2007), that was a decline of just seven percent. Second in the hour was the first half of an expanded edition of Fox’s Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? (6.2/10), followed by a one-hour original edition of NBC’s My Name is Earl (5.4/ 9), two more episodes of ABC sitcom Miss Guided (avg. 3.4/ 6), and a repeat of Smallville on the CW (2.1/ 3). Although ABC has referred to the 8:30 p.m. edition of Miss Guided as the season-finale, you can consider it the series-ender. There is little to no chance of it returning next season.
First at 9 p.m. -- and for the evening -- was the return of CBS’ CSI at a healthy 12.8/19 in the overnights. Comparably, that built by 75 percent from the second half of Survivor (7.3/11), and it was close to year-ago levels. All is still good, no doubt, in the world of forensics crime solving.
Second in the 9 p.m. hour was the second hour of Fox’s expanded Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? at a 6.6/10. Overall, that put the Jeff Foxworthy-hosted game show at a healthy 6.4/10 from 8-10 p.m. Next were two repeat episodes of NBC’s The Office (avg. 3.9/ 6), followed by a repeat of ABC’s Lost (3.1/ 5), and a repeat of the CW’s Supernatural (1.5/ 2), which dropped by 29 percent from the Smallville encore.
The return of an original episode of CBS’ Without a Trace beat the competition combined at 10 p.m., with a 10.3/17 in the overnights. Next was ABC’s on-the-fence Eli Stone (4.1/ 6), which built by a hefty 41 percent out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of the Lost repeat (2.9/ 4), followed by two more encore telecasts of NBC’s The Office at an average 3.5/ 6. Although there is buzz aplenty about NBC’s plans to introduce a spin-off from The Office next season, has anyone noticed that this comedy is not a breakout hit (and never will be)?
Yes, CBS did see a decline in viewership (total and demo) the last 3-4 months. Yes it di drop more than NBC and ABC.
BUT, it had further to drop because of the strike. It stayed mostly even with ABC and NBC during the strike. So, they weathered the storm about the same as ABC and NBC AND.... did it with 90% repeat programming from their regular schedule (without moving shows to different time periods).
ABC and NBC offered a lot more hours of fresh programming, but did no better than CBS' repeats.
NOW, CBS is in a nice spot of having a 2-3 week jump on them and will see a nice rebound this week and going forward.
quote:
Originally posted by Obveeus: I doubt CSI dropped that much, but I do find it funny that the CBS cheerleaders are claiming that the top series haven't dropped, then ignoring little things like the fact that they haven't shows new episodes this year. Are we really suppposed to look at zero or one datapoint as proof that CBS series are as strong as last year? The 3 months of writer's strike conditioned many CBS viewers (especially the 18-49demo) to look for something else (other than dead bodies) on TV. The long term effects of that are not clear yet, but the short term effects (the last 3 months of data) are clear. CBS is in a steeper decline than the other networks.
The strength of CBS is the amount of show that pull strong numbers. They don't need an AI or Grey's on their schedule, so to speak.
Yes, CSI is a top show, ratings-wise, but a lot of their shows usually get 10-11 million + viewers each and every week. The other nets don't have that much Depth in their schedules, as CBS does.
The down fall of CBS will not be because of the use of Crime Dramas, but the lack of any new programming taking hold. They have had about 1 drama each year do anything (CM, Shark, Moonlight), But their new comedies have been doing better.
quote:
Originally posted by sarahvma:
quote:
Originally posted by Obveeus: I doubt CSI dropped that much, but I do find it funny that the CBS cheerleaders are claiming that the top series haven't dropped, then ignoring little things like the fact that they haven't shows new episodes this year. Are we really suppposed to look at zero or one datapoint as proof that CBS series are as strong as last year? The 3 months of writer's strike conditioned many CBS viewers (especially the 18-49demo) to look for something else (other than dead bodies) on TV. The long term effects of that are not clear yet, but the short term effects (the last 3 months of data) are clear. CBS is in a steeper decline than the other networks.
Well, now that I've seen the overnights I guess they'll be pretty much on par with their just-before-strike numbers, but I do think the big issue with CBS is that CSI pretty much saved it, so they figured if they made ten CSIs they'd be fine. The result is that, 8 years later, people are sick of the same thing over and over. But when they try new things (Viva Lauglin) they, well... suck.
So they're very good at making the clone of a show that was good, but now has started to have the life drained out of it, and I think they're on the way to NBC-ville. Not perhaps as dramatically as NBC fell, but slowly starting a downward spiral.
CSI won't be getting 20 million next season at all, is my guess, and that's really their only BIG hit, so they can coast with a number of smaller shows, but without a big headliner, I think they're screwed.
Next was ABC’s on-the-fence Eli Stone (4.1/ 6), which built by a hefty 41 percent out of the 9:30 p.m. portion of the Lost repeat (2.9/ 4),
Despite the relatively low HH rating, building by 41% on its lead-in, even when it's a rerun, is a great sign for Eli Stone. I hope they keep it for next season, perhaps pair it with Women's Murder Club on Fridays next season. I really hope for some good numbers after DH on Sunday April 13 -- I'm thinking if DH does 18-20 million, for it to get around 12 million...
As far as Miss/Guided, each week the episodes are less and less interesting. I hate to say it, because I love the first 4 or so episodes, but it may not have done enough to return.
The return of an original episode of CBS’ Without a Trace beat the competition combined at 10 p.m., with a 10.3/17 in the overnights.
Looks like some good retension from WAT out of CSI.
Guessing, it looks like about 20-21 million for CSI and 17-18 million for WAT
Those numbers may end up being a bit high for the HR's posted.
But I agree with your above point about the crime dramas not being the problem, and that's coming from someone who is at best lukewarm toward them.
This year's problems were not CM, the CSI's, etc. It was CANE, KID NATION, etc. Like it or not, crime is their game now and a happy medium might be some varied development. CM succeeded because it actually was different from the WAT, CC, CSI mold of evidence collection and flashbacks, etc and delved more into issues of tone and intrigue.
If CSI NY, for example, is somewhat weak it is the show, not the genre. If SHARK faltered, it was too one-dimensional.
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