'Empire's' Black (Ratings) Power: How Fox's Targeted Marketing Paid Off


The Hollywood Reporter ^ | January 28, 2015 | Michael O'Connell

[C19fan]

People are seeing that shows with people of color can make money," Taraji P. Henson told reporters days after Empire's second episode solidified its status as the highest-rated new series of the 2014-15 TV season. "When things make money, people are interested."

The actress might not be surprised that her Fox family soap, which climbed to nearly 15 million viewers in time-shifted ratings, is the success story of the winter. But few could have foreseen it would grow live ratings for its second and third episodes, an unheard-of feat during the DVR era. And Empire owes much of those early spoils to its black audience.

[Opinionated Blowhard]

People are seeing that shows with people of color can make money,"

I don't know why this is such a surprise. There have been other shows in the past -- The Jeffersons and The Cosby Show come to mind -- that have predominantly black casts which were widely watched. But in our race-obsessed, self-absorbed culture, black shows gaining an audience is portrayed as a huge struggle and something that never happened before.

[cripplecreek]

I liked the black sitcoms of the 70s because despite the fantasies of most blacks, white people aren’t all rich. The characters in spite of their race were much more familiar to many whites.

The characters may have been black but many of us grew up around very similar white people who were just getting by. Sanford and Son, and Good Times were a lot closer to what I knew than The Jeffersons. The Jeffersons were fabulously wealthy compared to the way I grew up.

[Aleya2Fairlie]

There is quite a difference between choosing to watch a genuinely entertaining and funny show like Cosby or the Jeffersons and the Liberal agenda that is evident in the entertainment industry today. I personally am sick to death of having the gay/black/transgender/illegal/islamic propaganda shoved down my throat at every possible opportunity. Not only is it damaging the quality of entertainment, it is making some (like me) that much more disgusted with the Liberal agenda and the effort to brainwash people into accepting it.

[uptowngirl]

“Our goal was to make this show an event for a core group of people”

Being a 60 year old white woman, I don’t think I’m in their core group of people. Which makes sense because I have not seen the show and nothing about it interests me.

[SaraJohnson]

Who has time to watch nonsense on tee vee?

[BenLurkin]

Too much like Dallas and Dynasty.

[lormand]

“The Soup” makes fun of this show, and from the scenes I have seen, it is a typical show targeting the bottom feeders of immorality.

[BenLurkin]

Dig this Fox network pitch...directed at women I guess(?)

EMPIRE Fashion: The Cookie Lyon Look | Empire on FOX
http://www.fox.com/watch/378366531988/7684647168

[TomGuy]

I tried to watch Empire. Got about 2 minutes into it and could find no interest.

==

Several of those old sitcoms ran out of material. In the latter parts of their runs, they devolved into ‘hate whitey/hate honkey’ scripts.

[Sans-Culotte]

Being a 60 year old white woman, I don’t think I’m in their core group of people. Which makes sense because I have not seen the show and nothing about it interests me.

Yeah, as a white dude pushing 60, I know they weren't targeting me, either. A show about rap music moguls is simply not what I'm looking for, regardless of the race of the actors.

[uptowngirl]

I noticed the 2 guys in bed together. Great. More gay agenda in our face. Another reason to not watch it. From what I’ve seen, I’m glad I’m not a part of her world.