Few Viewers and Network Executives Scratch Their Heads

NY Times via Drudge ^ | October 22, 2003 | Bill Carter

[AZLiberty]

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.

[AZLiberty]

Concerning what people might be doing instead, the article mentions DVDs and video games. Apparently they haven't heard of the Internet.

[GeronL]

why the heck would I want to watch 'Freinds?' as they repeat the first season again and again and again?

Why watch ER when we've seen surgery and stomach pumping year after year after year.

Why would anyone want to watch 'Next Joe Millionaire'? A bunch of air-head women trying to woo a pretend millionaire... whoopie

Why would I want to watch a show called SKIN about pornographers and the 'hypocritical' bad people who go after them bad 'non-hypocrite' pornographers?.. don't they have a channel for that, Spectrovision or something??

I'd rather watch documentaries on Discovery Wings or Monster House.

But mainly I get online or just write stories that are better than whats on TV, even though they stink mostly.

bottom line: TV is CRAP.

[Travis McGee]

bottom line: TV is CRAP.

Amen. But I was reading a thread on a gun forum about a pitbull attack on a man, and it gave me a great idea for a "reality TV" show that would really draw the young male viewer in droves!

"Joe Millionaire versus T-rex the Brindle Pit Bull in a steel-cage death match!"

[Elliott Jackalope]

Gosh, TV ratings are down? Could it be that people are finally starting to revolt against the non-stop swill that has been pushed onto the public over the last few years? Is it possible that the average American has finally decided to stop partaking of the garbage that masquerades as "entertainment" on the public airwaves? Is there a chance that we've all seen one too many cliches, sappy plotlines, pointless car chases and empty characters to care about TV any longer?

Darn. Now the TV execs are going to have to go out and find a whole new bunch of empty cliches to pander with. Boy, what a bunch of grouches you people are. Don't you appreciate just how hard it is to create meaningless garbage for a living? Buncha ingrates, the lot of you!

Here's the problem in a nutshell. Once upon a time people who acted, directed and wrote for a living had, at one time in their lives, actually lived in the real world doing real things. Then a whole generation came of age who lived their lives vicariously through the movies and TV. Then another generation came of age who had lived their lives vicariously through the films made by those who had never lived in the real world. Think of successive generations of copies on an old Xerox that's low on toner, and you'll get the picture.

As of now the toner has been dry for years, and the copies coming out are pretty much empty of content. Just like the average TV show nowadays. Too bad for TV execs, but maybe the time has come for a new generation to open the door, go outside, and actually live in the real world again. Then the process can start all over with a new set of novel cliches to run into the ground.

[greasepaint]

Dont watch network TV.
Don't buy CDs.

[GeronL]

Maybe we can televize, as a PPV, throwing eco-wacko liberals to hungry lions... watch as they live in harmony with their predators.

[Fledermaus]

Uh, could it be that all the stuff they show is TOTAL CRAP?

[nopardons]

I have NEVER watched " ER " ( I'm assuming it's a T.V. show ) in my life, I have seen exactly ONE episode of " Friends ", which I watched under duress, because someone begged me to, and no, I do NOT watch noncable shows...except for aseball games.

When Marshall McC called T.V. a " wasteland ", 4 decades ago, it had gone somewhat downhill from the " GOLDEN AGE " of T.V., but was breathtakingly wonderful, when compared to what's on today. T.V. programing is so dumbed down, today, that to talk about what CBS, NBC, Dumont, and even ABC used to put on, would shock those who don't know what early T.V. was like.

[dwilli]

I do think The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire is a fairly good show with some pretty good actors.

[Fledermaus]

I would at least thought the libearls would get off on "Skin". I haven't and never will watch it, but I bet it's full of stereotypes against conservatives. Doesn't that usually make it a hit amongst the groupthink left in Hollywood?

[bellevuesbest]

I don't know about "TV is Crap". I like to watch sports and the History Channel or something like History like Discovery. Network television (except for sports) is a dinosaur. Oh, and I watch FNC now and then.

[GeronL]

I find myself watching WALTONS and GUNSMOKE early in the mornings

[supercat]

Here's the problem in a nutshell. Once upon a time people who acted, directed and wrote for a living had, at one time in their lives, actually lived in the real world doing real things. Then a whole generation came of age who lived their lives vicariously through the movies and TV. Then another generation came of age who had lived their lives vicariously through the films made by those who had never lived in the real world. Think of successive generations of copies on an old Xerox that's low on toner, and you'll get the picture.

Plus which, people knew how to be original. Many of Melies' films from the late 1890's to early 1900's are positively brilliant compared with what is produced today, despite having been shot with a modified movie projector. Anyone else like Melies?

[GeronL]

The Brotherhood of Poland, New Hampshire

never heard of it... what channel is that on?

[GeronL]

FoxNewsChannel is the only news channel thats bearable

[bellevuesbest]

OH yeah, I was flipping channels one night and ran into back to back episodes of The Lone Ranger on the Hallmark Channel. That was fun!

[GeronL]

I don't watch SKIN either. But I can tell you exactly what the basis theme is from the commercials they air during football games

Prosecutor (a self-righteous hypocrite) needs to be re-elected and decides to go after a pornographer. Since the pornographer is 'open' about his 'life' hes not a hypocrite. Their 'kids' become lovers, how unoriginal there.

I suppose there aren't any good guys. Nothing watchable about it.

[GeronL]

I don't watch SKIN either. But I can tell you exactly what the basis theme is from the commercials they air during football games

Prosecutor (a self-righteous hypocrite) needs to be re-elected and decides to go after a pornographer. Since the pornographer is 'open' about his 'life' hes not a hypocrite. Their 'kids' become lovers, how unoriginal there.

I suppose there aren't any good guys. Nothing watchable about it.

[Tom Pain]

"No one knows what's going on."

ESPECIALLY, the New York Times!

[dwilli]

It's on CBS wed. night at 10. It's a continuing story about a family of New Englanders and family troubles. One brother is mayor, one is police chief and the third brother is pretty much a failure in everything except his marriage.