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TV ratings see double-digit declines for fifth straight month
New York Post ^ | 3/25/2015 | Claire Atkinson

Posted on 03/15/2015 7:15:25 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity

February was another heartbreaker for the $65 billion television ad business.

Commercial ratings — the viewing “currency” that determines what advertisers pay for TV time — cratered across broadcast and cable networks, marking the fifth straight month of double-digit declines for the industry.

“It’s clear the downward spiral in TV ratings continues with no end in sight,” media analyst Michael Nathanson wrote in a research note on Friday.

Overall prime-time broadcast network ratings were off 12 percent last month compared to a year ago, while cable networks dropped 11 percent, according to his report.

Nathanson looked at so-called C3 ratings, which come in later than traditional ratings. They measure average commercial viewership in shows up to three days after the original air date via DVR playback.

While a couple of networks that carried the Super Bowl and the Olympics last year clearly suffered because of tougher comparisons, almost every channel was hurting.

Looking at total-day C3 ratings, only three networks boosted their audience: HGTV, Discovery and TBS, while TNT, History and Nickelodeon fell the most.

Typically, TV ad sales executives can increase prices to compensate for a ratings decline, citing scarcity. But Nathanson said seismic changes are pressuring networks to hold the line on pricing.

Although some of the ratings declines can be blamed on changes to Nielsen’s measuring methods, among other changes, “we believe these terrible ratings trends are also indicative of changing viewership habits,” he wrote.

The numbers underscore the rapid changes in how TV viewers are consuming content.

Americans are increasingly watching TV shows on Netflix, Hulu, Amazon streaming and other services. Some 40 percent of households now have subscription video service, Nielsen reported earlier this week.

Yahoo, Amazon and Hulu are among the bidders for the streaming rights to “Seinfeld” episodes, WSJ.com reported Friday.

(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cabletv; hdtv; tvratings
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To: Excuse_My_Bellicosity
The only reason that CNN, MSNBC, and network morning shows have any ratings at all is because they’re background noise in hotels and airports all over the country. I’m more than happy to kill the system that spawned them.

We certainly need to aid their demise as quickly as possible.

161 posted on 03/16/2015 7:08:01 AM PDT by DiogenesLamp
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To: ctdonath2

There has to be a new name for watching a screen and being entertained at home that clarifies that one is not on the cable/air.

“Viewing?” “Screening?” And instead of calling it a TV call it something else...My entertainment screen? ES for short?


162 posted on 03/16/2015 7:16:11 AM PDT by Chickensoup (Leftist totalitarian fascism is on the move.)
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To: Chickensoup

For $60 a month, their site advertises: Unlimited Nationwide, Unlimited Mobile to Mobile to Mexico, China, India & Canada plus select international landline destinations.


163 posted on 03/16/2015 7:57:34 AM PDT by JennysCool (My hypocrisy goes only so far)
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To: spudville
I have a VHS and DVD collection that would take several years to view them all. Netflix lets me pick and choose and reject whatever I want. Who needs broadcast stations!

I think I probably have a few years worth too and I love repeat viewing. There are some great deals out there online for DVDs. I just watched (over a few weeks) a season of a show from the 50s called Cheyenne. Each episode was about fifty minutes with good acting, scenery and plot. Like a mini movie. Who needs new shows?
164 posted on 03/16/2015 9:10:21 AM PDT by LostInBayport (When there are more people riding in the cart than there are pulling it, the cart stops moving...)
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To: GailA

Good idea.

It is getting to the point for me I am thinking about dumping cable TV.


165 posted on 03/16/2015 9:52:05 AM PDT by dhs12345
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To: windcliff

>>I’m watching Hoarders at the moment. I don’t think they fake that.<<

They fake EVERYTHING! Chances are that the old fart started with 3 cardboard boxes in his living room before the producers had the set dressers haul in another 150, then said “action!”

Even *sob* Love it or List It is fake — except Hillary is hawt no matter what.


166 posted on 03/16/2015 10:29:58 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (islam: The hands of the Chinese, the mouths of the arabs, the minds of the French.)
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To: SamAdams76; JennysCool

Thanks!

I guess I’ll need to figure out the initial cost of a new tv (mine isn’t HD) and the increased cost of wifi to see how cost effective this will be. I know in the long run...it will be cheaper since the cost of satellite keeps going up, up, up. And I only watch a few of the stations.


167 posted on 03/16/2015 10:32:27 AM PDT by berdie
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To: freedumb2003

you are right.

every reality show has in the credits in fine print that some scenes are reinacted for dramatic effect.


168 posted on 03/16/2015 10:34:08 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: freedumb2003

I was watching the Swamp Guys and one of the alligator hunters motor broke and he was stranded.

I then occurred to me that the guy in the boat with the camera might be able to help him.


169 posted on 03/16/2015 11:18:49 AM PDT by yarddog (Romans 8:38-39, For I am persuaded.)
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To: yarddog

>>I then occurred to me that the guy in the boat with the camera might be able to help him.<<

The only time I ever saw a camera person get involved was on an old episode of “Cops” where the cameraman knew CPR and helped revive a very real victim.

“Cops” was the only true reality sow and even then there is some camera-twisting (such as when the cop with the cameraman gets on the scene he all but takes over no matter his rank).

Just like “survivor” or “Amazing Race” no one will be injured for real, have illness untreated, go hungry or get mugged.


170 posted on 03/16/2015 11:28:17 AM PDT by freedumb2003 (islam: The hands of the Chinese, the mouths of the arabs, the minds of the French.)
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To: freedumb2003
They fake EVERYTHING!

Not quite everything. I had an episode of Garage Gold filmed at my place about a month ago. Absolutely it was scripted. But on the other hand they really cleaned out my garage and re-made it quite well. It didn't cost me a cent. They sure didn't fake cleaning up the garage.

171 posted on 03/16/2015 12:45:58 PM PDT by lafroste
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To: lafroste

>>It didn’t cost me a cent. They sure didn’t fake cleaning up the garage.<<

And carted your stuff to the nearest episode of “Hoarders” (LOL)

Makes sense, yes?


172 posted on 03/16/2015 4:13:41 PM PDT by freedumb2003 (islam: The hands of the Chinese, the mouths of the arabs, the minds of the French.)
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To: yarddog

I was thinking pretty much the same thing when I saw a guy hop on his bass boat at the end of an episode and go motoring off into the sunset. You left your cameraman behind, chief.


173 posted on 03/16/2015 5:21:26 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity (Death before disco.)
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To: Calvin Locke

TV isn’t nearly as good as it was 40-50 years ago when we only had 3 channels. Each season the language becomes more base along with the story lines. Pretty bad when the most exciting thing to watch is Antique Road Show.


174 posted on 03/16/2015 5:40:23 PM PDT by Happy1947
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To: freedumb2003

The stuff they took was pure junk. IOW, it probably went straight to hoarders. Good riddance.


175 posted on 03/16/2015 8:24:21 PM PDT by lafroste
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To: SamAdams76
The same shift is happening in radio. Millions of people prefer to subscribe to Sirius/XM in their cars, or they stream Pandora, Spotify or one of the many other streaming options now available.

Someday someone is going to take the play-list from each radio station and you will be able to enter the call letters and stream their music without all of the commercials and yack. They will make millions.

176 posted on 03/16/2015 8:47:11 PM PDT by Clay Moore (The future SHOULD belong to those who slander Muhammed.)
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To: berdie

Just get a digital antenna and stream what you really want to watch for free on your computer. You can actually hook your computer up to your tv with a digital adapter and an hdmi cable. Its really simple.
I have a digital adapter for my laptop and another one for my ipad and there are free streaming sites everywhere. I don’t pay for anything.


177 posted on 03/17/2015 8:40:29 AM PDT by sheana
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To: TexasFreeper2009
here’s an idea... stop putting sodomites in EVERY freaking show!!!

My rule, since the first showing of gay action on Torchwood, 2006.

Makes no difference to me how really creative and good the series might be otherwise: I never watch it again.

Same goes for "Revenge".

Same goes for that ugly abomination version of a famous Space drama series, which name I even refuse to remember.

If it's gay, it's permanently forgotten.

But the writers and producers seem immune to being able even to notice! D'UH!! Why did our series fail?

178 posted on 07/26/2015 4:05:58 PM PDT by publius911 (If you like Obamacare, You'll LOVE ObamaWeb.)
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To: odawg
It is amazing how quickly they have integrated gay marriage into prime time. Men refer to their “husbands” in conversations like it is the most natural thing in the world.

As I repeat ad infinitum, that only happens to me once per series.
No exceptions.

179 posted on 07/26/2015 6:18:34 PM PDT by publius911 (If you like Obamacare, You'll LOVE ObamaWeb.)
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To: TomGuy
I would watch something on it nearly every day. Then, they started going to the ‘reality’ stuff. I watched less and less.

How about SyFy showing everything-goes cage fighting without the cage, and wrestling, and crap that is so meaningless that it escapes my memory...

The name change from SciFi should have been a clue.

180 posted on 07/26/2015 6:29:33 PM PDT by publius911 (If you like Obamacare, You'll LOVE ObamaWeb.)
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