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 ...
Broadcast television is quaint and quickly becoming a relic of the past.
I watched about 10 minutes if a AHN show about Ramses the Great.
Right out the gate they show this light skinned Negro as king or prince. Just screwing up history to make it PC.
Ramses the Great had red hair. He was not a negro.
Not a problem. Just add 10 more minutes of commercials per hour and the everything will be fine. /s
I wonder if the networks went back to having companies sponsor shows with minimal interruption like was done in the early days of TV if it might slow the decline.
I doubt it because once people change a lifestyle, they are unlikely to shift back. It might be their only hope.
I say this as one who doesn’t watch it and hasn’t in years.
I can’t stand the pop-up ads during the shows. I can block them on my computer. Invent a TV that can block them, and I’ll start watching again. Some of them take up the bottom third of the screen.
I suppose this means that a full plate of reality shows supplemented by gay romances simply no is longer “hot”.
The American public has a lot of ‘splaining to do to Holliwood for being such poor sports for preferring decent scripts with decent actors. /S
It's almost as if the TV executives decided to make a list of things that would annoy just about every viewer, then they decided to do everything on that list.
There are very few things worth watching. Most of it you need to be a pervert to enjoy. I won’t take it for free and I sure as heck won’t pay for it.
They will double down
From your keyboard to the cable and network executive's ears.
I just happened to watch "over the air digital" TV this weekend, due to technical glitch with my TWC. What an eye-opener! I can live with it, sports channels be damned.
Color me: ready-to-bail.
I suppose this means that a full plate of reality shows supplemented by gay romances simply no is longer “hot”.
The American public has a lot of ‘splaining to do to Holliwood for being such poor sports for preferring decent scripts with decent actors. /S
Television has turned us off.
For example, I used to enjoy NCIS.
Then, in 2012, right before the national election, the script writers threw in a gratuitous, unnecessary-to-the-script bit of admiration for the administration, IIRC.
There are millions of conservatives and indies just like me, who are offended at political instruction offered under the guise of entertainment.
.
All we ever watch any more is golf tournaments.
A ton of people are giving up cable. Although I have Hulu, Amazon Instant Video and Netflix, I still have cable. I understand that folks whe are cutting the cord are basically paying the same for just cable. I got rid of the hard line phone and don’t get a break for not taking it. If I am going to pay the same price then I might as well keep cable. Plus, I am afraid they are going to put that data limit on the internet soon and apparently if you have cable they will keep it unlimited. If you cut the cable they will limit you to 250 data. That sounds awful.
Nuff Said
The dumbest thing is that nielsen families make all our viewing decisions....that consists of 10,000 families out of 100 million families.
I just do not want to pay that anymore...so how do I change?
we do have Amazon Prime...we do like some network shows....we like local channels and sports....food network, etc...
I'm thinking of dropping our land line, and/or dropping cable and signing up for a skinny little direct tv lineup....
Imitation- the sincerest form of television.
A narcissistic medium whose time has come and gone. Of any interest are nature and science shows of high quality without a political axe to grind. Few and far between.
Barebones for $10 a month, I only watch Fox News Sunday.
Otherwise....
NETFLIX!
We just re-cut the Cable TV connection.
Had the full lineup.
Moved, didn’t have it connected (TV, did get internet) for 6 years.
After much badgering, relented and got it in time for last winter’s Olympics (also was a way to move the drop point from one end of the house to the other).
About the only thing watched was The Bachelor[ette].
Then AT&T nearly doubled the cost (oh, your introductory rate expired - well so did my interest).
At best, including bare minimum TV, it was still an increase.
Fine - drop the TV, and triple my data rate for less.
Ad-laden scheduled content intended for lowest-common-denominator viewers just sucks.
Save $100/month. Pay $2/episode so she can watch The Bachelor[ette] the day after it airs. Leaves a whole lot to use Netflix/iTunes/Amazon/Redbox for what I want when I want ad-free and still pay way less.
Stupid rant over.
Stupid TV.
I used to watch that show. Nell Carter was on it right before she got her starring role on “Gimme a Break !”
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