Posted on 12/17/2010 4:03:50 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
Many questions have been asked about Sarah Palin's "don't you dare call it reality" TV series on TLC. Is "Sarah Palin's Alaska" a good idea for someone with presidential aspirations? Is it a brilliant promotion tool? Did she really take four shots to kill a caribou? Does Palin have a hair and makeup team for the show? (The unanimous answer on the latter inquiry from TLC is "no!")
But as the show continues, another question is emerging: Who, exactly, keeps tuning in week after week?
According to Nielsen, the show's ratings have been inconsistent, but they have remained relatively high.
The show TLC's most-watched series premiere in network's history when it debuted Nov. 14, pulling in just shy of 5 million viewers. After that strong showing, the second episode was viewed by only 3 million, inspiring a lot of finger-wagging. (The network pointed out that there was stiff competition that night from the American Music Awards and Sunday night football.)
Much to the network's pleasure, the third installment rebounded with 3.5 million viewers, but then the rollercoaster began again.
Episode No. 4 in the eight-part series, in which Palin goes hunting, pulled in only 2.8 million people despite all the hoopla surrounding made over her caribou kill. Last week, an appearance by Kate Gosselin of "Kate Plus 8" fame proved to have more appeal than a dead caribou, bringing ratings to 3.1 million.
Of these millions, are the Americans watching Sarah Palin Baby Boomers or Gen X, Y, Zers?
Lead digital strategist for SPAlaska.com, Brian Reich, told POLITICO that "not surprisingly, the audience is older, true for TLC generally, but also expected for a Sarah Palin crowd." He said that the viewership for the most recent episode featuring Gosselin and her brood of multiples "had the youngest median age."
"In general, over the last couple of airings, median age declined," Reich said. He attributes the audience aging backward partially to the increasing traffic on SPAlaska.com. "The fact that that's the trend in general, I think proves that an online conversation can complement a television show and expand the potential for people to see it," said Reich.
It certainly helps pull in an audience that might be more interested in seeing Bristol Palin shoot skeet than in seeing Sarah Palin compare her fence to the U.S.-Mexico border. Reich tells POLITICO that "Total Facebook 'likes' [for the website] surpassed 33,000 in the past week" and that 42 percent of the Facebook audience is between the ages of 18 and 44.
As for gender, just shy of 70 percent of Facebook "likers" are female, and tend to be from the South and Midwest, with Atlanta, Dallas and Chicago boasting the highest numbers.
While the numbers for the show have gone up and down, Reich thinks that those millions of viewers include both regular followers, and those who watch based on the subject matter of each particular episode. The campers watched the camping show, the hunters tuned in for the hunting show, etc.
This coming Sunday, the show's sixth installment is all about Palin spending time with her youngest daughter, Piper, whitewater rafting, dog sledding and riding ATVs.
LOL
beard.
Nailed it again!
I wonder what the demographic is for the Hucksters show on Fox?
These people can’t get her out of their minds and they hate themselves for it. (as another FReeper has said)
LLS
It is almost a joke now with all these Sarah hit pieces.
Me! Educated baby boomer, veteran, good job, nice family, long marriage, and drive an American car. I think she has the mass media figured out, and the more they slam her, the more she will be exposed for the solid person she is.
I enjoy the show. The Kate + 8 episode was good.
I don’t think it helps any POTUS ambitions she may have, but it is a good show about a great family.
With Boardwalk Empire off I might have to check it out.
“likers” are female, and tend to be from the South and Midwest, with Atlanta, Dallas and Chicago boasting the highest numbers”
Chicago?
I wish she would challenge Steele for the chairmanship of the RNC. She generates excitement where ever she goes and creates a lot of energy for whomever she appears with.
I don’t watch the Sunday night showing. It’s a bit too late for me.
I watch the Wednesday night 7:00PM Eastern re-airing. So I don’t know if I am adversely affecting the ratings.
Prior to joining POLITICO as a reporter, Karin Tanabe, who is skinny, flat chested and unattractive sporting a strangely shaped face with misplaced eyes, served as managing and deputy editor for Washington Life magazine and contributed to the Style section of The Huffington Post.... and several other lib publications.
No kidding. Politico really sucks eggs.
NO THANKS... Palin is going to run for the presidency in 2012 and she is going to win.
It seems like she fits Rush’s description of a typical Liberal female
Best regards,
She sure does.....
Liberals hate it when a conservative gets on TV w/o their control to ruin the person’s image and then double hates it when the show is a success with viewers. They hate fox news for the same reason.
They do own 99.9% of TV and entertainment but that little bit that slips by the socialist censors really irks them.
I had a phone call this evening. One of the first survey call I ever got and it was who would I support for Pres. in 2012. Number one was Mitt Romney, two was Huckabee, three was Newt, four was Sarah....before I heard the rest I hit #4 to vote. The caller then cut off the call and said if I did not want to be called again I could call this number:.........
So, my question is who was doing this survey?
Are you willing to be the future of the nation on that assumption?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.