Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

TV Networks See Key Audience Erode (Dinosaur Media DeathWatchâ„¢)
The Wall Street Journal ^ | May 27, 2011 | Sam Schechner

Posted on 06/02/2011 3:17:10 AM PDT by abb

Fewer young people watched TV on traditional sets over the past television season, the second consecutive year of decline as viewers face a proliferation of ways to watch TV shows.

U.S. TV networks marked the official end of the TV season on Wednesday with a flurry of widely viewed send-offs, including the last episode of "The Oprah Winfrey Show" and the season finale of "American Idol." But those big programs are closing out a TV season in which few new shows became hits, and ratings for the four most-watched networks fell.

At any given time of day, about 25.1 million people between 18 and 49 years old were watching TV of any kind—live or recorded, broadcast or cable —this TV season through May 8, according to Nielsen Co. That number is down 1.4% from the same period a year earlier, and 2.7% from two years ago.

Although the overall TV audience grew 1.5%, to roughly 61.3 million people watching at any given time of day, the continued decline among younger viewers is unusual in a medium that for years has seen generally growing consumption.

The four most-watched broadcast networks have been among the hardest hit. Roughly 3.6 million people between 18 and 49 years old watched prime-time shows on the four biggest broadcast networks this TV season through May 22, down 9% from a year earlier, Nielsen said.

The only major broadcast network to see its audience expand this TV season was No. 5 Univision, which has benefited from a growing Hispanic population. Through Wednesday, the Spanish-language network said it averaged 1.9 million viewers between the ages of 18 and 49 years old, up 7.6% from a year earlier.

snip

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; Extended News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: advertising; dbm; networks; television
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last
To: SunkenCiv

Netflix


21 posted on 06/02/2011 6:01:57 AM PDT by John 3_19-21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: abb
the worst thing about network tv... is those stupid SEASONS! they make you wait MONTHS for you favorite show to come back on, then CANCEL it!!

It's not even worth it anymore, I only start watching series after they are completed now, because I am so tired of it at this point.

22 posted on 06/02/2011 6:20:10 AM PDT by TexasFreeper2009 (Obama = Epic Fail)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: pepsionice

WOW is my reaction! I suspect this is not that unusual.
How does he earn a living? Or learn anything usable at college? Sounds like a hard life ahead for him or whomever is supporting him while he plays.


23 posted on 06/02/2011 6:25:14 AM PDT by dusttoyou ("Progressives" are wee-weeing all over themselves, Foc nobama)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: abb

Have you looked at the crap in their lineups lately? If it’s not a ballgame or a good old movie I’m generally not interested.


24 posted on 06/02/2011 6:43:30 AM PDT by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: abb

Hollywood’s almost 100% liberal. Americans are 50% liberal at best... That might be part of the problem...


25 posted on 06/02/2011 6:47:53 AM PDT by GOPJ (youtube.com/watch?v=eaE98w1KZ-c www.citizenwarrior.com/2009/05/terrifying-brilliance-of-islam.html)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: abb

I mean really...

You can only watch Terminator 1/2/3/4/5, Jurassic Park 1/2/3/4/5, Rocky 1/2/3/4/5, Rambo 1/2/3/4/5, Star Wars 1/2/3/4/5, X-Men 1/2/3/4/5, Alien 1/2/3/4/5, etc, so many times a week before you have to go the john and puke.


26 posted on 06/02/2011 6:50:32 AM PDT by moovova (Obama...a man, a president, a loser.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: moovova; All

Very true. These fools don’t have an original idea in their heads.


27 posted on 06/02/2011 6:57:56 AM PDT by notdownwidems (Vote Republican! We'rewhy not injure him and bring him for 1/10 of 1% better than the other guys!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 26 | View Replies]

To: brushcop

Bravo.

I 86ed my TV in 1973 and never looked back. Aside from missing the point of a few TV-culture memes, easily researched if I care, I don’t miss it at all.


28 posted on 06/02/2011 7:12:43 AM PDT by TheOldLady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

“Fed up” is right, Civ.


29 posted on 06/02/2011 7:13:32 AM PDT by TheOldLady
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: abb

Who is this Oprah Winfrey?


30 posted on 06/02/2011 8:02:38 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: John 3_19-21

That too! I don’t have it (I think it’s built-in to the BluRay player), but I do watch disks almost exclusively — buy ‘em cheap new or used, or get them out of the library.


31 posted on 06/02/2011 7:11:40 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Thanks Cincinna for this link -- http://www.friendsofitamar.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: WaterBoard

I cancelled tv service a long time ago. It is not missed.


32 posted on 06/02/2011 7:47:11 PM PDT by Huck (The Antifederalists were right.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: brushcop

:’)


33 posted on 06/02/2011 8:53:28 PM PDT by SunkenCiv (Thanks Cincinna for this link -- http://www.friendsofitamar.org)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: SunkenCiv

We have a Western Digital web streaming box. It allows us to watch Netflix and hundreds of other wedsite content on our TV. We paid about $100 for the box $9 amonth for Netflix.

I do not miss cable at all.


34 posted on 06/03/2011 5:05:23 AM PDT by John 3_19-21
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-34 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson