That recent heatwave killed 1% of our audience.
It's no secret that old people love television—and in particular, major broadcast network television. More evidence of this just came out. The results of a study released by analyst Steve Sternberg found that the median ages for CBS, NBC, ABC, and Fox are higher than ever, with CBS leading the way; the Eye has an average viewer age of 55. ABC, meanwhile, is 51, NBC is 49, and Fox is the whippersnapper at 44.
The Hollywood Reporter points out that just 10 years ago, the numbers were 52 for CBS, 43 for ABC, 45 for NBC, and 35 for Fox. Yikes.
None of what I'm about to say is new, but I hate to break it to you, major network executives: Your audience is about to die. Heck, most of CBS' audience is so old that the Grim Reaper knows every line of dialogue from CSI just from picking up old fogies who croaked while watching Gil Grissom and his crew. At least tobacco companies were able to get around this problem by recruiting young people who are willing to kill themselves. The point is this: If you networks don't shape up and change things, it'll be you who's thrown into an old folk's home.
Young people are flocking to cable. In fact, young people don't even know the difference between network TV and cable. To the Justin Bieber generation, network TV is just those channels at the low end of the dial. Gone are the obvious differences between big-budget network TV and penny-pinching cable networks. And no matter what shows you watch, there's always someone out there to talk about them with you on the internet. It wasn't like that in the past, when families gathered around their televisions to watch Family Ties.
Cable networks have the privilege of going after niche audiences and making some of their dollars through licensing fees to cable giants. Network television relies on mass audiences and the advertisers they'll attract. In this day and age of compartmentalized media, the network model is covered in cobwebs while the cable model is a fresh coat of paint.
If network television is going to survive, it needs to keep itself fresh, and the freshest of the fresh in the television business is the internet. We still don't know how the series of tubes is going to shape TV, but if network TV doesn't figure it out soon, it's forget the names of its grandchildren and die a slow, painful death.
What do you think the major broadcasters can do to stay in the race?
Follow TV.com writer Tim Surette on Twitter: @TimAtTVDotCom
Comments (56)
That headline is really reaching for views.
Wow, so in the US you're almost dead when you're 55? So glad I don't live there... WTF? Why does everything always have to be about teenagers and tweens? You can't mean you want more Jersey Shore and stuff like that....It's very frustrating to think that when you're older than 30 years, apparently you don't matter anymore. While those are the people with the most money to spend and in the demographic they are the largest group. And, come on, there are a lot of good series: Bones, SuperNatural, The BIg Bang Theory, Criminal Minds, The Closer, SouthLand and so on. But hey: I am a TVJunkie.
Apparently all the commenters missed the point of the article. Not surprising considering how stupid the internet is.He wasn't saying "Network TV is dead". He's simply providing a series of INDICATORS. Reasons to think Network TV might be in trouble.I would say your audience getting older and DYING would be a pretty solid indicator.There was a time when the key demographic was 21-35.The thing is... the key demographic is those EXACT same people... they're just 44-55 now.Some of you really need to work on your comprehension skills.
When you call us the "Justin Bieber generation" you assume that all of us listen to him I don't like him or hate him but that's offensive to all tweens and teenagers.
I don't know what it is about your writing Tim but you know how to bring the hate out of people like nobody else who writes for TV.com. I completely agree with you though. This is another article of the same sort... http://keep-up-tv-tome.blogspot.com/2009/06/network-tv-vs-paid-for-tv.html
First off, not every one has cable. It's kind of sad that a writer on a tv website doesn't understand.Care to point to ANY graph that says network tv is dying? And I don't mean a specific week or month that proves your point. I'm saying an actual trend where a cable show is constantly on top of the ratings for a week over ALL network shows. Just because you don't like what's on network doesn't mean it's dying. Viewership is down, what a shock? Internet is now more available than ever before. Network TV is still the most watched, and will continue to be so. I love Dexter on DVD but there's no way I'm paying for a premium channel just to watch a couple shows. Here's the point. It's not that viewers of any particular channel are older. It's that older people actually watch more tv. I watch Chuck every week, used to love Lost and 24, but do I "watch" fox, or ABC or any channel in particular? nope, but I watch the good shows on each. But hell, most of my time is on the internet. If I didn't have the TV in the room with my computer, I'd probably watch a tenth of what I do now. It's not Cable that's winning, it's the internet (along with Hulu, youtube, and what ever else we use to get entertainment).moreless
I understand this is just an opinion, but I really don't think 55 is old.
Cable will renew shows a couple of seasons at a time.. Network tv has been cancelling shows even before their 3rd or 4th show airs.. They don't even give their shows a chance. AT least with cable they don't require 25 million viewers for the pilot and cancel it if they don't get it.
Hey Tim?? Sometimes you are a big dick! Old people not only like TV...they PAY for the TV's the young kids watch. So watch your mouth young man. Don't MAKE me come down there...
seriously, this staff writer needs to be demoted to a less demanding job, such as coffee maker or water cooler cleaner. his complete lack of tact and general understanding of the audience he reaches is ludicrous. this almost seems like the nestle facebook fiasco revisited all over again.
How did this person become a staff writer? As someone who is above the median ages he lists, I find him highly insulting. He has no guarantee that I will die before he does. I watch network and cable shows according to their quality. I do not watch the drivel of 98% of reality tv. I was on the Internet before there were graphic interfaces and you actually had to know unix commands to navigate. I come to tv.com mainly to find air dates for particular episodes of shows I like. If what I read above indicates the quality of tv.com staff writers, I will take the chance of my IQ dropping by reading them again.
I believe the networks are way too quick to pull the trigger on new shows. And people know this - hey, we're not stupid - and refuse to invest in the true living dead. A lot of decent shows died quickly the past few years and for a long time now, the networks don't care who watches, they only care about who's not watching, and don't give decent shows a chance. Sure, some things catch on like wildfire, but most need to build an audience through word of mouth. If ABC put up something as good as Lost, do you think they would even know it. Probably not, and it can't be easier - or cheaper - to retool and start over when shows don't catch on immediately. ABC's Flash Forward is a good example. It was a good show, and getting better, but got the axe, anyway. Give us a chance to like it before you take it away, you set a dangerous precident by cancling everything before it even gets going. Breaking people's hearts is bad for business...moreless
like people said... its true most networks. dont have good shows anymore. bones and fringe is the only reason i watch fox anymore. i could go on... but really we dont want more fake reality tv
I am in the so called old group and watch all kind of TV, network, non-networks and Internet. All my kids watch a lot of network TV also. Remember also where the purchasing power is, between the 30 and 60 age group, not in the teenage group.
o and reality shows suck they will be the end of network television networks sold out cuz reality shows are just a little cheaper to make. Lame.
the reason no one watches network shows anymore is because they suck. I am 21 and since I was 13 Ive watched network t.v. and over time it has been completely obvious that network shows have gotten worse. Greys Anatomy is the poor mans ER how I met your mother is the poor mans FRIENDS. They just dont have very good shows out and when they do they get decent ratings. I settle for shows like Big Bang Theory and How I met Your Mother but they are nothing to older sitcoms like FRIENDS King of Queens or hell even Roseanne. If they had better caliber shows like they used to I really think people will watch. Maybe not as much as the good ole 90's but still decent viewership. They just gottta make better shows and let them ride.moreless
I\'m 27 and I watch a fair amount of Network TV. But I find the shows on Cable have alot more substance. The big problem that Network TV is all the *** reality shows (which aren't that real), and the late night talk shows. Survivor has had 21 seasons of the same crap. A bunch of people playing games and learning how to live without the world as we know it, but wait, there are nice comfy tents and plenty of food off camera. We would never see a Survivor Alaska because then they wouldn't get the viewers who tune in to see the bikinis.American Idol has 9 seasons. How may idol winners have actually made something of their life after the show?And will someone please can the three CSI's. Lets take an idea, and make 3 shows that have the same type of cast members, and the same plot and thousands of cheesy one liners.Shows like Glee and 90210, well through those on at 3-4pm when all the kids get out of school.As far as late night talk shows go, sure they are cheap and fill up 2-3 hours of programing each night, but the only people that watch them are the married couples who watch TV in bed instead of having sex.moreless
The Justin Bieber Generation? I find that highly offensive. I'm 19 and I watch mostly network television. Supernatural, Bones, The Mentalist, and Criminal Minds are some of my favorite shows. I don't watch any cable shows.
Oh and Mr. Surette please don't ever use the phrase "Justin Beiber Generation" again or I will destroy your life.
Heavy use of the 'N' word and lesbian sex. That would get me watching.
younger generations have grown up with cable so cable channels seem like normal channels.and the justin bieber generation isnt old enough to watch half the shows on cable...unless theyre on nick or disney!!!
Why am I not surprised that Tim Surette wrote this? This idiot has to be one of the worst "critics" or "opinion makers" that has ever put pen to paper. Time after time he spouts the most ludicrous stuff ever. It's good for a few laughs though. It's sad though that it reminds me just how low humankind has sunk. But back on point.... it all really boils down to the fact that "kids" don't pay the cable bill. The "old people" do. And there's plenty of tv for everyone to choose from, whether it be network or cable. So please, find something fresh to talk about. You people talk all the time about bringing "fresh" tv to the table... how about trying to bring some fresh conversation to the table first. This topic is played out.moreless
No wonder the audiences are bailing on Network TV because they cancel too many things, they rely on ratings too much and there is too many commercials. I watch a lot more on the internet now these days that way I don't have to deal with commercials and If they keep a show around that is how I'll get caught up.... Why take an hour or longer out of my life to get into a show that they'll cancel an episode or 2 later on? no thanks. I bet almost all of the new shows this year will be canned after the first 3-5 episodes. Blame themselves fools.
The only local networks I watch is the CW and FOX network and I only watch those one night a week.Sundays for FOX and Fridays for the CW. And the rest of the time I watch cable channels like Comedy Central TBS TNT channel among others. I guess cable has alot more to choose from than network tv that what I think anyways.
I never really noticed that before since while I watch a couple of cable shows (The Closer, Breaking Bad, Rizzoli and Isles), the majority of my shows are on network tv (the CSI's, Big Bang Theory, Bones, House, NCIS, Family Guy among others). I never realized that I am part of a minority by being a teenager who mainly watches network tv.
What's killing the networks? Hmm, let me see....1. Moronic content.2. Reality shows. (see 1)3. Too many commercials.4. Laugh tracks. (see 1)5. Creative interference. Should a committee of suits really be vetoing a shows' creators whenever they have an original idea? (see 1)6. Censorship. What network is going to show True Blood, Dexter, or Spartacus uncut?7. Greed. Hey, reality and game shows are cheaper to make. Lets have more of them. (see 1, 2 & 3)8. Stupidity. The networks have lost touch with their audiences, and haven't a clue how to get them back. They fall back on the same stupid formulas that didn't work for them before, and keep expecting that this time it will be different. (see 1, 2 & 4)9. Cowardice. Networks run away from anything that has a hint of originality or intelligence. Anything that doesn't have a commanding audience share in 3 episodes gets axed. This leads to lowest common denominator programming, which is fine to put on in the geriatric ward, but younger people want choices.10. Counter-programming. The practice of moving shows around to go head to head against similar shows, forces the audience to pick one or the other, when if they were on at different times they could watch both. This cuts the potential audience for each show in half. This is often enough to make a winner into a loser - for both networks. (see 7, 8 & 9)If the networks want to survive, they need to start thinking outside the box they've been in since TV was invented. The world is changing. Like the dinosaurs, they need to evolve or perish.moreless
i am 39 and have always watched shows on CBS and FOX and NBC and all the rest mainly because i find drama better tv than reality tv which i find really distasteful and i dont watch them but i know alot of ppl do but i choose not to i love my crime shows that will never change NCIS Criminal Minds and CSI not to mention all the funky new crime shows i see that are coming out in the fall i cant wait to see them also i have always shared these shows with my mother as well as my niece and cousins and their children so honestly i think they should rethink where they get their numbers because out of the group that i just named i am in my 30s my cousin too and the kids are in tweens and teens my mother fits your profile above but that is all out of about 14 ppl only 1 fits the profilemoreless
Do the companies that own the networks also own cable channels? If so, they may not care too much about competing with their own content. Also I was under the impression people buy cable packages now and don't make a big distinction between network and cable, except where it concerns news. I agree with someone else who said that TV shows should come out with fewer sequential episodes. That was the reason I never got into Lost.
Im 17, Only thing Network I watch now is Kimmel...besides that give me my FX, AMC, and HBO
I Think they have 2 loose things up & increase some of the teen shows like the awesome CW which is my number 1 !!!!!!!!
This does not surprise me, I have watched less and less network TV with each passing season, in fact after next season I will no longer be watching CW. In fact I think I only watch a half dozen shows on network throughout the week, because it is flooded with moronic or "reality" TV.
In my opinion; Network TV has refused to evolve, and there for it shall die out.
I'm 15 and I watch a good amount of network TV the animated shows on fox sunday, Ncis: LA, two and a half men, big bang theory, Human target, 24, America's got talent. It's the my cable shows that I watch on the internet because new episodes don't air in Canada right away for instance futurama.
I really think this could be solved if the networks would just TRY new things. I mean, look at one of the best scifi shows on TV (Firefly) it has just 12 episodes but a huge following on the internet. Fox canceled it because it didn't premiere high enough. Same thing with Kings on NBC, a good show that got a crappy timeslot so they tossed it. I wish I could stop but there are hundreds of examples of this, the networks seemed to be obsessed with premieres' ratings and juggling things around to fine tune their schedules: which is just annoying! Put the shows out there, go through their runs from premiere to finale, and offer more online. You won't be a powerhouse of broadcasting but you're going to survive the decade of change.moreless
I still watch a nice balance of network and cable shows and I'm far from fifty-five.
Apparently, the way advertisers go after them, the 18-25 year old demographic must have oodles of disposable income just ripe for the picking. (Some of their parents, maybe.)
That is good news for Conan.
yea i am not watching much on networks now... there is the office, animated stuff on fox, and seinfeld re runs...who needs em when you got AMC!!!!!!Breaking Bad - favorite of all time tv showMad Men - dont like it, but respect it as a smart showThe Walking Dead - will be awesome
Well yeah. "Breaking Bad" is probably the best series I've ever seen and thats on AMC.
i do believe in 10 years network tv as we know it will be a thing of the past. it's not necessarily a bad thing, it's just progress.
"Older people" don't really use the computer to watch "TV".....they use their TELEVISIONS.I think there will be a slew of "new" 40+ & 50+ year olds who will be watching 3D-HD Television, so networks have no fear!!!
I hadn't really thought about it that way, mainly because my favorites are split between network and cable. I love The Office, House, Big Bang Theory, and Chuck from the networks, but I'm also a huge fan of Burn Notice, Psych, Dexter, and (sue me!) Entourage.
So old people watch CBS more then any network? I can't wait for their newest series CSI: Retirement, where old people try to solve bingo related murders.
I think that the 24 episode season is what's killing network programming. It's too long, especially since every season has this one huge meta-plot that need to be stretched across those 24 episodes... that's a lot of episodes. I personally like the two 12 episode seasons we get every year. The meta-plots are a lot more condensed, and we get a more concise story, and characters develop a lot more quickly.
They need to drop the censorship and political correctness, and take more chances on fresh and 'unproven' ideas. The majors are so afraid of offending anyone or backing something that isn't formulaic (in their eyes, will make money) that they have lost social relevancy with the majority of the younger generations.
I watch a very small amount of network TV in comparison to cable. Almost all of my favorite programming comes from HBO and Showtime. FX keeps coming out with top notch stuff as well. The only reality shows I watch are the ones on Discovery channel. Now that you can get uncensored, story-driven tv, there is no reason to watch the watered down nonsense that appeals to the masses.
If that study was made in the same way the networks measure their audience they are going to keep on making mistakes and wrong decisions.
Gimme a break. Let's talk about the *real* problem with network TV--the lamebrains in charge. (Hello, NBC, this means you!) When it comes to 'graying' America, 30% of the population is over 50. Should we just thumb our nose at this demographic? These are the people who have the most money to spend, even if the advertisers seem to forget that fact. And "one foot in the grave"? The average lifespan in the U.S. is around 78. That means NBC's still good for another 29 years before its audience dies off. By that time you'll be able to write a retraction of this outrageous article, if you're not too senile by then! (What will you be--45?)
I take umbrage that I'm considered old! HUMPH!
I'm 15. And pretty much the only channels I watch are Fox, CBS and NBC. Pretty much all the shows I watch are on those channels (Bones, NCIS, House, Lie to Me and my all time favorite Criminal Minds). And most of my friends only watch network stations too. The only cable channels I watch are occasionally USA and TNT. And on another note, please don't refer to us as the Bieber generation. Not all of us are clueless shrieking fan girls. I can't stand that guy...