-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
- Thread starter gregg75
- Start date
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
you may also have had to adjust the antenna, changing channels was a lot of work then
Lkeller said:
you may also have had to adjust the antenna, changing channels was a lot of work then
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
If we're going to "bring back" anything, let's bring back something good, St. Elsewhere! ;Dazumanga said:
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
Ahhh the nightly movie. This was a programming technique that was killed by cable, the DVD, and Netflix. And those red boxes. Used to be that most people simply waited six months to see their favorite movie on OTA TV. Not any more. Plus the unions have made OTA broadcasts of recent movies more expensive than they used to be. So movie night on network TV isn't the attraction it once was.
EXCEPT that NBC is co-owned with Universal Studios. Just like Disney owns ABC. So NBC can do things with a Universal movie that another network might not be able to do in terms of marketing and packaging. That's what Disney has done. And sure it won't be the guaranteed ratings getter it used to be. But it's probably going to be cheaper than ordering up a new 1-hour drama.
gregg75 said:
Ahhh the nightly movie. This was a programming technique that was killed by cable, the DVD, and Netflix. And those red boxes. Used to be that most people simply waited six months to see their favorite movie on OTA TV. Not any more. Plus the unions have made OTA broadcasts of recent movies more expensive than they used to be. So movie night on network TV isn't the attraction it once was.
EXCEPT that NBC is co-owned with Universal Studios. Just like Disney owns ABC. So NBC can do things with a Universal movie that another network might not be able to do in terms of marketing and packaging. That's what Disney has done. And sure it won't be the guaranteed ratings getter it used to be. But it's probably going to be cheaper than ordering up a new 1-hour drama.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
Yes - I recall the "World Television Premiere of_________." These were often big events and garnered big ratings. That was when the only sources for watching movies you missed in the theaters was broadcast by the Big 3 networks. Then as the films aged, they went down the food-chain to network affiliates (in late night or afternoon hours), and independent stations.
No way that would work again - there are too many sources for these films now, including DVD, and internet streaming (legal and illegal). Besides, who wants to watch movies "edited for content" and length, and filled with clumsy commercial breaks when you don't have to. TV shows are written with commercial breaks in mind, theatrical films are not.
Yes - basic cable stations still run theatrical films, but they don't have to be as carefully edited, and I get the impression that they are often run mostly as filler because there are so many hours of programming that need to be filled, and not enough content to satisfy the needs of dozens of basic cable channels broadcasting 24/7...minus informercials, of course. ;D
TheBigA said:
Yes - I recall the "World Television Premiere of_________." These were often big events and garnered big ratings. That was when the only sources for watching movies you missed in the theaters was broadcast by the Big 3 networks. Then as the films aged, they went down the food-chain to network affiliates (in late night or afternoon hours), and independent stations.
No way that would work again - there are too many sources for these films now, including DVD, and internet streaming (legal and illegal). Besides, who wants to watch movies "edited for content" and length, and filled with clumsy commercial breaks when you don't have to. TV shows are written with commercial breaks in mind, theatrical films are not.
Yes - basic cable stations still run theatrical films, but they don't have to be as carefully edited, and I get the impression that they are often run mostly as filler because there are so many hours of programming that need to be filled, and not enough content to satisfy the needs of dozens of basic cable channels broadcasting 24/7...minus informercials, of course. ;D
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
Back in Fall 2009, NBC tried Jay Leno on at 10 pm Eastern & Pacific/9 pm Central & Mountain, because they thought it would be cheaper to program than scripted dramas. But the affiliates complained that it cost them viewers for their late newscasts, so that idea was scrapped by the beginning of 2010, by which time Jay was drawing, at worst, 4.8 million viewers at 10/9pm.
On the week of Oct 31-Nov 4 2011, NBC's programs in the 10/9 pm hour Monday-Friday averaged just over 5 million viewers, helped by Parenthood on Tuesdays with over 5¼ million, and Law and Order: SVU on Wednesdays with over 7¼ million, but it used to draw almost twice as many viewers just 6 years before. As for their new 10/9 pm Monday magazine show Rock Center, the 4.14 million viewers it got for its debut was less than what WWE Raw, with 4.3 million, got on its co-owned cable channel, USA.
There's no law that says NBC has to program 10 pm Eastern & Pacific/9 pm Central & Mountain, save for sports, like Sunday Night Football, or live special events, like...oh, the Golden Globes. So I think that NBC should make their prime time less painful for them and their affiliates by giving up programming at 10/9pm. The affiliates would then carry a 1-hour newscast, followed by, as it stands now, Jay Leno at 11/10pm and Jimmy Fallon at midnight/11pm. And if Law and Order: SVU continues to draw well, why not move that up to Wednesdays at 9/8pm?
Back in Fall 2009, NBC tried Jay Leno on at 10 pm Eastern & Pacific/9 pm Central & Mountain, because they thought it would be cheaper to program than scripted dramas. But the affiliates complained that it cost them viewers for their late newscasts, so that idea was scrapped by the beginning of 2010, by which time Jay was drawing, at worst, 4.8 million viewers at 10/9pm.
On the week of Oct 31-Nov 4 2011, NBC's programs in the 10/9 pm hour Monday-Friday averaged just over 5 million viewers, helped by Parenthood on Tuesdays with over 5¼ million, and Law and Order: SVU on Wednesdays with over 7¼ million, but it used to draw almost twice as many viewers just 6 years before. As for their new 10/9 pm Monday magazine show Rock Center, the 4.14 million viewers it got for its debut was less than what WWE Raw, with 4.3 million, got on its co-owned cable channel, USA.
There's no law that says NBC has to program 10 pm Eastern & Pacific/9 pm Central & Mountain, save for sports, like Sunday Night Football, or live special events, like...oh, the Golden Globes. So I think that NBC should make their prime time less painful for them and their affiliates by giving up programming at 10/9pm. The affiliates would then carry a 1-hour newscast, followed by, as it stands now, Jay Leno at 11/10pm and Jimmy Fallon at midnight/11pm. And if Law and Order: SVU continues to draw well, why not move that up to Wednesdays at 9/8pm?
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
I understood NBC's point, at the time, of using Jay Leno's show to plug 5 hours of primetime to save costs. I said it back then, though, and I think its still a strong idea. If they had a show with Jay or a similar personality running at the 8pm hour, I think they would please the affiliates, cut costs and still attract a decent audience. Historically, dramas ran in the last 2 hours of primetime and the first hour was reserved for game shows, variety shows, family comedies, etc- so I think it made much more sense to devote this hour to a talk show than the 10pm hour.
What does NBC have to lose by giving this a shot? Keep the strongest shows on during the last 2 hours of each night and use the first hour to try a comedy/variety show like Tonight- they have plenty of resources and personalities they could draw from their news departments, sports departments, and the entertainment side.
I understood NBC's point, at the time, of using Jay Leno's show to plug 5 hours of primetime to save costs. I said it back then, though, and I think its still a strong idea. If they had a show with Jay or a similar personality running at the 8pm hour, I think they would please the affiliates, cut costs and still attract a decent audience. Historically, dramas ran in the last 2 hours of primetime and the first hour was reserved for game shows, variety shows, family comedies, etc- so I think it made much more sense to devote this hour to a talk show than the 10pm hour.
What does NBC have to lose by giving this a shot? Keep the strongest shows on during the last 2 hours of each night and use the first hour to try a comedy/variety show like Tonight- they have plenty of resources and personalities they could draw from their news departments, sports departments, and the entertainment side.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
It would have been interesting had NBC tried the Leno experiment at the beginning of summer, say in June, rather than waiting until fall. Leno would have been up against nothing but reruns on the other channels. However, once fall came, the affiliates would likely have had the same complaints that they later had anyway.
It would have been interesting had NBC tried the Leno experiment at the beginning of summer, say in June, rather than waiting until fall. Leno would have been up against nothing but reruns on the other channels. However, once fall came, the affiliates would likely have had the same complaints that they later had anyway.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
If NBC does give 10PM to its affiliates, they would practically let them keep the 11PM time slot as well -- I don't think NBC is ready to have viewers switch to Letterman at Midnight after Leno is over.
retrothoughts said:
If NBC does give 10PM to its affiliates, they would practically let them keep the 11PM time slot as well -- I don't think NBC is ready to have viewers switch to Letterman at Midnight after Leno is over.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
I sometimes wonder why ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates haven't
asked for a reduction of primetime to two hours, following Fox's
lead, and move their local news to 10/9. Plenty of Fox affiliates
are making money hand over fist with 10 PM local news (Birmingham,
where the Fox station has news at 9, comes to mind immediately),
and it's certainly more convenient than 11 PM (ask anyone in the
Central and Mountain time zones). Leno, Letterman, and "Nightline"
could be moved up to 11/10.
I sometimes wonder why ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates haven't
asked for a reduction of primetime to two hours, following Fox's
lead, and move their local news to 10/9. Plenty of Fox affiliates
are making money hand over fist with 10 PM local news (Birmingham,
where the Fox station has news at 9, comes to mind immediately),
and it's certainly more convenient than 11 PM (ask anyone in the
Central and Mountain time zones). Leno, Letterman, and "Nightline"
could be moved up to 11/10.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
We here in the central time zone have never had news at 11:00 p.m., unless it was following Monday Night Football or some similar delay.bpatrick said:
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
The problem with running any show 5 nights a week - especially a talk-show built around an established host - is that you are going to lose all the potential viewers who dislike that host - not just on one night, but on all 5 week nights.
I realize Leno is the most popular among the late-night hosts, but a significant plurality of the population does not like him...and that includes me. So other than tuning in The Jay Leno Show one time to satisfy my curiosity, I never watched. That turned me and millions of others into people who avoided NBC in the 10:00 hour.
firepoint525 said:
The problem with running any show 5 nights a week - especially a talk-show built around an established host - is that you are going to lose all the potential viewers who dislike that host - not just on one night, but on all 5 week nights.
I realize Leno is the most popular among the late-night hosts, but a significant plurality of the population does not like him...and that includes me. So other than tuning in The Jay Leno Show one time to satisfy my curiosity, I never watched. That turned me and millions of others into people who avoided NBC in the 10:00 hour.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
Birmingham's Channel 13 (NBC) did in the '60s and part of the '70s. I'm quite aware, having lived in Birmingham, Dallas, and San Antonio, that 11 PM newscasts are nonexistent; my point was that some affiliates in the Central and Mountain time zones, with their news at 10, make the kind of money affiliates in the Eastern and Pacific time zones can only dream about. (That works the other way, too, although I don't know if it does to the extent it once did--the 6 PM news is the prime newscast in the Eastern time zone; the 10 PM, in the Central). I'm also saying that I'm surprised that ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates don't pressure their networks into giving them 10 ET/PT, 9 CT/MT for local news the way Fox does.
firepoint525 said:
Birmingham's Channel 13 (NBC) did in the '60s and part of the '70s. I'm quite aware, having lived in Birmingham, Dallas, and San Antonio, that 11 PM newscasts are nonexistent; my point was that some affiliates in the Central and Mountain time zones, with their news at 10, make the kind of money affiliates in the Eastern and Pacific time zones can only dream about. (That works the other way, too, although I don't know if it does to the extent it once did--the 6 PM news is the prime newscast in the Eastern time zone; the 10 PM, in the Central). I'm also saying that I'm surprised that ABC, CBS, and NBC affiliates don't pressure their networks into giving them 10 ET/PT, 9 CT/MT for local news the way Fox does.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
Nashville channel 5 reruns their 6:00 p.m. newscast at 9:00 p.m. over channel 5.2, newschannel5+, or "the plus" as it is locally known. When Fox was in the world series, or for some other reason not on, we often watch the replay of channel 5's 6:00 p.m. news.
Nashville channel 5 reruns their 6:00 p.m. newscast at 9:00 p.m. over channel 5.2, newschannel5+, or "the plus" as it is locally known. When Fox was in the world series, or for some other reason not on, we often watch the replay of channel 5's 6:00 p.m. news.
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
Understandable if you don't like Leno, but the affiliates' main complaint is essentially that their own viewers are too lazy to push one button on their remotes to go back to NBC. I say maybe they should work on improving their own newscasts instead of blaming Leno or some other outside source. Their complaints seem like sour grapes to me.Lkeller said:
Re: NBC EXECUTIVE: "PRIME TIME IS PAINFUL" AUDIENCE LOSSES AFFECTING TODAY / TONIGHT
Actually, if you have Comcast cable and an HDTV, you have to push 3 buttons to get back to NBC because the HD network channels are "70_."
Come on, that's a lot of work!
firepoint525 said:
Actually, if you have Comcast cable and an HDTV, you have to push 3 buttons to get back to NBC because the HD network channels are "70_."
Come on, that's a lot of work!
- Status