Television ratings are down

and TV exec's are in denial.


Network executives are baffled by a season unlike any seen before. Returning hit shows like "Friends" and "E.R." are losing significant numbers of viewers from previous years. New shows have performed far worse than almost anyone expected, a result capped off Monday night when the Fox network started two shows that had received huge promotional pushes during the baseball playoffs, "The Next Joe Millionaire" and "Skin," and they posted crushingly disappointing numbers.
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The drop-off in these viewing figures tabulated by Nielsen Media Research is inexplicable to industry executives. "Frankly what we're seeing strains credulity," said Alan Wurtzel, the president of research for NBC.
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"You can't explain a 12 percent decline in men 18 to 34 or close to 20 percent in men 18 to 24 by saying they're playing a lot more video games," said David F. Poltrack, the executive vice president for research at CBS.

While the network guys play ostrich, one man asks the right question:

One possible factor is more basic, Mr. Sternberg said — the quality of the new shows. "I've always noticed that we never hear anybody talking about the programming." He noted that the networks, which still tend to drive the overall viewing figures, have suffered though a grim start to their new prime-time season. "What has anybody put on that's going to appeal to young men?" Mr. Sternberg asked.

Whatever their other merits, it is hard to argue that "Joe Millionaire" or "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" are good shows to draw 18-34 year old male eyeballs.

And why is it so hard to believe that the increasing numbers of DVD players, game consoles, and broadband connections are cutting into TV watching?

I also wonder if the long rerun season doesn't play a role. When nearly half the year is nothing but repeats, viewing habits get disrupted and broken. There is no switch networks can throw to bring those viewers back when the new season begins.