http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/TV/06/30/nielsens.ap/index.html

The network finished fourth in the ratings last week, behind even ABC, which Fox routinely beat during the winter months. Fox came in third among viewers aged 18 to 49, the demographic it most cares about.

[...]

None of Fox's five other new shows are doing well, including the one by usually reliable reality producer Mark Burnett. His look at Las Vegas in "Casino" was seen by fewer than 5 million people last week.

Perhaps most disappointing is "North Shore," a soap about young workers at a luxury hotel in Hawaii. Fox hoped it would catch on as "The O.C." did last summer, but it drew 4.4 million viewers last week.

Hrm. This doesn't really mean anything in regards to the long-term sucess of FOX's attempt at a year-round season. It does, however, play just into my expectations. Low ratings at first. Perhaps low ratings for a long time. Perhaps it will work out in the end. Perhaps it won't. We'll see.

Thoughts?

It is good idea to have a year round season, because it equals more episodes. the prob;em is adding new shows, instead of just airing new episodes of peoples favorite shows.

I never liked the idea. The numbers prove it. Nothing new on FOX is doing well. They should wait until late August or early Sept to air new shows and air new episodes of returning shows now, although that isn't working for Bernie Mac.

people are talking about what a megahit The OC is on Fox, but if I recall correctly, wasn't it like #60 in the season average?

Originally posted by BuffySlayer79
people are talking about what a megahit The OC is on Fox, but if I recall correctly, wasn't it like #60 in the season average? The O.C was very low last season, but it is popular on the paticular night it airs.

Summer months are the dread of networks because viewership drops off. These numbers look worse then they actually are. The O.C has a loyal cult following and doesn't burn up the charts I think North Shore has a solid formula and it's evolving. In my opinion (for what it's worth )I think North Shore is the type of show that will pull in loyal viewership. Overall I like the new summer programming because I hate reruns

Oh No! Does this mean "Method Man And Red" is going to be cancelled?

;)

I have no problems with a summer season. Just put something good on!

I like Quintuplets but Method & Red is awful.

Nothing new on Fox from this summer is going to make it to the fall. And this is interesting, because with the year round season concept, Fox has The Jury, Quintuplets, M&R and North Shore all airing into January! None are doing well, and I highly doubt Fox will risk the new season by airing them, even though Fox says it no longer abides by the new season concept.

Of all of those shows, the only showing any signs of life is "Quintuplets," which is building off its "70s Show" lead-in. The worst is "The Jury," which drew only 3 million viewers on Tuesday.

FOX only has junk on. And I don't know how I can watch the old shows on FOX I watch like Bernie Mack and Malcolm In The Middle when FOX has them scheduled for more than one timeslot next season. If it wasn't for AI Fox would be a joke.

The only Fox shows I watch are That '70s Show and Malcolm in the Middle...and I don't think that is going to change anytime soon.

Originally posted by sicvicc
Summer months are the dread of networks because viewership drops off. These numbers look worse then they actually are.
.....
Overall I like the new summer programming because I hate reruns maybe if they would put something besides reruns and boring crap on they'd get some viewers in the summer

Why would they assume North Shore would take off? I mean, maybe it's just me, but I'm getting sick of watching hot rich people. Every show is about hot rich people. Annoying as hell.

it seems for years, Fox was at the cutting edge, shows like Married with Children, Simpsons, In Living Color, 90210, Cops, Ally McBeal, etc... were cutting edge tv, furthering tv genres like we never knew before. But now, it seems like as they've gotten more established, they're trying harder to stay cutting-edge, and it's getting more and more evident. Malcolm In The Middle started out good, but how much longer can it possibly have now that the kids are college-aged? Bernie Mac is good, but Fox will never find a cozy slot to position it in permanently. Arrested Development is also good, but I have a feeling it will get cancelled next season if ratings don't skyrocket.

People are saying "except for AI", when to me it's "especially AI", that show has ruined the music industry as well as television and I will refuse to watch it for as long as it airs.


The problem with tv is that right now, everyone is trying to be cutting-edge instead of just letting it happen, so we'll probably never see another period like early-90's Fox or late-90's WB.

All of the networks are having a bad summer season so far. ABC is just about dead, the UPN is going down the tubes, and the only show that NBC has "Last Comic Standing" and, as always, "Law & Order."

None of NBC's new series are working, save the one mentioned above, and all of ABC's summer series have been DOA. In a stark fore-shadowing of the future, NBC's "Must See" Thursday line-up has yet to break 6 million viewers on average this summer. It's NBC's lowest rated night of the week, save Saturday.

The WB has Summerland, and Superstar USA was doing well, although that's already over. Summerland will probably be back during the regular season.

As for Fox, The Simple Life is doing backflips, and "Quintuplets" is building from its lead-in. In another stark contrast, the once potent Sunday night line-up has been struggling to break 4 million viewers on average of late. New episodes of "Oliver Beene" at 7pm have been in the 2-2.5 million viewers range.

And then there's CBS. It's airing almost no new programming, yet is still winning every week and is up over last summer. and that's without "Big brother" and "The Amazing Race" in the line-up, which are sure to win Tuesdays.

It's going to be a long summer, especially for Fox and ABC.

Originally posted by db108108
the UPN is going down the tubes,

Actually, I think UPN is coming in ahead of The WB occasionally this summer overall, which is a plus for the network, and I know that yesterday it came in ahead of FOX as well.

UPN is still barely alive, but I thought I'd mention that.

Originally posted by tvobscurities
Actually, I think UPN is coming in ahead of The WB occasionally this summer overall, which is a plus for the network, and I know that yesterday it came in ahead of FOX as well.

UPN is still barely alive, but I thought I'd mention that. I think its because the other networks are coming down to UPN's level of entertainment.:lol:

Originally posted by mr roper
If it wasn't for AI Fox would be a joke.

mr roper, what is "AI"?

:confused:

Originally posted by James
mr roper, what is "AI"?

:confused: American Idol.

The UPN was actually leading the WB last summer, as well, and typical does in the summer because it has WWE Smackdown, whereas the WB does not have an entire night like that over the summer.

But the UPN also had no other new programming planned for the summer, and repeats of its other series are down quite dramatically. Overall, the only network to show any gains so far this summer has been CBS, and that network isn't even trying.

And it seems to be only getting worse for FOX. Via the IMDb:


Fox's hope of getting a leg up on the competition by launching two glittery one-hour series on Monday night during the summertime appeared doomed as each produced dismal numbers one month after being launched. At 8:00 p.m., the Hawaii-filmed North Shore drew a fourth-place 3.2 rating and a 6 share. The Mark Burnett-produced reality series The Casino, which is filmed in Las Vegas, fared even worse, drawing only a 2.7/4 to keep the network in fourth place. CBS won the night with reruns, averaging a 6.6/11. (It also produced the highest-rated show of the night, CSI: Miami, which recorded a 7.7/13.) NBC was in second place with a 5.0/9. ABC placed third with a 3.90/7, while Fox trailed with an average 2.9/5.

Again, I am not surprised at all. Instead of trying to develop quality shows for the long run, FOX seems set on trying to get big ratings really quick with flashy shows that nobody, but nobody wants to see. And the numbers reflect that.

June Premieres were a bad move.

I think a smarter way to approach it wouldve been to begin new series in August, then take a break for the World Series, then return in November along with returning series.
And then January series replace those that began in August.