Future of US broadcast networks? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

zeebre12 · 05-02-2022, 04:38 AM

Apart from live sport US broadcast networks really are in a sorry state. Ratings for most shows are tanking, no real hit shows that people are talking about, few award winners, no hit brand new series. Each time you read an article about daily ratings from the US broadcast networks it mentions 'drops to all-time series low' for several shows. Sometimes the top rated show on all networks gets under 5 million viewers. A lot NBC shows regularly get under 2/3 million viewers now. Ratings are really pathetic. This same network had Friends and other shows which got over 25 million viewers. The CW which is up for sale was never a highly rated network but has shows with only 250,000 viewers. The US has over 332 million people. You'd have to wonder what the longer term future of these networks is? Such a fall from grace is actually hard to believe. You could say it's a result of streaming and and people having more options but the main UK networks ratings have not dropped to the same extent compared to the US. Series can still create buzz like Line of Duty or The Bodyguard. Hit drama series can still can pull in 6-8 million even just with linear viewings. The UK broadcast channels now have better ratings than the US ones

LUNCH · 05-02-2022, 01:12 PM

If you look at CBS, NBC and ABC for example, it is actually not hard to believe considering what the networks have turned into and become over the last few decades or so. They are completely the opposite of what they used to be back in the days when they were good. I am guessing one reason the UK networks are not doing as poorly is because of less advertising or no advertising in the case of the BBC.

Chocolate Moose · 05-02-2022, 01:31 PM

i don't know what to say. I'm not going to watch mediocre TV even if it's free.

Alan Brady's Hair · 05-02-2022, 04:09 PM

In comedy, at least, you have a very solid proof that the networks acted against their interest. Big Bang Theory was the most popular sitcom nine years in a row, but instead of trying to make more shows like it they went out of their way to make comedies completely different from Big Bang. When those shows failed, they doubled down.

I think the line will eventually blur between broadcast networks and other networks. You'll have stripped programming, mini-marathons, reruns will play for years.

GentlemanJim · 05-02-2022, 05:29 PM

5 minute long blocks of commercials repeated 5 times per hour just no longer resonates with me the way it once did. Call me fickle.....

Coffeecup · 05-03-2022, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GentlemanJim

5 minute long blocks of commercials repeated 5 times per hour just no longer resonates with me the way it once did. Call me fickle.....

You said. I DVR all my shows. I had the tv on while doing something and I hear Mayik Bianik, Call me Kat actress, tell about the great memory pills she takes. I heard the same commercial of hers 3 times within 15 minutes. I got 6 months ago an off the air antenna and I get about 20 stations, PBS Court tv stations and a few odd ball new stations I don't get with Comcast. I do get CBS, ABC and NBC but odd to say, I don't watch much more than 3 shows a week on those networks. I am so much into MeTV or Cozie stations. With too many choices, I see so much less than I use to.

Yong Fang · 05-05-2022, 01:16 PM

Two things come to mind…

There are so many options and so many networks that the “Big Four” networks are now just one of many instead of being the leaders they were before. In the 90’s into the 00’s there were other networks with original content but there wasn’t that much competition with the networks or the shows that the smaller cable networks offered was usually of inferior quality. Not anymore. There are so many shows, so many networks and services now. For myself, I now watch ONE network show (Young Sheldon on CBS)……..which goes to my second point.

I live overseas but if I lived back in the United States, I wouldn’t even own a television. I watch my content now from a mobile device. There are websites I utilize to watch TV shows and movies, absolutely free. My cost is the Wifi service I use. Concerning Young Sheldon, I can watch the new episode at my convenience, I don’t have to watch it at 8pm on a Thursday night and don’t have to concern myself with the commercials. Also, I watch YouTube, I get much more entertainment from YouTube than any network, paid or not.

Traditional TV is dead. There is now huge amounts of competition, the internet and YouTube. Which is why a “Big Four” network show hit only has three million viewers. It has a lot more but again people are watching online, or maybe not at all since honestly and my opinion, BIg Four shows suck!

Svenfan1234 · 05-05-2022, 05:21 PM

Here's my two cents:

The big four networks will inevitably continue on a downward spiral, that's my prediction. Now onto the diginets. Decades I think is soon to be Antenna TV 2.0. They have a great lineup, and in some areas, better than Antenna's. Rewind I think will inevitably stagnate and not pick up many affiliates but continue anyway, same with Antenna, but I think Decades is basically the new Antenna. Laff I think will start to transition to show more modern comedy movies and less sitcoms. I think Grace Under Fire will move to Cozi, it's just a matter of when, and Laff will attempt to salvage its falling ratings with comedy movies. MeTV I think will be more of the same, but they're the highest rated diginet so nothing to be concerned about for them. Anyway, those are some of my thoughts.

LUNCH · 05-08-2022, 02:19 PM

All this makes you wonder why they still even make new shows, especially the big networks. They are just going to continue setting records for record low ratings.

LUNCH · 05-08-2022, 02:24 PM

To add, ABC,CBS and NBC should really turn themselves in retro networks. They should just copy what channels like MeTV for example are doing. What have they got to lose. Seems to me they are almost out of business as it is.

Mr. Television · 05-08-2022, 03:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LUNCH

To add, ABC,CBS and NBC should really turn themselves in retro networks. They should just copy what channels like MeTV for example are doing. What have they got to lose. Seems to me they are almost out of business as it is.

Once the networks got obsessed with the 18-49 demo I stopped watching. They don't care about me so I don't care about them.

LUNCH · 05-08-2022, 04:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Television

Once the networks got obsessed with the 18-49 demo I stopped watching. They don't care about me so I don't care about them.

It has been so long since I watched ABC, CBS or NBC I forgot what channels they are on.

05-02-2022, 04:38 AM	#1
zeebre12 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Sep 13, 2018 Location: New York Posts: 30	Future of US broadcast networks? Apart from live sport US broadcast networks really are in a sorry state. Ratings for most shows are tanking, no real hit shows that people are talking about, few award winners, no hit brand new series. Each time you read an article about daily ratings from the US broadcast networks it mentions 'drops to all-time series low' for several shows. Sometimes the top rated show on all networks gets under 5 million viewers. A lot NBC shows regularly get under 2/3 million viewers now. Ratings are really pathetic. This same network had Friends and other shows which got over 25 million viewers. The CW which is up for sale was never a highly rated network but has shows with only 250,000 viewers. The US has over 332 million people. You'd have to wonder what the longer term future of these networks is? Such a fall from grace is actually hard to believe. You could say it's a result of streaming and and people having more options but the main UK networks ratings have not dropped to the same extent compared to the US. Series can still create buzz like Line of Duty or The Bodyguard. Hit drama series can still can pull in 6-8 million even just with linear viewings. The UK broadcast channels now have better ratings than the US ones

05-02-2022, 01:31 PM	#3
Chocolate Moose Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Jan 21, 2007 Location: Brooklyn, NY Posts: 4,888	i don't know what to say. I'm not going to watch mediocre TV even if it's free.
	__________________ How long a minute is, depends on what side of the bathroom door you're on.

05-02-2022, 04:09 PM	#4
Alan Brady's Hair Member Senior Member Join Date: Aug 30, 2014 Posts: 1,825	In comedy, at least, you have a very solid proof that the networks acted against their interest. Big Bang Theory was the most popular sitcom nine years in a row, but instead of trying to make more shows like it they went out of their way to make comedies completely different from Big Bang. When those shows failed, they doubled down. I think the line will eventually blur between broadcast networks and other networks. You'll have stripped programming, mini-marathons, reruns will play for years.
	Last edited by Alan Brady's Hair; 05-03-2022 at 11:40 PM.

05-02-2022, 05:29 PM	#5
GentlemanJim Concerns, Support, & Feedback Forum Veteran Join Date: Dec 26, 2019 Location: The back country Posts: 5,443	5 minute long blocks of commercials repeated 5 times per hour just no longer resonates with me the way it once did. Call me fickle.....
	__________________ On my word as a gentleman!

05-05-2022, 05:21 PM	#8
Svenfan1234 Member Forum Star Join Date: Dec 12, 2015 Posts: 11,200	Here's my two cents: The big four networks will inevitably continue on a downward spiral, that's my prediction. Now onto the diginets. Decades I think is soon to be Antenna TV 2.0. They have a great lineup, and in some areas, better than Antenna's. Rewind I think will inevitably stagnate and not pick up many affiliates but continue anyway, same with Antenna, but I think Decades is basically the new Antenna. Laff I think will start to transition to show more modern comedy movies and less sitcoms. I think Grace Under Fire will move to Cozi, it's just a matter of when, and Laff will attempt to salvage its falling ratings with comedy movies. MeTV I think will be more of the same, but they're the highest rated diginet so nothing to be concerned about for them. Anyway, those are some of my thoughts.
	__________________ [

05-02-2022, 01:12 PM	#2
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	If you look at CBS, NBC and ABC for example, it is actually not hard to believe considering what the networks have turned into and become over the last few decades or so. They are completely the opposite of what they used to be back in the days when they were good. I am guessing one reason the UK networks are not doing as poorly is because of less advertising or no advertising in the case of the BBC.

05-05-2022, 01:16 PM	#7
Yong Fang Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 04, 2009 Location: Memphis Tennessee Posts: 3,073	Two things come to mind… There are so many options and so many networks that the “Big Four” networks are now just one of many instead of being the leaders they were before. In the 90’s into the 00’s there were other networks with original content but there wasn’t that much competition with the networks or the shows that the smaller cable networks offered was usually of inferior quality. Not anymore. There are so many shows, so many networks and services now. For myself, I now watch ONE network show (Young Sheldon on CBS)……..which goes to my second point. I live overseas but if I lived back in the United States, I wouldn’t even own a television. I watch my content now from a mobile device. There are websites I utilize to watch TV shows and movies, absolutely free. My cost is the Wifi service I use. Concerning Young Sheldon, I can watch the new episode at my convenience, I don’t have to watch it at 8pm on a Thursday night and don’t have to concern myself with the commercials. Also, I watch YouTube, I get much more entertainment from YouTube than any network, paid or not. Traditional TV is dead. There is now huge amounts of competition, the internet and YouTube. Which is why a “Big Four” network show hit only has three million viewers. It has a lot more but again people are watching online, or maybe not at all since honestly and my opinion, BIg Four shows suck!

05-08-2022, 02:19 PM	#9
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	All this makes you wonder why they still even make new shows, especially the big networks. They are just going to continue setting records for record low ratings.

05-08-2022, 02:24 PM	#10
LUNCH Member Senior Member Join Date: Oct 23, 2010 Location: New York State Posts: 1,304	To add, ABC,CBS and NBC should really turn themselves in retro networks. They should just copy what channels like MeTV for example are doing. What have they got to lose. Seems to me they are almost out of business as it is.
	Last edited by LUNCH; 05-08-2022 at 03:37 PM.