An ABC Question...Hopefully not rhetorical

[Peter Pirate]

Mr. Voice and other network tv opinionators (is this a word?). I noticed today that Fox has cancelled 'Girls Club' after just two episodes. I never saw the show but it comes on the heels of ABC's dismissal of 'Push' after only three showings and 'Now and Then' after only two.

What is gong on with the networks (certainly with ABC at the forefront)? They are paying for piles of pilots picking a few (it seems out of a hat) and then giving them no chance to garner an audience by (1) pulling the plug before anyone could get around to actually liking it or (2) putting it opposite of the giant of the time slot and wondering why nobody immediately watches it.

Every so often a show gets the proper backing...I'm thinking of 'Alias' on ABC which started with dismal ratings and even now, altough critically acclaimed still only draws moderately, but seems to be growing into a solid commodity.

What I'm wondering is what will the outcome of this instant gratification mentality be? Will it just keep getting worse as AV has suggested, as market share continues to dwindle? Or is it possible to turn things around?

This really sounds like the Disney corporate kunundrum on an industry wide scale. The networks need the ratings to get the revenues but they don't have time to build a following around the quality shows, which in turn leads to replacement after replacement of insipid shows and finally a dearth of cheaply produced shows (currently called reality tv) that pander to the lowest common denominator...

ACK!! Any thoughts?

 

[airlarry!]

M. Pirate:

I have nothing to add except I completely agree with you.

I know there is an argument that more shows get a chance by the heavy rotation of new shows...in other words, that the next Friends could be the one that takes the place of the cancelled Push, Nevada...

But I just think this is a weak argument. A good show, we hope, will get its shot sometime, somewhere if the networks drop their tendancy to be quick with the hook. But a good show (like a Cheers as we discussed before) will never get a chance to grow and develop an audience if it is bounced around in a bunch of different time periods for three or four weeks and then summarily dropped when it can't pull a rating number that suits the suits.

Anyway. Great post. Good analysis.

 

[raidermatt]

With Alias, my guess is even the networks know quality when they see it....provided enough people tell them its quality.

I have no inside info, but my guess is they KNOW most of what they put on is "crud". So, they know that trying to wait for an audience to find a show is a waste, so they don't bother and just pull the plug.

Unless there is an overwhelming consensus that a show is high quality and will find an audience (like Alias), they don't see a point in waiting.

Given that they are right that most of it is crud, its hard to argue with pulling the plug quickly.

As far as the future, I don't see anything to make them change. Despite all the poor shows, its still easier to make 8 bad shows than it is to create one good one. And since they're just looking for 1 out of 6 or 7 to find some kind of following, they probably see the current methodology as optimal, under the circumstances.

I think the only real chance is if a network decides to view itself as a niche player, and takes on a quality strategy. Sort of like CBS generally going after the older demographics.

 

[DisneyKidds]

I think the only real chance is if a network decides to view itself as a niche player, and takes on a quality strategy.

Hmmm..........niche players and quality strategy. Where have I heard that before.....................