Why don't we have anything big and exciting on TV in late November and December?

[KnightInShiningArmorDis92]

I think it would cool if we were getting promos for a fantasy or sci fi show that would air in November and December 2023 and the promos were surprising and dazzling everyone making it "The Big Thing" of late Fall and Winter of 2023.

It could be a space opera set in the aftermath of a apocalyptic interstellar war.

It can be Fallout meets Game of Thrones.

Once Upon A Time style fairy tale world combined with the World Wars.

But is November and December a bad time for TV?

Is everyone on vacation during this time?

Is everyone too busy watching Christmas movies to be enthralled by something new and exciting?

"School Spirits", "A Small Light", "Star Trek", "Ahsoka", "One Piece", "Gen V", "Pretty Little Liars: Original Sin", "Loki", etc.

It seems like all the big shows have already aired and it seems like the TV show producers of 2022 did a good job of making sure all the big shows ended before late November.

Still it seems boring without something big and exciting for December.

It would be nice to get a new sci fi or fantasy extravaganza.

 

[jimmymc]

It's a bad time for TV because of sports. College football, NFL, MLB playoffs, the NHL, and NBA are all on this time of year.

Once college finishes and the NFL gets down to playoffs, you start to see more coming out in January and February.

 

[barkley]

seems like allot of the stuff dh likes is just starting back up-

shining vale
surrealestate

waiting for release date on the new orphan black.


me? i'm look forward to fargo FINALLY returning.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Maybe this will be on.

https://www.disboards.com/threads/s...f-this-year-is-a-sci-fi-extravaganza.3932189/

 

[tvguy]

Well, November is the most important ratings period for TV. The best programing airs in November. But the ratings period ends November 22nd this year, because Thanksgiving is the 23rd and people don't watch TV over the holiday.

 

[sam_gordon]

Well, November is the most important ratings period for TV. The best programing airs in November. But the ratings period ends November 22nd this year, because Thanksgiving is the 23rd and people don't watch TV over the holiday.

November and May, in general. Along with February and July, those are the TRADITIONAL ratings months (in "Sweeps Weeks").

Those used to be the only times TV stations would get "numbers" on how many viewers they had. So that's when they aired the "best" shows (season finales). Now, more and more markets get ratings every day, if not every 15 minutes. That and streaming sort of throws the "traditional" measurement windows out the door.

@tvguy, I know you know all this, I was posting for others.

 

[tvguy]

November and May, in general. Along with February and July, those are the TRADITIONAL ratings months (in "Sweeps Weeks").

Those used to be the only times TV stations would get "numbers" on how many viewers they had. So that's when they aired the "best" shows (season finales). Now, more and more markets get ratings every day, if not every 15 minutes. That and streaming sort of throws the "traditional" measurement windows out the door.

@tvguy, I know you know all this, I was posting for others.

Well, yes and no. Sacramento went to a metered market way back in 1987. But our managers continued to consider November, February and May the ratings periods that count because, they say, those are the months that the networks air their best first run programing. They are also the months that vacations are forbidden for employees. Nobody has paid much attention to the July book for decades.

 

[sam_gordon]

Well, yes and no. Sacramento went to a metered market way back in 1987. But our managers continued to consider November, February and May the ratings periods that count because, they say, those are the months that the networks air their best first run programing. They are also the months that vacations are forbidden for employees. Nobody has paid much attention to the July book for decades.

Yes, that's when networks air the "best" they've got. BUT, the numbers you get during those times tell you the numbers for those shows. Your local newscasts (which are a local station's bread and butter), they'll look at the "overnights" if they're in a metered market. They'll find whatever numbers give them the best "spin" and use them. Are the numbers higher in November? OK, use those. Are they higher in January? Use those?

And now, Nielsen is not the only measurement company out there. Some stations aren't paying Nielsen ratings and using Comscore.

 

[PollyannaMom]

But is November and December a bad time for TV?...Is everyone too busy watching Christmas movies to be enthralled by something new and exciting?

I think you figured out the answer (at least for late Nov & Dec) while asking the question - people are busy around the holidays, and if they are watching TV, it's likely holiday-themed TV.

 

[tvguy]

Yes, that's when networks air the "best" they've got. BUT, the numbers you get during those times tell you the numbers for those shows. Your local newscasts (which are a local station's bread and butter), they'll look at the "overnights" if they're in a metered market. They'll find whatever numbers give them the best "spin" and use them. Are the numbers higher in November? OK, use those. Are they higher in January? Use those?

And now, Nielsen is not the only measurement company out there. Some stations aren't paying Nielsen ratings and using Comscore.

Yes my last employer used Comscore and stopped using Nielsen in 2021. Local advertisers weren't accepting Comscore data so they went back to using Nielsen this year.. Sinclair went Comscore in all their markets in 2020 and dropped it after only 6 months for the same reason.
Salespeople tell me none of the local advertisers consider the overnights. As a News Producer it was always frustrating to watch the overnights, and we'd be killing it right up until a book started then the numbers plunged.
But, I also worked in a strange market. 22 of my years were at ABC stations.....two since there was an affiliation swap and ABC programing has never done well here. So much so that at my last station our morning show did live satellite promos with Robin Roberts every morning because ABC could not figure out why people weren't watching in the numbers they were in other markets.

 

[mom2rtk]

Isn't everything delayed because of the writer's strike?

 

[disneychrista]

Not much of anything is going to happening this November & December in regards to scripted TV due to the writers & actors strikes.