TV Networks want a quick fix... and I'm sick of it

Networks seem to want immediate grand results. A prime example is NBC and "My Own Worst Enemy". The show did not show huge results in the ratings, it only showed modest results. Now the network has cancelled it.

Why do networks demand such high ratings off the initial installment?

Why can't they ride the average result for a time and verify that it is something that will be unprofitable?

I am getting tired of "trying out" new shows just to find that the network has cancelled them a few weeks later.

the problem is advertising revenue...it used to be that companies had little choice where to put their advertising money...tv was easily the most powerful way of selling your goods and tv stations were able to charge high revenues for advertising space even between relatively poorly performing shows...

now advertisers will only put forward large sums if they're guaranteed large numbers of viewers....if not they can put their money into internet and other forms of advertising and so it forces the tv networks to axe shows that they most likely would have kept running before

it's a shame because there are alot of potentially brilliant shows that wont get a chance...tv will end up going the way of hollywood cinema in that room for innovative and entertaining cult shows will be replaced by safe revenue generators that follow proven patterns of success...either for generating advertising money...or premium rate phoneline voting shoes that also bring in huge money

Originally posted by jaden101
the problem is advertising revenue...it used to be that companies had little choice where to put their advertising money...tv was easily the most powerful way of selling your goods and tv stations were able to charge high revenues for advertising space even between relatively poorly performing shows...

now advertisers will only put forward large sums if they're guaranteed large numbers of viewers....if not they can put their money into internet and other forms of advertising and so it forces the tv networks to axe shows that they most likely would have kept running before

it's a shame because there are alot of potentially brilliant shows that wont get a chance...tv will end up going the way of hollywood cinema in that room for innovative and entertaining cult shows will be replaced by safe revenue generators that follow proven patterns of success...either for generating advertising money...or premium rate phoneline voting shoes that also bring in huge money

Either way, it appears that TV is killing good TV.

Originally posted by Regret
Yes, I understand this, I'm not speaking of poorly performing shows, but shows which are performing moderately.

Either way, it appears that TV is killing good TV.

that's the problem though...something that was considered moderately performing 10 years ago would still pull in huge advertising revenue

nowadays moderately performing shows dont pull in the same revenue and so are cut in order to make room for something that can pull in more money from advertisers

when the first commercial for my own worst enemy hit the air I said that show wouldn't be renewed. Christian Slater hasn't been relevant for over a decade and the plot just looked ridiculous. It looked like the plot of a movie, a movie people may watch but not tune in to see every week. Even though the Manchurian Candidate is a good flick, there's a reason it hasn't been serialized.

different shows fail for different reasons. The key to any show is viewership. Even if a show starts slow with moderate viewers, those viewers need to stay tuned every week and eventually start to climb, gain more viewers, within the life of the series. My Own Worst Enemy's problem is that it lost viewers every week. Not just a few viewers, a LOT of viewers. It was steady, week after week.

A loss of viewers from the first to the second week is expected as the first week's audience is swollen by people just checking out what the show's about. The second week on are people tuning in to follow the life of the character and to see how the story unfolds. There's your audience. If that show is losing viewers every single week, it means there is a problem with the show. When people watch a show for 3-4 weeks and suddenly stop....it means they completely stopped caring about the character/plot.

Look at the ratings for My Own Worst Enemy. Every single week it had less viewers than the week before. It's a sure sign of failure when 1 million people just stopped watching the show the week of Nov. 11. It wasn't the second episode. These people had already watched a few shows.....and 1 million at once just turned the channel.

ps. I know what your point is....I hate it when a good show is cancelled. I'm still peeved about the '91 remake of Dark Shadows being cancelled after one season and that was 17 years ago. Using My Own Worst Enemy, however, as your example fails. It wasn't even moderately successful. It's the definition of failure. Every single week it was on the air, less people watched it than the week before. It couldn't even hold a core fanbase....lost over a million viewers in one single week. How could you expect this show to tow the line and gradually gain viewers, be successful, when it couldn't even keep the few viewers it had from week to week?

the networks didn't demand high ratings from it.......they simply demanded that the show hold it's ground, giving it a chance to gain ground in the future. It couldn't do it.

I have the feeling that as much as i (or anyone ) likes/loves a show and think its good/great...it just does not matter...like some have said here...it has to hold an audience....it sickens me that most reality shows stay on and more come day by day...but i guess that means that people watch it.....look at the show Lost...to me its horrible and not even remotley interesting..same as Prison break...horrible shows i.m.o...but people watch it and like them.....what can we do....i guess we know what its like to be in the minority

Originally posted by Regret
Networks seem to want immediate grand results. A prime example is NBC and "My Own Worst Enemy". The show did not show huge results in the ratings, it only showed modest results. Now the network has cancelled it.

Why do networks demand such high ratings off the initial installment?

Why can't they ride the average result for a time and verify that it is something that will be unprofitable?

I am getting tired of "trying out" new shows just to find that the network has cancelled them a few weeks later.

My Own Worst Enemy was garbage and should have never made it to TV anyway. But I do get the point of getting tired of trying out new shows only to not get to finish them when they are canceled. I believe part of the reason so many new shows fail is people dont want to get involved in something that likely wont last anymore and so they are waiting. Its easy enough to catch the S1 DVD later on if it turns out to be a keeper.

Originally posted by Evil Dead
when the first commercial for my own worst enemy hit the air I said that show wouldn't be renewed.

That was my thought exactly. First time I saw a commercial I thought "canceled"