RSS
Home
TV sweeps re-cap
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
Unbeatable in November
As November draws to a close, so too does what those in television land call "sweeps." Four times a year, broadcasters (and cable types, too) vie for your attention with unapologetic stunts.
Remember "Who Shot JR?" Or perhaps who fathered Rachel's baby? There's always the local news promo "Something in your water is killing you. Tune in tonight." My favorite sweeps scenario is the crossover. When Hawkeye Pierce shows up at the Drummond house you ought to be suspicious. If you remember... all of the pivotal television moments (that I haven't made up) typically happen in November, February, May and sometimes (but rarely) July. Those are the months of television sweeps.
Sweeps started as an effort to quantify viewership through ratings so that television muckety mucks can translate the numbers into advertising dollars. Historically, TV programming is stepped up to respond to these challenges. You rarely get repeats during a sweeps period and often high-budget and glossy shows occur during those times.
This year -- for the eighth straight year -- CBS has taken the November sweeps crown. That is a remarkable feat and largely due to its regular programs... not even those stunts we just talked about a couple of paragraphs ago. As amazing as the feat is, it also shows the precipitous drop of NBC in the ratings game. They pulled in at last place for the four major broadcast networks during this period. Remember "Cheers"? "The Cosby Show"? "Seinfeld"? "Friends"? Those days are over and it seems no one is thinking that NBC is Must-See TV.
We told you about the sad state of fall TV, and mentioned that our favorite new show "The Mentalist" is on the Eye network. We've also told you how Fox, NBC and ABC have all been shaking up their nets with cancellations, rejiggering and basic ignoring techniques (e.g. "Lipstick Jungle").
CBS has sat back and relished in its CSI franchises, cop dramas "NCIS" and "Criminal Minds" and comedy successes like "Two and a Half Men" and "How I Met Your Mother" while everyone else panics and scatters. Oh yeah, and let's not forget that CBS' "60 Minutes" scored an hour-long interview with the Obamas. We've told you before... Mr. President-to-be is ratings gold.
Perhaps February will fare better for the other broadcasters. By then, ABC will have "Lost" back and Fox's ratings powerhouse "American Idol" will be back in the mix.
I have no idea what the Peacock will do...
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
