Comments on: ABC, CBS, and FOX Combine For Historic Record-Low People Meter Averages

By: angelscrest

angelscrest — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 22:38:54 +0000

I think that anyone who hates the state of television today should go out of their way to watch excellent programs. Every time a viewer watches a "guilty pleasure," like Big Brother, you are giving the networks reason to put on more of the same.

I think that most people don't realize how much the networks copy each other, because they lack creativity and imagination. If you hate all the lousy, low-budget shows that make TV practically unwatchable, DON'T WATCH THEM! Don't watch any of them, not even out of curiosity! When people watch that ca-ca out of hope of seeing a little flesh, but wishing for something better, the nets and the sponsers will both take that as a sign to make more!

My advice to America is to vote with your eyeballs: seek out the best and watch that!

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:09:16 +0000

I don't question your data, I just think your hair-splitting here is absolutely ridiculous. Does it make Fox look any better? No.

By: Carl LaFong

Carl LaFong — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 19:06:16 +0000

The people meter had been online and pushing out data since 1986, but it was evaluation data only (running side by side until the old audimeter sample was ditched in 9/87). Doesn't matter that it was new, it was the only official national TV currency by September 1987.

You question most of what I write and youve been wrong every time. I'm not going to fence with you any further.

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:54:09 +0000

Carl, one thing you apparently neglected to note in your usage of the week of 9/7/87 is that it was like the very first week of people meter results. I'm not sure you could find DOZENS (at least 24 weeks?) of or even *one* dozen. But I updated the post anyway.

By: Carl LaFong

Carl LaFong — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 18:14:02 +0000

I don't care how far you have to go back, the sweeping statement that FOX had its worst week ever in the people meter era last week is demonstrably false and must be debunked. Otherwise factoid becomes fact.

I could have found dozens of other weeks to further demonstrate the falsehood, but I got work to do.

Fox cleared about 85% US in those days

By: Robert Seidman

Robert Seidman — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 16:16:14 +0000

while precision is appreciated if you still needed to go back TWENTY-ONE years to when Fox was a network that had been around less than a year anyway. 1987 was the first year where FOX was even on the air for the whole year and would still be two years before FOX started airing The Simpsons. So the performance was still awful, if not record breaking awful.

Just out of curiosity, what was FOX's coverage % for the week of 9/7/07.

By: Ken

Ken — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 14:14:00 +0000

MSNBC can puff its feathers with Rachel Maddow replacing Dan Abrams. She is one sharp woman and a wise choice on their part.

By: Carl LaFong

Carl LaFong — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 13:41:42 +0000

It's completely untrue that FOX's average was the lowest in people meter history. Just checking two random weeks I found lower figures and there are likely many more:

Week of 9/7/87 Viewers 2+ 2.14 million --- week of 10/26/87 3.05 million --- week of 8/11/08 3.2 million

I was suspicious of the claim because population increases make it difficult to achieve record-low 2+ viewing versus 21 years ago.

I've known NBC to simply make shit up in the past because they think no one will check.

By: angelscrest

angelscrest — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:30:49 +0000

Just saw the promo for NBC's Robinson Crusoe, coming this Fall.

WOW!

All I can say is, no wonder they are bragging!

By: chris

chris — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 04:18:42 +0000

I like that NBC has something to be proud about. I just wish some of it could stick around for the normal season. Too bad it won't.