No surprise at all, but Variety has a story with a lot of data on median ages that keep creeping up for broadcasters. Cable isn’t really having the same problem, with some of the bigger cable networks having decreasing median ages.
Also of note, DVR viewers for major broadcasters have much lower median ages, but because DVR viewing isn’t a very high percentage of overall viewing, it doesn’t change the median age too much. Remember, repeats make up a significant portion of what’s broadcast and repeats don’t get much DVR action.
And speaking of old, what’s up with Variety still using the “Big Three” (ABC, CBS and NBC) lingo? They still talk about the Big Three and Fox. I don’t have a problem with using the Big Three, but please, change it to the Big Three and NBC, because that’s how it actually is.
The networks still preach adults 18-49, but the Big Three are all expected to post median ages above 50 this fall — with Fox not too far behind.
According to a recent study by former Magna Global EVP Steve Sternberg, the broadcast networks as a whole have once again grown older than ever. The five broadcast nets’ average live median age this year — in other words, not counting DVR usage — was 51.
That’s a whopping 8-year uptick from 10 years ago, when the nets’ median age was 43. In comparison, the median age of TV households has grown much less from 1998-1999 to 2008-2009, to 38 from 36.
“While CBS’ average median age remains over 50, ABC has aged up to hit 50 for the first time, and NBC has been hovering close to 50 for a few years now,” wrote Sternberg, in his final report for Magna (which he departed earlier this summer).
“And with Leno taking over the Monday-Friday 10 p.m. time slots next season, it will be hard-pressed not to surpass 50 as well,” he added.
[...]
The DVR audience for ABC, CBS and NBC is 10 years younger, while it’s seven years younger for Fox and two years younger for CW. For example, the median age for the audience watching ABC’s “Grey’s Anatomy” live is 48.9, while the audience watching the show on DVR has a median age of 38.3. At CBS, the live audience watching “Amazing Race” has a median age of 51.9, while the aud watching the show while time-shifting is aged just 39.2.
I have no problem with them still using the big 3. Fox still only programs 2 hours a night on weekdays.
Thats why its still calld the Big 3 but in terms of ratings FOX ABC and CBS are the Big 3 while NBC seems like the little brother.
Is the 18-49 demo still what it used to be? Has the purchasing power/desire migrated upwards with the median age of the viewer, or do the kids still have all the money?
we still have all the money
Karl, don’t forget that FOX doesn’t have morning, day time and late night line-up.
FOX could save a ton of money if they become a cable network.
good points Karl, and Tom. Jackie, the focus on 18-49 is not about purchasing power/disposable income.
Just you wait until Jay gets back, then its all going to change!
thats so sad. the big three have such histoical significance
Could Fox become a cable network, Tom? I’m really asking. I mean, I know Fox wont go the cable route so long as American Idol is on the air, but I’m asking a general question. How would a network go about becoming a cable channel, and could they have the same distribution to as many homes? If they could, someone needs to tell the CW, so they can build their niche-ish shows to a cable network, because that seems like a much better fit to me!
Not really a surprise from what I saw working for a retailer of those Government TV boxes before the DTV transition. Most purchasers were above the 50+ age level. I personally don’t watch ANY broadcast TV (except local news, and much of the time that is even DVR’d for later), and it was enlightening to see what a core audience of broadcast TV looked like, as I have had cable for years. With the DTV transition, if the Govt would have pushed instead for a “Freesat” system as in the UK, the broadcasters could attempt to curb the demo erosion by using the time-shifted models used in the UK and Canada. Possibly then, they could have shored-up the erosion … for awhile at least.
What I wonder is what is the growing entertainment of the young people. Computer games? YouTube.com? Having an actual life?
I’m 58. My family always had a TV so my parents were watching almost from the beginning. I grew up with TV; I got my news from TV. I still get a lot of my news on TV but I also read a lot of more in depth news on the Internet rather than the magazines like Time and Newsweek who keep changing so often to attract readers who do not read print. I have had access to all new entertainment technology as it has come along. But my preference, over watching TV on the Internet or watching a DVD, is sitting on the couch and watching a show. It isn’t laziness, it isn’t because I am too old. I’d just rather watch television on my large TV in HD (which we can get over the air) or on cable in a relaxed manner with others and maybe with a snack. The fact that the median age is increasing is a no brainer because those of us who are the mainly the first generation of television viewers are getting older. As for cable networks skewing lower, well, how many cable networks are geared towards kids? A lot from what I see and when I watch those, which I do, I’m messing with their demographics too. So what is their solution? Stop broadcasting altogether? And I am sure the FOX affiliates would appreciate FOX becoming a cable channel. Sure they will.
Not really surprising. Given alternatives and the aging of america this will continue to accelerate to even higher ages. Given that networks current focus on younger demographics for advertisers but the actual viewers are older this is a really bad situation. If advertisers(customers) don’t like the product(audience) then either the advertisers have to shift to another medium or shift their focus to an older audience. Ad revenue will continue to drop if actual product (viewers 18-49) continues to decline faster than the total audience.
We watch Netflix on-line to get commercial free programming. If FOX wanted to get real, it would put it’s cable programming on broadcast. As I recall, they have ratings. Sandwich throughout the day. No time to fold now, time to EXPAND!
I LOL when I saw that Fox News had a median age “over 65.” That means more than half their viewers are over 65, lol.
They better hope they can start getting some younger viewers. I know MSNBC is number one among viewers 18-34.