Summer of fail: Why are new shows bombing?

[ken]

This summer is one for the record books: more than a dozen new programs launched on broadcast television and not one breakout hit, with returning shows down and ratings at an all-time low.

After a tough season for broadcasters, summer has been a huge disappointment.

"The sheer amount of waste is staggering," one broadcast executive said. "They say reality is low cost, but there are still costs."

Accumulated near the bottom of the ratings list are new programs like ABC's wonky "Grey's Anatomy"-in-space drama "Defying Gravity" (3.3 million viewers, 1.0 adults 18-49 rating); ABC's ironically titled "The Superstars" (3.8 million, 1.3); NBC's crime drama "The Listener" (4.7 million, 1.3); Fox's scripted psychological procedural "Mental" (4.6 million, 1.4 adults 18-49 rating); NBC's once-promising drama "The Philanthropist" (5.6 million, 1.4); the CW's relationship reality show "Hitched or Ditched" (1.4 million, 0.6); NBC's imported miniseries "Merlin" (4.8 million, 1.3); and NBC's "Great American Road Trip" (3.9 million, 1.1), or, as one publicist called it, "Great American Roadkill."

Note the wide range of genres. There are programs from every broadcaster, with imported dramas like "Mental" and domestically grown titles such as "Philanthropist." There's no clear trend that the titles have in common -- other than flopping.

"Sometimes we make general pronouncements about trends; this summer we just collectively missed the mark," another network exec said. "There's too many shows with 1s in front of their demo rating. We just did a bad job."

The one potential systemic reason was that a few of the projects were picked up during the writers strike. "It felt like a leftover summer -- whatever was sitting on the shelves, a fire sale," one network exec said.

Still, that only explains some of the titles.

Among the better performers was Fox's fat bachelor dating show "More to Love" (3.9 million, 1.8), NBC's Heidi and Spencer-filled "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here" (5.0 million, 1.9) and ABC's literal blind dating series "Dating in the Dark" (5.1 million, 2.1).

"Dark" performed well when it had a "Bachelorette" lead-in and carries the highest average rating of the new shows. Yet none of them has drawn large enough of an audience to be considered highly likely to return.

Other new titles this summer include CBS' urban "Survivor" reality show "There Goes the Neighborhood" (4.8 million, 1.6) and ABC's investment reality series "Shark Tank" (4.2 million, 1.3), both of which debuted to disappointing numbers Sunday yet could improve.

At the bottom of the ratings list were a couple of shows that were new to summer but launched in-season -- like ABC's "Surviving Suburbia" (3.2 million, 0.9).

Appropriate for a summer of fail, the very last show was one of the most expensive and with the most regal title -- "Kings," which was run off on Saturdays.

At the top of the list are returning hits "America's "Got Talent" (12.4 million, 3.4) from NBC and Fox's "So You Think You Can Dance" (9 million, 3.5), with "Talent" leading in viewers and "Dance" edging out a victory for the adult demo. Fox's "Hell's Kitchen" (7.4 million, 3.4) and ABC's "Wipeout" (8.8 million, 3.1) round out the top shelf. Yet all took knocks from last summer.

The erosions are not happening in a vacuum. The ratings playing field between broadcast and cable ratings continues to collectively flatten, with several shows on cable posting gains (such as USA's "Royal Pains" and "Burn Notice" and HBO's "True Blood").

For the summer, Fox (averaging 5.2 million, 1.9) leads in the demo, with largely repeat-driven CBS (6.8 million, 1.5) tops among total viewers. Then there's ABC (4.8 million, 1.6), NBC (5.3 million, 1.5) and the CW (1 million, 0.4).
Summer of fail: Why are new shows bombing?--The Live Feed

[computer2slow]

I think the Digital transfer did a lot. A lot of people found out the lie that all you need is the box. Once they found you would have ot spend another $200-$600 to have someone put up a rooftop antenna to get a decent signal. When they heard that and just either got cavle or satellite and don't bother with broadcast.

That and most those shows either plain suck or are just ok so you never rememer they are on. 1st saw the preview of Merlin thought might be ok. After seeing the comercials for what felt like years by the time it was on I was sick to death of it.

[WallyW]

The digital switch over has nothing at all to do with this topic. While it is true that the digital signal may not reach as far out, the cost of a decent antenna is nowhere near the $200-$600 price range. If you live that far out that you would need that kind of antenna , Hell just pay $30 a month for cable and be done with it.
I knows lots of people that use the digital box just fine with there current set up. Not needing to buy anything else at all. Even getting better reception and more channels now. Some who don't watch much tv anyways have even dropped there service now because they do not it.

I watch a lot of tv and have noticed the lack of good shows this summer. Actually most fall/summer shows have been crap for the past year. The people in charge of creating/bringing the shows to us need to step into the present. They are still doing things so 10 years ago. No more scripted reality shows. Bring in some fresh blood and bring us some quality stuff already.

[computer2slow]

There is a town close to me that people even with rooftops antennas have trouble now getting a channel where before it was perfectly clear. All the channels in my area are far away the closest one is about 35 miles away and I used to be about in the middle of their coverage area now I'm on the fringe because ofthe way the digital signal inheatly has less coverage. And no cable if your not in a town and satellite charges for local channels last I knew.

And I was talking about getting a roof top antenna installed. The numbers were giving by my local PBS channel after complaints of the people not being able to get IPTV so they started saying how users that no longer get a signal may need a rooftop antenna. Maybe you are in a metropolitan area and it's great but in the country it wasn't just a hook up a box and your golden.

[WallyW]

I understand the issues surrounding the digital switch. But what does that have to do with the topic. Why the shows suck?

[hippie pieces]

I understand the issues surrounding the digital switch. But what does that have to do with the topic. Why the shows suck?

The networks have lost site of a target audience. Shows suck because they try to appeal to to wide of a demographic.

I watched the first few episodes of defying gravity and was expecting it to be a cool space exploration show like a closer to home Star Trek but instead it's written like a crappy drama show and the story moves to slow. I have no Idea what demographic this show is trying to reach...

[Xray]

Why are summer shows failing?

Because they are airing new shows in the summer, that's why.

[hippie pieces]

Why are summer shows failing?

Because they are airing new shows in the summer, that's why.

American Idol and Survivor both started in the summer.

People just don't have time to watch the crap the networks are currently offering.

[WallyW]

The networks have lost site of a target audience. Shows suck because they try to appeal to to wide of a demographic.

I watched the first few episodes of defying gravity and was expecting it to be a cool space exploration show like a closer to home Star Trek but instead it's written like a crappy drama show and the story moves to slow. I have no Idea what demographic this show is trying to reach...

This is like what I was saying earlier about them needing fresh blood in there to liven things up. They have no target audience because there tracking system ( Nielsen ) is so old school and cant accurately reflect the tastes of the current times. They don't even give shows a chance now to build up a following. I have seen defying gravity and think It could be a great show. I'm interested in seeing how it develops.

People just don't have time to watch the crap the networks are currently offering.

With the unemployment at an all time low what else are they doing?

[ken]

after watching a 1000 commercials for the show, I'm so sick of it I never tune in to most of them. The only new show I'm watching is on Syfy "Warehouse 13".

[xrnzaaas]

A good show always finds audience, even in the summer. Look at Burn Notice or True Blood, they were constantly pulling off series highs.

As for me, the only two summer shows I've enjoyed were Burn Notice and Leverage (still airing).