Digital Switch May KO Ratings

Rocky economy, online TV to blame: Nielsen

(NEWSER) - The rocky economy and an upswing in Internet viewing contribute to a surprising new statistic: In America, 96.7% of households have a television set—down from 98.9% previously. It's the first such drop in two decades, the New York Times notes. The Nielsen Company, which collected the data, notes that some low-income households likely cannot afford new digital sets or antennas. In addition, some young people are opting not to purchase a TV when they move out on their own, instead watching shows and movies on the Internet. More»

'Two and a Half Men,' '24' also rake in the bucks

(NEWSER) - TV shows are judged by ratings, but ratings don't always reflect how much cash a show actually brings in. The biggest moneymakers are longstanding hits with broad appeal, Kantar Media found in a survey of TV's most popular programs. The winner, unsurprisingly, is a show that practically defines mass appeal: American Idol, which takes in $8.1 million per 30-minute block, Forbes reports. More»

His recent shows have held steady in the ratings or improved

(NEWSER) - A turning point for Jay Leno? For about two weeks now, episodes of the Leno Show have either held steady in the ratings or improved, reversing a trend that started soon after the program’s debut in September. On the eve of Thanksgiving, for instance, every broadcast program was down—except Leno. More»

Networks retune their lineup to court young viewers

(NEWSER) - Network TV's big hits—Modern Family, The Cleveland Show, NCIS: Los Angeles—join a pack of losers and losing news: NBC viewership is down 10% among young adults, ABC and CBS have slipped, too, and Eastwick, Hank, and Trauma have already been canceled. The LA Times surveys the playing field, mid-season.

• Comedy rules—kinda: Modern Family has reeled in 10.6 million viewers, but networks are still struggling to find the Friends or Seinfeld of the late aughts.

CEO Jeff Zucker to blame for slump

(NEWSER) - Cable giant Comcast wants to buy a controlling interest in NBC Universal. Sure, the company's movie business and cable channels are appealing, but what about the broadcast network? NBC is floundering, and CEO Jeff Zucker is to blame, Mark Harris writes in New York. One big problem is The Jay Leno Show: "Remaking an entire prime-time lineup in his familiarly peevish image was a Hail Mary pass, not a long-term business strategy." More»