Commentary

Strong TV Ratings Boost CBS Online

For CBS, its high ratings as TV’s No. 1 network are spilling over into success online as well, according to Marc DeBevoise, SVP and GM, Entertainment, CBS Interactive. Speaking in an afternoon keynote talk at OMMA Video on Tuesday, DeBevoise said September was a record month for CBS.com with 20 million unique visitors. It’s also hit an audience of 2 million in a day for long-form streaming content during the month.

Helping to drive up the online audience is the network’s strong primetime lineup, including the No. 1-rated “Two and Half Men.” CBS’s two largest traffic days followed the premiere of the long-running comedy, now starring Ashton Kutscher in place of Charlie Sheen. “The fall season really has had an impact for us there,” said DeBevoise.

While relying heavily on its broadcast programming online, he noted CBS is still developing extensions of its TV properties in digital media, like a mobile game built around “Big Brother,” as well as original content like “Around the World For Free,” featuring former “Survivor” contestant Parvati in travel/reality show. Doesn’t sound terribly original after all, does it?

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