CBS Does Well -- In A Marketplace That Isn't
In the face of an almost certain bad TV economy continuing well into 2009, the CBS network has had one strong season -- relatively speaking, considering the writers' strike of a year ago and the network' series of misfires from a year ago like "Viva Laughlin," and considering where traditional live TV viewing has been headed overall.
Not only has CBS maintained a strong position among 18-49 so far this season, as well as its top position among overall viewers -- but consider this: On Tuesday night CBS had its best total viewers results since 1995.
That is 13 years ago, for the mathematically challenged.
Even though Tuesday night CBS wasn't positioned against many top original episodes, to have any better results than you did over a dozen years ago -- in any sort of demographic or programming metric -- deserves some credit.
TV networks aren't dead, says CBS Chief Executive Moonves. Remember he went so far as to openly compliment Jeff Zucker and NBC Universal on their surprisingly big Beijing Olympics ratings this past summer, which bolstered his argument that TV networks are still a good business to be in.
Those TV surprises will only get tougher to come by. A number of industry surveys expect all TV advertising revenues to be down anywhere from 7% to 10% in 2009.
So translating the big rating success stories of new shows like "The Mentalist" and "Eleventh Hour," as well as CBS' still growing Monday comedies, into big TV marketing dollars might be a tough job.
CBS is down single-digit percentages in viewing from a year ago -- while other networks are down much more, in double-digit territory. What's important here is how well CBS works its mojo in pitching TV marketers for next season -- using TV advertising-friendly words like "stable" and "steady."
For troubled TV marketers, any relatively consistent media performance -- in a business that isn't known for it -- might be a welcome relief.
WAYNE FRIEDMAN
Wayne Friedman is West Coast Editor of MediaPost.
Recent TV Watch Articles
-
CBS Falling Back To TV's Promo Future June 18, 4:17 p.m.
It’s back to old-school marketing for CBS: Virtually all its fall shows will premiere in a ...
-
Does TV Need One Big Show That Pulls In All Viewers? June 17, 4:21 p.m.
More than last season, this was the year Fox’s “American Idol” came down off its high ...
-
Fighting Executives Continue To Rage Against Bigger Media Companies June 14, 5:26 p.m.
It seems that small and mid-size cable network executives will always be at war with powerful ...
-
A Different Sort Of Prediction: More Live Viewing, And Perhaps Less Time-Shifting June 13, 4:59 p.m.
More than other digital platforms, Twitter has been compared to “live” TV -- or real-time media. ...
-
TV In The Clouds: Where's The Sunshine? June 12, 2:50 p.m.
Some executives can see TV’s future perfectly -- through the clouds. That's the point. Content owners ...
-
TV A La Carte -- From The Start June 11, 3:56 p.m.
Perhaps Intel has the right approach to revolutionizing the way we buy our traditional TV service ...
-
Broadcast Upfront So Far: Looking For Even-Steven June 10, 1:36 p.m.
Surviving tough times for many in the broadcast upfront business means maintaining an even keel. So ...
-
Cigarette Ads Back On TV? Not Quite June 7, 3:27 p.m.
Bans on TV advertising for specific products don't slow down technology. TV ads for tobacco-laden cigarettes, ...
-
Sex And Violence Are Still TV Issues -- And So Is Research About Them June 6, 1:38 p.m.
The arguments connecting media violence or suggestive sexual content to real-life actions never seem to end. ...
-
Attacking On-Air Talent With A Commercial Could Mean New Drama For TV News Marketing June 5, 4:52 p.m.
Seems you can't buy a TV commercial on a network that attacks the network. Shocking, huh? ...
Be the first to comment on "CBS Does Well -- In A Marketplace That Isn't "
Leave a Comment