Commentary

Younger TV Networks On The Move

Television's two best-known younger-targeted networks are looking to shake things up.  

The top-rated broadcast network, Fox, has jettisoned a top-level entertainment executive, Peter Liguori -- despite continued ratings success.
 
Meanwhile, ratings-challenged MTV is now considering doing more scripted comedies -- a seemingly forgotten TV genre of late -- looking for new programming/marketing spin.

It's just like some TV networks to zig when we all thought they were going to zag.

At Fox, it's another head-scratching moment: Liguori's leaving has little bearing on how the network has performed -- number one among 18-49 viewers for the last few seasons. Additionally, under Liguori's direction, Fox added the title of most total viewers last season to Fox's trophy wall.

News Corp. chairman Rupert Murdoch then gives Peter Rice the job, he of little TV experience, who comes from News Corp.'s Fox Searchlight, the indie film marketer that gave us the recent Academy-Award-winning film "Slumdog Millionaire."

This may sound familiar -- in part.

It wasn't all that long ago Sumner Redstone, chairman of Viacom and CBS, showed the much-beloved executive Tom Freston the door, when MTV Networks was still doing relatively well, though it had missed the opportunity to buy into the undervalued Web area called MySpace.

This brings us to MTV programming. After a rough year or so, when ratings have drastically fallen, MTV responds with its biggest ever programming development effort to right its ship.

This time executives sense that it's comedy that has been missing for the seemingly all-too-serious younger set ("The Hills", for example). One project, "DJ and the Fro," revolves around two office drones who swap viral videos while surrounded by workplace mayhem.

Television gravity always has a certain pull, but  comedy is a staple  -- no matter what age group is watching.

MTV and Fox -- those two young-skewing networks -- may be currently going in opposite directions. Yet senior management of both networks believes there is a need for big change, either to shake itself out of some doldrums -- or to get to the next big level.

If you are a young TV network, you are always on the move, because the bad stuff can hit quick and suddenly.  Liguori leaves on top; maybe that's not so bad

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