No One Is Watching TV
Filed under: TV News
Has the writer's strike hurt TV ratings more than expected?
Many of the former top shows have hit their lowest ratings EVEr just in recent weeks. Such as CSI: Miami, The Simpsons, and Grey's Anatomy.
Even reality shows are feeling the decline in viewers, such as American Idol and Deal or No Deal.
ABC prime-time research chief Larry Hyams says, "I'm not convinced people realized their shows were back. It's not like there was a premiere week."
Yeah, okay. Sure.
Whatever you say, Larry!
Maybe people are just watching TV online????
Posted: May 7, 2008 at 1:45 pm
FIRST
LOVE U PEREZ
first!
1ST
Ha! First!
i watch lost online. less commercials, and its free at ABC.com
Haha Perez! I've been waiting for weeks to shove it in your face that your candidate is going down in flames!!! Why no post today? She did win Indiana (barely!)— isn't that good enough for a mention???? So many weeks I had to read your Clinton dribble— I just have to throw it back at you.
because most of the shows suck, 1st……
Everyone is on line
Reading Perez Hilton instead!
.
The Perez Hilton Song
.
Sung to the tune of "Puttin' On The Ritz."
.
.
He's the gossip encyclopedia,
Perez is The Queen Of All Media,
.
Perez gets -
All the website hits!
.
He has spies in all the right places,
Catching stars with loose lips and red faces,
.
He gives fits,
Telling on their slips!
.
.
When Perez comes all the stars hide their faces,
They know he will tattle their disgraces,
He's a Queen with Aces!
.
.
Those in the know all go to his website,
To see the stars that just can not act right,
.
Perez whips,
All the hypocrites,
.
Shows their naughty bits,
Gettin' all the hits!
.
Rash Manly
1st?
maybe they should of advertised the premieres more…..
I WATCHED HILARY GET THAT ASS SPANKED LAST NIGHT!
I think he might be right…I just realized the other day that Grey's had started back up when my roomie was watching….Prob should have been more advertising. :*(
hell ya watch that shiiiiiit online!
maybe because the tv shows now a days suck ass!
exactly. i watch the hills & the office online. too many useless advertising on tv interrupts the show, so much that i can't enjoy them.
FIFTH COCKSUCKERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yup..
FIRST!
We only watch HBO, and other cable channels…reality TV and most shows on Network TV suck!
first!
Lots of the shows I was watching are now gone. The only one I even care to keep up with now is THE OFFICE.
FIRST!!!!!!
FIRSTTTTTTTTTTTT ahha
I canceled cable because everything I want is online now. Why pay for internet AND cable??
thats because tv sucks.
im watchin tv!!
I care less about tv programming. I always watch everything online! everything I need is right online! Thank God for high speed internet access !
I barely watch TV nowadays. I'm waiting for 24 to comeback, though.
i don't watch that much tv anymore. i'm on here too much.
i didn't know some of my shows came back either. and now that i haven't been watching certain shows all the time i just forget about it or i've missed some episodes already i don't just want to jump in watching it. i'm sure next season will be better overall.
No one is watching, because the shows are sucking. Just look at the office….what happened!? Their story lines keep getting worse each week.
ugilkghkj
duh
American Idol–boring
The Hills–who cares?
Grey's Anatomy–tired
Deal or No Deal–no one will ever win the million, plus soooo dragged out
CSI–played out
The Simpson's–on too long
Perezhilton.com–fun every day!!!
i always hated tv. i watch youtube.
I stopped watching tv altogether back in January after a lifelong addiction to tv and couldn't be happier.
First of all, nothing but stupid "reality" shows on, which do not count as entertainment since there is no actual talent required. As far as I'm concerned, if it's not a great 70's sitcom, it's not worth watching.
Secondly, I got sick of having every damn commercial tell me I'm not good enough as is and I should buy this pill, buy that weight loss product, have this procedure, on and on and on.
Third, I realized by watching nothing but Netflix I can control what goes on my screen and thus, into my brain. Not only do I save 75 bucks a month by not being Comcast's slave, I don't allow myself to be insulted by Hollyweird. Why should that goofy town of greedy narcissists be rewarded for filling the public's head with garbage (and VH1 ho's) and convincing us that it's "art" just because it's on tv? Why pay money to be insulted day after day?
I'll never again have cable and news I can get from the 'net. I suggest everyone else do the same. Instead of complaining there's nothing on tv, send them a message that hits them in the pocket.
ONLINE ONLY chick right here …. no commercials and no worries about any weather or presidential thing interupting
its not that we watch it online its caz we dididnt no when it started like gossip girl since when is it monday they switched the date and there wasint any previews on th tv so we would rember and its also getting warm outside ppl are out and not seating inside
Umm… maybe it has a little to do with the overall quality of TV programming these days?
.
.
.
.
i.e. ===> IT'S ALL SHIT.
Everyone's on Perezhilton.com!
LISTEN UP TV PEOPLE. It's because television, for the most part, sucks bad.
I plan to downgrade my cable service. I'm tired of paying big bucks every month for nothing to be on. Sick of bull shit reality shows for one thing. STAR reality shows are the worst ever. Models, the bachelor, etc. Those are all ridiculous and boring shows that take women back years in time, after such a struggle to get where we are. Oh yeah, what about the Brett Michael's reality show? God, these women that want to be on these shows are SO PATHETIC.
I think it's time we all stood up and fought the cable industry too. We should be able to pick and choose 10 channels, if that's what we want. That's about all I watch.
people must be reading again
I wait a couple of days to watch on Tivo. These idiots don't realize that's the whole point of having a DVR… Isn't their whole ratings system based upon watching in 24 hours? Yeah, try like a week! Ha ha ha… They so don't have a clue when it comes to what the viewers are doing…
Do the ratings take into consideration DVR?? I feel like many people aren't as consistant about sitting in front of the tv at 8:00pm on a weeknight when they can dvr every show they want and spend their lazy sundays watching them all and fast forwarding through commercials. Between that and watching shows online, people have more options.
Yup.
I watch: The Office, Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives and Samantha Who? the very next day online with LIMITED commercial interruptions.
So much better!
Night after night in the fall/winter I would go to watch TV. reruns, new reality. So I found other things to do. I think a lot of people have gotten out of the primetime habit. If it's good, I can catch it online. Network Primetime is no longer the only thing to watch or do!
Or maybe it's just that the shows suck. Greys was good the first year. Not it bites. It started biting when they started hooking everyone with everybody. CSI, Miami how long has this show been going on? Same for ER, they should have hung it up 5 years ago. . All the game shows. Eh. Boring. Boring. Boring. Reality reality TV. Oh hell no. I see enough people arguing and bikering in real life. I don't need it on TV. Idol - blah, these are the most boring talent ever. I used to love Earl, and even Earl is boring. The shows that are out now are just awfulness. I'm watching TV, but I have on mostly cable shows on in the background these days on the Home and Garden shows. There is just NOTHING interesting or intelligent out there right now.
Hey Mario why didn't you post a big "hooray for Hilary" post, seeing how she blew Obama out of the water last night…oh, wait, nevermind. Sure she got Indiana, but barely and not nearly with the strength to convince the superdelegates that they should sway in her direction.
I guess now even you can see the writing on the wall, that your girl Hill ain't got what it takes to be president. So now will you pout like a little child that your bitch wont get the nomination? Too bad for you, fat boy.
I think people are just getting sick of TV and a lot of the shit that the networks put on. People need to do other things and read more… THE TV IS FOR THE BRAINLESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!
yeah i never watch tv…..all my shows are online. if they aren't offered online - fuck it, i'm not watching them anyhow.
Grey's Anatomy, all the CSIs, American Idol, Deal or No Deal and The Simpsons are all boring. During the strike I started reading and am still doing so. Only turn on the TV to watch new issues of Law and Order.
Face it… since SIENFELD went off the air, it's been all downhill since then.
OH YEAH
IM FIRST LOOOL WHO CARES BUIT ITS STILL COOL
WHO GIVES A FUCK ABOUT TV, IT MAKES PEOPLE FAT….TV IS THE DEVIL, RUINS PEOPLES LIVES….WHO GIVES A FUCK?
Payback's a bitch! I hope the writers choke.
yeah I watch TV shows online ALL the time!
I don't even come near the TV anymore
Used to watch a lot more tv. As a middle class working man, there ARE NO network shows on TV that is worth watching. Every show insults my intelligence by showing men acting and behaving like they have shit for brains. Used to watch a lot of hockey but the lockout cured me of that. Still watch MMA, NCAA basketball & football, some baseball and NBA. But nothing like it used to be–probably 5-10% of previous sports viewing. Why waste 2-3.5 hours when I can go online and find results in 2-3 minutes??
Writing is an art and creativity is stimulated by connectivity.
The writers were disconnected too long and lost their momentum.
It will take several weeks to regain positive team interaction for the characters to reveal the plots and not plots driving the character's actions.
This season is over. Will the networks ever learn? It will take several years to recapture their lost revenue, if alternative viewing does not replace them.
The !!!
The only show that is worthy of my time is Ugly Betty and maybe The Bad Girls CLub lol I can't get enough of Tanishas crazy fat ass
It seemed to me like they did try to make it a big deal with radio commercials and stuff… Sorry, when you take a big break like that, we stop caring!! The writers strike made me start watching other shows and now I don't care about Grey's Anatomy anymore. IT SUCKS!
first off, i hear you on eddie and jobo everyday and you are awesome
second off, i just want to let you know that "Deal or No Deal" is not a reality show… its a game show, duh
I think the issue is more that so many shows suck - reach out to the lowest denominator. Also, people are too busy getting drunk in a depression for the economy.
search: crazyunicors
I stopped watching television shows when the writers strike started- I DESPISE re-runs, and now I've completely forgotten about my old shows… and television in general… I think the writers strike was the best thing that could have happened to me, I realized I was addicted to television shows.. and now i"m finally free
Maybe it's because people are getting off their butts and spending more time excercising. Maybe people are working later and don't have the time or energy to watch tv. I do think it's also the invention of DVR and TiVo, why watch it at the regular time when you can record it and fast foward through all the pointless commercials? I still watch my favorite tv shows, I just record them all.
No one watches it cause it SUCKS… everything on TV SUCKS now. The only good thing to watch now is the History Channel, for real.
I'm in college and don't have a tv (which is tragic b/c I'm a tv-aholic) but i watch all my shows online (at least the ones offered online). There are still loyal fans out there but we're just watching online. Broadcasting companies should take note of this (we still watch just not on tv).
I hate TV. To many adverts. I watch online or DVDs at my leisure.
TV is all commercials! I watch everything on line or just netflix it the next season.
LIke im goonna pay 50 bucks a month to fund commercials!
nothing on TV is worth the time, except PBS - which is commercial free!
Nobody watches t.v anymore. we've moved on to bigger and better things.. its like, so yesurday. with our busy schedules, internet, iphones and all that stuff who is actually gunna sit down and watch t.v???
Re: ANDREA – you are an idiot
Tv is just so yesterday to me! The internet is ALL I NEED!
Now that you mention it, I'm watching american dad online right at this moment. The only reason why is because tv consists of 99% reality BS and when they put reality shows in prime time EVERY SINGLE FUCKING DAY you know there's a problem somewhere.
Re: kristy –
exactly!!! it's definitely just so yesterday.
maybe people have discovered that tv is lame and there's better things to do
The only people who watch tv is senior citizen's.
Re: Jagger – you are an idiot
Tv programming will be obsolete by the year 2025
I know that I definitely watch most to all of my tv online. Four of the five shows I all watch are all on Monday nights in a two hour block… and because I haven't quite figured out the time travel thing, I watch at least two of them online each week, but it's usually more like all five.
When you DVR or TIVO a show and watch it later, it does not count as you "watching" the show as far as ratings are concerned. I think that's a big part of the problem!
Maybe everyone just realized that they can do other, more fullfilling, things besides watching tv.
Maybe there should be a rule that every loser who keeps writing "first" have to make a donation to one of the worthwhile causes. At least then it would make some sense. Otherwise STOP IT! You're rarely really first, and if you are nobody gives a shit.
I only care about The Office and watch netflix. There isn't anything family friendly on tv anymore. Bring back shows like Family Ties, Growing Pains, and Who's the Boss. People found better ways to spend their time than in front of a tv. Network heads need to realize that 99.9% (excluding The Office) of tv is crap.
I think everyone is into Guitar Hero
YES, people ARE watching TV online - and stupid CW has pulled some of their most popular shows - what are they thinking? Nielsen ratings are out of date.
Do like NBC and offer the episodes online the next day, with online ads and commercials. CW had something going there also with the name of the band and CD popping up below the show when a song was in the background. They should rethink pulling those streaming shows.
MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE FINALLY STARTING TO GET OFF THEIR FUCKING FAT ASSES AND GO OUTSIDE? GET SOME EXERCISE (EVER HEARD OF IT PEREZ?)? READ A BOOK, CLEAN THE DAMN HOUSE? TV IS SO 20TH CENTURY!
Personally I'm sick of all the stupid shit on TV. The only network I really watch anymore is ABC and I only watch Grey's and Lost when they actually air. All the rest I watch on the website. But seriously some of the stuff on youtube is better than the shit on TV.
I can honestly say I havent watched Tv.. in… well, sicne before xmas… I only watch TV online, I work 40-plus hours a week and am never home at the right times.. I watch Greys Anatomy, One Tree Hill, Prison Break, etc.. online all the time.. Tvs over! who has the time?
I actually cancelled my cable because I only watch TV online these days…I never really have the time to sit down and watch it, so it made more sense to me. Plus then I can watch it whenever I want to and not have to be tied to a schedule.
I don't know…personally I think Grey's Anatomy really sucks now. The first and second seasons were really good, but it's totally gone downhill. CSI rocks though…I love that show.
It is not the strike. It is the fact that every time you watch a show even when there is no commercial on they are advertising stuff at the bottom of the screen! Even having things race across the screen. Leave us alone when the program is on. I think people would rather wait on watch clips of there shows on the internet or just forget it all together!!!!! T.V. better start to wise up before it's too late!
I thank the writers for helping me discover that there's more to my life in the evenings besides vegging in front of the TV. I still tape some of the shows I really like, but I also forget to do it half the time…and I don't even care any more! So thanks from the bottom of my heart.
many cause we are all sick of the same shows come on how many years can someone watches idol and not be sick of it i was sick after season 2 its the same thing every year same with dwts same stuff every year give us something fresh and entertaining
This is actually good news! Hopefully this means that our kids are not watching tv either. Perhaps people are taking walks, reading books, working in the yard …. time better spent than watching TV!
Or maybe its just that those shows suck now! I can't speak of all of them because I don't watch every single one, but many of those shows lost my interest before the strike, I just watched them out of routine. Once my routine was broken, there was nothing left to draw me in.
people have gotten out of the habit of watching TV for the past few months! maybe they just haven't realized the shows they used to love are on again? or maybe they just have found better things to do with their time…i know i def. dont' watch as much TV as I used to…and it was b/c i jsut got used to knowing the writers strike fucked up my tv schedule!
CSI: Miami, The Simpsons, and Grey's Anatomy — all crappy shows. That's why no one's watching them. As for AI and Deal or No Deal? AI's run its course and Deal is the most ridiculously annoying show and I can't understand why anyone would watch it anyway. TV, like movies and music, are in a downward spiral because originality is dead.
Let's see, the writers go on strike and no new shows for 2+ months. They come back for what, 4 new episodes and then the actors will go on strike.
Yea sure, I'll devote my time to these losers !
BOYCOTT MTV AND VH1 UNTIL ALL OF THESE FAKE ASS "REALITY SHOWS" GET TOSSED. TELA, FLAVA, CELBRA CADABRA, RAP SUPERSTAR, MY CHILDS A STAR, THE HILLS, AMERICAS NEXT TOP MODEL, NEXT, PARENTAL CONTROL, ARE ALL NONSENCE! STUPID SHOWS LIKE THESE IS WHY I HATE MTV AND VH1 RIGHT NOW.
Actually they are all at home playing Grand Theft Auto IV lol
I think people want to watch shows at their leisure. I got rid of my tv because I was sick of my whole life revolving around having to be home by 7 or 8 to watch something. I think Americans want to experience all they can, in other words, they want to be able to have fun in the evenings—hobbies, kids games, art, family time, etc. AND they still like their shows, they just want to be able to watch them, like someone else said, "on a lazy Sunday." I also think it's cool that many people went out and did other activities during the strike.
We aren't watching because we're sick and tired of reality tv. There are no longer any shows that give cause to get excited about watching on a particular night like we used to. It's all rubbish. The people with the money who make the programming decisions are SO lame. They have no freaking idea what America wants to see. They cater to a small, shallow demographic. Families are hungry for something they can watch together that isn't crap. Bring back the sitcoms and you'll bring back your audience.