Digital shift impacts
TV viewership
Other shorts: Warner Bros. and Fox stations end 'Twisted' run
By Louisa Ada Seltzer
Jul 24, 2009
Nielsen: TV viewership slightly hurt by digital switch
The analog-to-digital conversion did result in a decline of TV viewership, according to Nielsen, but the decrease didn’t last for long. Viewing levels are essentially back where they were before the changeover happened, Nielsen said yesterday in a blog posted by Media Client Services North America president Sara Erichson. “Those stations that transitioned on June 12th saw some decline in viewing in the two weeks immediately following the transition compared to the two weeks prior,” she said, explaining that stations changing their digital signal from UHF to VHF were most affected because some homes had to rescan sets or converter boxes and others had to acquire a new antenna that received both UHF and VHF digital signals. “However, this decline in viewing was largely temporary and in recent weeks we have seen audiences returning. As more homes sort out problems with antennas and converters this return to prior levels should continue.” Erichson said currently just 1.3 percent of TV households are still unready for digital, compared to 10.5 percent in January.
Warner Bros. and Fox stations end ‘Twisted’ run
Warner Bros. and Fox TV stations are moving beyond “Twisted.” “Beyond Twisted,” a video mash-up show that premiered in syndication less than three weeks ago, has been pulled off the air after a disappointing performance in a limited launch. The show, from “TMZ” executive producer Harvey Levin, will air its last episode today. “Twisted” aired in a test run on six Fox affiliates, and word is that the show’s rather meager numbers suggest it would perform best in a late-night slot, according to Broadcasting & Cable. It averaged a 1.1 household rating and 3 share in its first two weeks, down 42 percent from last year’s timeslot average. Production on the show has stopped for now. Meanwhile, there are rumors floating about another syndicated show that may stop before it starts. The launch of Program Partners’ new Marie Osmond talk program is in question due to the economy – there may not be enough money to get the show off the ground.
Programming notes: NFL Draft goes primetime
The NFL Draft is ready for primetime. The 2010 draft will begin on Thursday, April 22 at 7:30 p.m., making it the first time it will ever air in primetime. The first round of the draft will take place on Thursday, with rounds two and three on Friday beginning at 6:30 p.m. and rounds four through seven on Saturday. This year’s draft began on Saturday, April 25, at 4 p.m., with ESPN averaging 5.06 million total viewers for its coverage. Meanwhile, in other programming, ReelzChannel on July 27 at 10:30 p.m. will air “Fascination with Fear: Spotlight,” which will examine Discovery Channel’s annual “Shark Week,” which begins on Discovery on Aug. 2. And Spanish-language broadcaster Telemundo and its English-language cable cousin mun2 will air a World Cup qualifier soccer match between the U.S. and Mexico on Aug. 12 at 3:55 p.m. It will be the first-ever major sporting event to air on mun2 and also the first to air simultaneously on the two networks.
Poll: 92 percent of advertisers using web
It seems online is the only ad medium to see an appreciable uptick in usage this year compared to last. That’s according to a newly released LinkedIn Research Network/Harris Poll of 1,015 agency and corporation ad decisionmakers, which found that 74 percent of those using internet advertising are doing so more than a year ago. Another 69 percent say the same for digital ads, like mobile advertising. By contrast, fewer advertisers are increasing their use of more traditional ad media. Thirty-eight percent of advertisers are using less television, while 49 percent are using less print advertising and 43 percent are using less radio. The internet also captures the broadest base of advertisers, with 92 percent using the web compared to 88 percent using print ads. Forty-six percent use radio and television. Still, online is often used as just one part of a campaign, with just 14 percent saying they use it alone compared to 54 who employ it as part of an integrated campaign with other media.
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