Media Life Magazine - Bankable: 'America's Next Top Model'

Homepage

Alternative media

Cable

Classifieds

Magazines

Media economy

New media

Newspapers

Out of Home

People

Rachel speaks

Radio

Research

Television

TV Reviews

Webinars

Media Economy Newsletter

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Last week

Yearly Archives

About us

Subscribe

Advertise

Contact us

Write to the editor

Press releases

Post a classified

Bankable: 'America's
Next Top Model'

In a sea of reality, the CW show should stand out

By Diego Vasquez
Feb 20, 2008

Share |

Odd as it now seems, when “America’s Next Top Model” premiered on UPN nearly five years ago, it was little more than an afterthought. Shot on the cheap and airing in the slow summer months, the show gained viewers throughout its first season and eventually became the network’s top show.

It’s now the CW’s No. 1 program as well, and it premieres its 10th season tonight at 8 p.m. Fourteen contestants will compete for a $100,000 modeling contract, with Tyra Banks acting as both mentor and vetter to the girls amid a string of photo shoots and catwalk contests.

Unlike most aging reality shows, “Model” hasn’t seen much viewership erosion. The show averaged 5.2 million total viewers last fall, even to the previous two editions on the CW. It does best among the network’s target adults 18-34 and women 18-34.

Even so, the show is making a few changes. This edition will be filmed in New York after years on the West Coast, allowing the contestants to take in the city’s world-famous Fashion Week. Also this season, Banks chooses 14 finalists instead of the usual 13.

And a new judge is joining the show, and from the looks of tonight’s episode, she has more bite than the old one. Former supermodel Paulina Porizkova replaces Twiggy, and the early word is that she has bit of the Janice Dickinson snark that gave the early seasons of “Model” its wonderful edge.

Even if “Model” sees ratings slip this cycle, it’s still by far the CW’s dominant show, and the network is using it to build other franchises. Reruns of “Pussycat Dolls Present: Girlicious” will air after “Model,” where last year they did quite well.

A look at this week’s top TV draws
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 20
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	ABC	“Good Morning America” (N)	Sean “P. Diddy” Combs guests.
8 p.m.	CW	“America’s Next Top Model” (R)	Season premiere. Starting with 35 hopefuls, just 14 will remain after tonight.
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	This time it’s the top 12 females’ turn to show what they got.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Supernanny” (R)	Performed reasonably well last week, but how will it hold up against a second hour of “Idol?”
10 p.m.	NBC	“Law & Order” (D)	A doctor is murdered while at a convention, but he may not have been the intended target.
10 p.m.	Bravo	“Project Runway” (R)	This season’s designers chat about their experiences in a reunion episode.
10 p.m.	VH1	“Flavor of Love 3” (R)	Flav gets the females to dress as nurses and tell him ways they’ll heal his broken heart.
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 21
Time	Network	Program	Description
8 p.m.	Fox	“American Idol” (R)	Two men and two women are eliminated, leaving 20 behind.
8 p.m.	Univision	“Premio Lo Nuestro 2008” (A)	The annual awards show usually draws strong ratings.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Celebrity Apprentice” (R)	The teams have to produce 10-minute segments for a home shopping network.
9 p.m.	ABC	“Lost” (D)	Kate continues to try and pry information from the hostage.
10 p.m.	ABC	“Eli Stone” (D)	Eli has trouble dealing with the end of his engagement to Taylor.
10 p.m.	NBC	“Lipstick Jungle” (D)	Wendy tries to appear more family-friendly after a scathing book suggests she’s not.
10 p.m.	Bravo	“Make Me a Supermodel” (R)	The models pose in the woods, then do a runway show alongside wild animals.
FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 22
Time	Network	Program	Description
7 a.m.	NBC	“Today” (N)	Singer Enrique Iglesias performs live from Miami.
8 p.m.	CBS	“The Price is Right” (G)	Drew Carey brings the daytime game show to primetime.
8 p.m.	E!	“Heath Ledger: A Tragic End” (N)	A tribute to the late actor.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Amne$ia” (G)	Series premiere. Dennis Miller hosts this new quiz show.
9 p.m.	USA	“Monk” (D)	Season finale. Monk, initially presumed dead, tries to clear his name of murder charges.
10 p.m.	Sci Fi Channel	“Stargate Atlantis” (D)	First of a two-parter introduces a plague that affects humans in the Pegasus galaxy.
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23
Time	Network	Program	Description
2 p.m.	NBC	“PGA Golf” (S)	Semifinal play from the WGC Match Play Championship.
3:30 p.m.	ABC	“College Basketball” (S)	Either Oklahoma-Texas or Oregon-UCLA.
8 p.m.	Fox	“Cops” (R)	Cops in Kansas City track down a murder suspect.
9 p.m.	NBC	“Knight Rider” (M)	If you missed the initial airing last Sunday and – gasp – don’t have a DVR, NBC has you covered.
9 p.m.	ESPN	“College Basketball” (S)	Tennessee could be the last regular-season test for undefeated Memphis.
9:30 p.m.	HBO	“Boxing” (S)	Wladimir Klitschko takes on Sultan Ibragimov at Madison Square Garden to unify two heavyweight titles.
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Time	Network	Program	Description
2 p.m.	NBC	“PGA Golf” (S)	Final match in the WGC Match Play Championship, won last year by Henrik Stenson.
2:30 p.m.	ABC	“NBA Basketball” (S)	The Pistons travel to Phoenix to take on Shaq and the new-look Suns.
3:30 p.m.	Fox	“NASCAR Racing” (S)	The Auto Club 500, won last year by Matt Kenseth.
7 p.m.	ABC	“Barbara Walters Special” (A)	The venerable newswoman interviews the hottest stars of now.
8 p.m.	CBS	“Big Brother” (R)	Two of the houseguests are nominated for eviction.
8:30 p.m.	ABC	“80th Academy Awards” (A)	Jon Stewart makes his second hosting appearance. How will ratings fare?
10 p.m.	E!	“Girls Next Door” (R)	The girls prepare for Bridget’s birthday party.
A = awards show or special, C = comedy, D = drama, DD = daytime drama, G = game show, K = kids, M = movie, N = news/documentary, R = reality, S = sports, T = talk/variety show.