Thursday

Reality, schmeality.
Scripted TV rules.

Fact: Accounts for more ratings points than in '01

By Kevin Downey

   Forget what you've heard: Reality TV is not taking over primetime. It only seems that way.
   Maybe that's because nearly half of last night’s lineup was given over to unscripted programs, including two newsmagazines and five hours of reality.
   Truth is, scripted shows still dominate primetime, and in fact scripted shows are more dominant now than two years ago.
   For all the talk of a flush of new reality shows, it's real scripted shows that are fluffing out network schedules.
   Moreover, a study by Magna Global USA reports that sitcoms and dramas accounted for a higher percentage of rating points in the February sweeps than they did in 2002 and even more than two seasons ago, when ABC’s “Who Wants to be a Millionaire” accounted for the bulk of unscripted hours.
   Sitcoms, for example, accounted for 18 percent of household rating points this sweeps through mid-February, compared to 16 percent two seasons ago. Dramas accounted for 41 percent of household ratings, which was up from 36 percent in 2001.
   “There’s no question that the foundation of the networks is still the scripted programs,” says Steve Sternberg, senior vice president and director of audience analysis at Magna.
   “I think you’ll see just as many scripted shows in the fall as you have in the past. When you get to January and February, when the networks increase their repeat loads, you’ll see another ‘Bachelor,’ another ‘Survivor,’ but reality will not be all over the schedule.”
   An increasing percentage of ratings for scripted shows even holds for most of the demographic audiences advertisers favor.
   Dramas accounted for a higher percentage of rating points across all demographic groups, while sitcoms accounted for an equal or higher percentage of rating points among people 12-17, adults 35-49, and adults 50-plus.
   The only exception was among adults 18-34. Sitcoms accounted for 21 percent of rating points in that demo compared to 24 percent two seasons ago.
   The reason it seems reality is taking over, of course, is that every day seems to bring a new reality show.
   But Sternberg points out that scripted shows are maintaining their status because reality is largely filling in for other genres that are falling off.
   “A lot of that has to do with the fact that there are about six fewer hours of movies than there used to be,” he says.
   “Also, when you look at the reality shows, you have limited runs of shows like ‘Joe Millionaire.’ And if you really think about it, there has really only been about one reality hit on each of the networks during the regular season.”
   It also seems that with time the networks are figuring out where reality fits into their schedules. Expect to see them mostly in midseason, when the networks traditionally cancel under-performing shows, and the summer.
   CBS president Les Moonves may have been correct a month ago, when he said about reality shows, “The world as we know it is over.” He just might have overestimated reality’s impact.
   The networks are already returning their focus to scripted shows, perhaps having been bruised one too many times by poor ratings for reality shows like Fox’s new “Married by America.”
   “We probably even have a few more comedies in development than we did last year,” says Curt King, a spokesperson for NBC.
   “We’re looking for scripted hits because the longer-term success of a network is based on scripted fair. Look at ‘Friends,’ it’s a top-rated show in 18-49s and it’s going into its 10th season.”
   Most of the networks have at least a few scripted shows still coming this season.
   ABC, for example, has the Daniel Stern comedy “Regular Joe” and “Lost at Home,” a sitcom about an advertising executive, debuting this month.
   Fox has three scripted shows premiering this month, including sitcoms “Wanda at Large” and “Oliver Beene.” UPN has the upcoming hip-hop drama “Platinum,” the WB has the drama “Black Sash,” and NBC is bringing back last year’s “Watching Ellie” and an updated “Hunter.”
   “I don’t know where things are going to go, but I’m sure reality shows will still show up in the sweeps as quick fixes,” says Shari Anne Brill, vice president and director of programming services at Carat.
   “But I hope the networks come up with good scripted shows because that’s what a network is built on and it gives them more credibility with advertisers.”

-Kevin Downey is a staff writer for Media Life.

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