Producers: Fringe Won’t Die in Friday Night Graveyard

[Christopher]

Fringe audience isn't going up, it's gone way down.

Which is why it makes sense to move it to a night where expectations are lower so that the ratings don't have to be as high to count as a success. Ratings are not absolutes. They're highly context-dependent. A number that's too low on one night can be just right on another.

 

[PsychoPere]

Fringe audience isn't going up, it's gone way down..

In live viewings, or counting free ad-supported online streaming/pay VOD/DVR as well?

This article at Deadline has the statement I referred to in my previous post. It states that almost half of Fringe's overall audience is due to DVR. That means that the live numbers going down might not matter as much, just as Christopher outlined.

Pisser that the article didn't say what time it's going to be on.

Well, that was announced when FOX unveiled its new midseason schedule, so the statements in this article didn't really need to bother with that. If you'd like to see that full schedule, there's a thread in TVM here with it.

 

[mswood]

Well that would matter only if DVR business actually generated significant revenue.

First.

The only real measure of what generates ad based revenue for the network (and since this show isn't owned by Fox no other income gets to the network) and that is C+3 ratings. Measurements of the commercial viewing during the hour (or half hour depending on the type of programming you are watching) gets viewed. DVR viewers skip commercials more then live viewers, thats a fact. That means you could have a large audience of viewers watching on DVR and since in general they watch very few commercials, then very little additional revenue is generated.

The ad buyers don't care one wit about how many people actually watch the shows, just who watches the commercials.

Now we almost never get to see the C3 ratings, but the one week they were released, Fringe was not a show that benefitted. Family Guy (for some reason) was one show that people watched the commercials at a higher rate then shows that had similar total viewer numbers.

Only Product placement is geared to people who actually watch the episodes, everything is based on how many people (and if they watch all of them) watch the commercials.

As we speak the networks are so upset about DVR's that they are trying to get the platform made so that you can't skip the commercials, because nothing has harmed tv revenue more in recent years then DVR's.

Networks use DVR for press releases because its their way of trying to show that they aren't bleeding viewers. But for the actual business of generating revenue DVR's are almost worthless.

 

[mswood]

Fringe audience isn't going up, it's gone way down.

Which is why it makes sense to move it to a night where expectations are lower so that the ratings don't have to be as high to count as a success. Ratings are not absolutes. They're highly context-dependent. A number that's too low on one night can be just right on another.

Yes, but the problem is most shows take a significant drop in ratings on the move to Friday. In fact over the last 5 years I can't find one single show that either held steady or improved from the move.

Typically you see drops of 20-30%, often even larger. Last year Smallville dropped 36.6% from its move. This year SN is doing better then most with a 15% season drop to date from its 9pm Thursday birth.

 

[mswood]

As for ad supported online viewing, we also need to understand one viewer there generates a lot less then one viewer watching the live broadcast. And the reason is twofold. One: they show far, far viewer commercials. THus less revenue. Two: Currently the ads that are played on line typically don't generate the same pay as a normal commercial would on tv.

 

[PsychoPere]

Three posts in a row? Have you heard of the Edit button, by chance?

 

[sidious618]

I'm keeping my hopes up for Fridays. If the produces thought the show was in big trouble they'd say so and beg us to watch as many others have done in the past.

Psycho- who is the hottie in your avatar?

 

[mswood]

Three posts in a row? Have you heard of the Edit button, by chance?

No I haven't, please explain this "edit" button.

 

[PsychoPere]

I'm keeping my hopes up for Fridays. If the produces thought the show was in big trouble they'd say so and beg us to watch as many others have done in the past.

I agree with you there. Shawn Ryan, for example, hasn't been shy on Twitter about Terriers being a long-shot for renewal. I can understand why some people might not believe statements from FOX executives, even though I agree with those who point out that these aren't the same folks who used to so quickly axe underperforming shows, but the actual showrunners have no reason not to be frank, and in fact every reason to be completely honest.

Psycho- who is the hottie in your avatar?

Kerry Bishé. Right now she's probably best known for her role as Lucy Bennett on the ninth season of Scrubs. She also had a role on RDM's Virtuality pilot. The avatar comes from a scene in Edward Burns's fantastic new film Nice Guy Johnny, a film that I highly recommend trying to catch. It should be easy to find On Demand, on iTunes, or even on Xbox Live Video Marketplace.

 

[sidious618]

You're a fan of Terriers, too? I've emailed FX to know that I love the show and want it to keep going.

 

[PsychoPere]

Yeah, I've been loving Terriers. In my opinion, it's the best new show of the fall season. It's one of the few shows that my parents and I both watch (another notable example being fellow FX show Sons of Anarchy), with me having turned them onto it in the first place, so we've been supporting the show so far with DVR numbers. Now that the season is over, I'm going to "do my bit" in another two ways: 1) I'm finally going to get around to typing out and sending an email; and 2) I'm going to rewatch the season with my recordings up until the earliest episode online at Hulu, then let those episodes take over to try to help with streaming numbers. If I wasn't unemployed right now, I'd go buy the season on iTunes too, but I'm just going to have to wait for the DVDs for now to own it.

Hell, if in some hypothetical world, I had to choose between Fringe or Terriers getting another season, I'd start to lose my mind before ultimately settling on Terriers.

 

[AviTrek]

Fringe audience isn't going up, it's gone way down.

Which is why it makes sense to move it to a night where expectations are lower so that the ratings don't have to be as high to count as a success. Ratings are not absolutes. They're highly context-dependent. A number that's too low on one night can be just right on another.

Yes, but the problem is most shows take a significant drop in ratings on the move to Friday. In fact over the last 5 years I can't find one single show that either held steady or improved from the move.

Typically you see drops of 20-30%, often even larger. Last year Smallville dropped 36.6% from its move. This year SN is doing better then most with a 15% season drop to date from its 9pm Thursday birth.

Except Smallville kept enough viewers that not only did it get a 2nd season on Friday night, but it would get a 3rd if it wasn't well past time for the show to end.

 

[Obiwanshinobi]

The big EVENT episode this week will be a serious indicator as to the shows survival. The producers sent out screener copies about a week ago and the critical buzz for it is huge with everyone saying not only is it the best of the season, but a game-changer that matches the best of the show fullstop. If that buzz can translate with the viewers, and the strength of the episode pull in a few more Friday TV-people then the show has a real chance.

I genuinely adore this show, even with all its faults and I think it has 2.5 more decent seasons of storytelling left in it. Given Alias and Lost got to finis their stories (however convoluted and contrived people may have felt they were/became) I think it only fair that the far more straightforward and, honestly, fun show out of the JJ-stables should be allowed to reach a natural completion also.


Hugo - eagerly awaits the season 3 dvd's when he can catch up on the show

So what was the game changing moment again for this big EVENT episode? That she's back now? That's it? Maybe I misread this. Because it still feels like the same show to me.

 

[Hugo Rune]

The big EVENT episode this week will be a serious indicator as to the shows survival. The producers sent out screener copies about a week ago and the critical buzz for it is huge with everyone saying not only is it the best of the season, but a game-changer that matches the best of the show fullstop. If that buzz can translate with the viewers, and the strength of the episode pull in a few more Friday TV-people then the show has a real chance.

I genuinely adore this show, even with all its faults and I think it has 2.5 more decent seasons of storytelling left in it. Given Alias and Lost got to finis their stories (however convoluted and contrived people may have felt they were/became) I think it only fair that the far more straightforward and, honestly, fun show out of the JJ-stables should be allowed to reach a natural completion also.


Hugo - eagerly awaits the season 3 dvd's when he can catch up on the show

So what was the game changing moment again for this big EVENT episode? That she's back now? That's it? Maybe I misread this. Because it still feels like the same show to me.

Dude, I've not watched anything of S3, I was just paraphrasing the non-spoiler reviews I have read. Sorry it didn't live up to the American reviews or the producer's hype. I don't get to watch this show until it's on DVD due to (a) not being American, and (b) not having access to the channel on which Fringe airs...


Hugo - the friendliest detective

 

[Starbreaker]

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/14/fringe-friday-death-sentence-promo/

FOX is using the negative attention to it's advantage.

 

[label]

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/14/fringe-friday-death-sentence-promo/

FOX is using the negative attention to it's advantage.

Good. Anything that can give the show at least 1 more year to build on the last couple of excellent seasons is a good thing. How more people who like Sci-Fi aren't watching this show always amazes me. I understand it was pretty rough the first part of Season 1 but it's so much better than that now.

Besides, it's not as if there's a glut of great Sci-Fi programming on right now........Fringe is as good as about as good it gets until something new comes along.

By the way, that's a great promo.

 

[Starbreaker]

Just imagine... SGU is hanging on with 1/5 of the viewers Fringe is. SF just isn't cool on TV right now.

 

[Christopher]

Just imagine... SGU is hanging on with 1/5 of the viewers Fringe is.

No comparison. Fringe is on a major network, SGU on cable. It's a given that the ratings for the cable show will be lower, and the budgets are lower on cable so the ratings don't have to be as high for a show to break even. So the standards of success are different.

 

[sidious618]

http://www.collider.com/2010/12/14/fringe-friday-death-sentence-promo/

FOX is using the negative attention to it's advantage.

That's awesome. I love it. I have my hopes up for a renewal, I must admit.

 

[Greylock Crescent]

Great promo. Nothing like embracing the obvious!