Comedies Give ABC Hope for the New Season
(USA Today) -- ABC is down but not out as the new TV season settles into its third week. The struggling network has managed to come up with at least one hit comedy and is winning Tuesdays among young adults, though overall results are still down from last year. ‘’They needed to stop the bleeding, and to a certain degree I think they have,’’ says Magna Global USA media analyst Steve Sternberg. ‘’But it’s going to take more than one year to rebound.’’ In the meantime, the season is shaping up as a battle between champ NBC and steadily gaining challenger CBS. It’s hard to make early judgments. Many TV fans are trying out new shows they will reject later, and 80% of those series ultimately will fail. But most broadcast networks have at least one newcomer gaining traction, a positive sign in a TV climate in which cable is nibbling away at the big guys’ dominance. ABC’s 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, NBC’s American Dreams and CBS’ CSI: Miami and Hack are winning their time slots. WB’s Everwood and Fox’s Fastlane are strong contenders for younger viewers.
(USA Today) -- ABC is down but not out as the new TV season settles into its third week. The struggling network has managed to come up with at least one hit comedy and is winning Tuesdays among young adults, though overall results are still down from last year. ‘’They needed to stop the bleeding, and to a certain degree I think they have,’’ says Magna Global USA media analyst Steve Sternberg. ‘’But it’s going to take more than one year to rebound.’’ In the meantime, the season is shaping up as a battle between champ NBC and steadily gaining challenger CBS. It’s hard to make early judgments. Many TV fans are trying out new shows they will reject later, and 80% of those series ultimately will fail. But most broadcast networks have at least one newcomer gaining traction, a positive sign in a TV climate in which cable is nibbling away at the big guys’ dominance. ABC’s 8 Simple Rules for Dating My Teenage Daughter, NBC’s American Dreams and CBS’ CSI: Miami and Hack are winning their time slots. WB’s Everwood and Fox’s Fastlane are strong contenders for younger viewers.