Whedonesque : Comments on 19131 : The Friday TV Landscape.

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February 17 2009

The Friday TV Landscape. A look at the strategies broadcast networks have in store for Fridays. Dollhouse gets a mention.

Preston Beckman, Fox’s executive VP of strategic planning, says that "Fox’s gambit is one born of need, not ambition." and:

“One of the reasons why we’re doing what we’re doing on Friday is we’re fortunate to have an embarrassment of riches,” he said. “We’re doing so well on all the other nights of the week that there’s really no room for these shows other than Friday. That’s a good problem to have.”

wiesengrund | Dollhouse | 00:15 CET | 17 comments total | tags: dollhouse

It's weird that this article doesn't mention how Dollhouse and Terminator actually fared on the 13th. I wonder why not.

phlebotinin | February 17, 00:20 CET

Not really, because it links to their other article about a "warm welcome".

The One True b!X | February 17, 00:23 CET

Does anyone know if they have counted the hulu/online viewings?

ShanshuBugaboo | February 17, 01:42 CET

Shanshu, that stuff (and DVR usage) tends to have at least a week (and sometimes 2 weeks) lag. Fox will look closely at the hulu numbers (since it a joint venture between Fox and NBC), but it may not be published to the public.

TamaraC | February 17, 02:15 CET

Thanks TamaraC. I'm hoping that they'll take the hulu viewings into account. A lot young people watch online the next day.

ShanshuBugaboo | February 17, 02:23 CET

And...(drumroll)...Ghost is now the #1 selling TV show episode on iTunes.

[ edited by phlebotinin on 2009-02-17 02:26 ]

phlebotinin | February 17, 02:26 CET

Here's what I like: the picture to accompany the article? "Dollhouse." (Yeah, there was one for some other show, but who cares?)

So... nice, but knowing that the “WWE Friday Night Smackdown” also managed to top 4 million viewers tends to put things in perspective. Weren't they the ones who were supposed to watch Echo gratuitously toss her wind-swept-hair and dance around in her barely-a-dress?

BreathesStory | February 17, 02:42 CET

BreathesStory, who is the they you are referring to? WWE viewers were supposed to watch Dollhouse? Ummmmm no.

TamaraC | February 17, 03:04 CET

Actually, TamaraC, I think BreathesStory is right, at least about Fox's intentions and their target audience.

Septimus | February 17, 03:11 CET

Really? How? Why? The demo for WWE is a completely different group. Anyone have any link, quotes, anything that says anyone at Fox would like a piece of the knuckledraggers that watch WWE? I've never seen anything like that.

TamaraC | February 17, 03:54 CET

I'm not sure that the demographics are quite finely-tuned enough to account for the "knuckledragger" subcategory, but my understanding is that WWE is watched primarily by 18 to 34 year old males, the same demo that Fox typically targets, especially with all of the T&A ads they've been running.

(One of the "explanations" for DH's less-than-stellar numbers on Friday was that they were watching WWE or seeing Friday the 13th, for what it's worth.)

Septimus | February 17, 03:58 CET

There's no need to insult WWE fans in passing.

Sunfire | February 17, 04:00 CET

Where have you seen that "explanation", Septimus? I haven't seen that one in all the articles over the weekend. Or are you just speculating? Sorry, Sunfire, that was probably a bit OTT.

TamaraC | February 17, 18:34 CET

Well, people are slow. I think next week will be better.

korkster | February 17, 18:37 CET

I'm afraid there's no way I'm going to be able to give you an actual citation, TamaraC. No doubt it came from whedonesque (through which all of my Whedon-related information is funneled) and may have even/only been in someone's comments here. The Friday the 13th speculation has been all over the place. As for the WWE, I'll look for it, but I'm not sure I'll find it.

Septimus | February 17, 18:42 CET

Friday the 13th I can almost understand, but WWE has the same amount of viewers every Friday. It never changes. They are a constant. And they are not the market Fox was going after. If you told me that Fox advertised Dollhouse on MyNetwork during WWE the week before then maybe you might have something. Otherwise it is just uninformed speculation. Which is fine, btw, but let's just call it that instead of making it sound like one of the trades mentioned WWE in connection to Dollhouse.

TamaraC | February 17, 18:54 CET

Wow. What a debate.

My original WWE Friday Night Smackdown comment was just something that I personally found amusing.

With all our ruminating around here concerning the thought processes in FOX Network Exec Brains, it seemed to me that a general consensus here believes (rightly or wrongly) that some of the more fan-controversial bits from "Ghost" (i.e. motorcycle, dress, bathroom, boxing) were aimed at some theoretical, possibly mythical audience of the sort that in MY mind, might have chosen to watch the "Smackdown."

After all, I've read numerous comments here referring to FOX's possible "fingerprints" being "all over" the episode. And all the posited reasons for said "fingerprints."

And that 4 million number was just hanging around there at the bottom of their list beggin' for little lines to be drawn, especially given the Dollhouse numbers. The article DID state that "Smackdown" crossed the 4 million viewer mark last month, so their numbers ARE in flux and going up. People here seem to believe that FOX was trying for some of those viewers.

And therefore...the funny.
In a perhaps blackish way.
Happy controversy!

BreathesStory | February 17, 22:55 CET

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