CW Network May Fold If Ratings Don't Improve: Report

Silicon Alley Insider:

The CW has a tortured relationship with the Web. Last month the youth-oriented network tried to stop ratings declines for its "hit" show "Gossip Girl" by taking episodes off the Web. That didn't really work. Now, with ratings down 28%, the WSJ says the CW might just have one more season to prove itself before at least one of its co-owners -- it doesn't specify whether that's Time Warner (TWX) or CBS -- bails out.

What does the Journal think is wrong with The CW? You guessed it:

Part of the problem is that the CW's young audience is most prone to spend leisure time on the Internet. Last winter's Hollywood writers' strike, which forced scripted shows off the air for three months, hastened the defection of viewers to the Web.

Read the whole story: Silicon Alley Insider

Comments

[mamacat]

05:37 PM on 05/18/2008

They have gotten rid of the shows that people liked to watch, and haven't replaced them with anything of quality, other than reaper. They have a ratings problem? What a surprise. They seem hell-bent on self destruction.

[ebanks84]

08:15 PM on 05/17/2008

Good. I'm glad they will fold. After being second fiddle to FOX noise, they deserve to fold. I thought they were better than that. After Anderson Cooper and Glenn Beck turned my stomach with their biased reports, I flip from there and never looked back. They might as well be FOX 2.

I would rather look at the sharp Chris Matthews and the honest Keith Olberman and of course, Rachel Maddow any day.

Buy CNN. You did it to yourself!

[ebanks84]

08:19 PM on 05/17/2008

Oops, that's how much I read. I thought it said CNN. Oh well, it got that off my chest anyway:)

[NuAgeDok]

09:50 PM on 05/16/2008

President of Entertainment Dawn Ostroff (the Les Moonves of the CW Network) is the driving force behind the downward spiral of the CW. She deep-sixed Everwood and pushed Gilmore Girls out the door and the merger of UPN and the WB was doomed from the beginning.

Ostroff seems to have little or no idea of what a quality TV show is but has pulled the wool over the eyes over the investors and the rest of management in this mediocre outfit.

Pandering to teen queens seems to be Ostroff's strong suite but it looks like that demographic won't pay the bills at the CW. Good riddance - I hope they go down.

[SuiginTou7]

09:49 PM on 05/16/2008

Okay, I never knew it exsisted. Hmm and from the posting here, it looks like I haven't miss anything, so So Long CW, I'll stick to the Cartoon Network (Better Ratings),LOL

[revko]

06:13 PM on 05/16/2008

Is that why it's loggo looks like an artsy "OW"

[wm1066]

05:08 PM on 05/16/2008

I blocked this station when it was run by Sinclar. They ran the swiftboat message against Kerry, and I never unblocked it, so I never watch CW. I assume the same rightwing group runs CW.

[windyindie41]

04:42 PM on 05/16/2008

The beginning of the end for UPN/WB was when WB lost "Buffy the Vampire Slayer", their flagship show, to UPN, who in turn were only able to get two seasons out of a show they spent a ton of money on. Then, even though it was their best show, both in terms of quaility and ratings, the WB canceled "Angel", the reason at the time being they were thinking of doing an update of "Dark Shadows" (an idea that failed eariler at NBC), and they "did't want two vampire shows on the air at the same time". A year or so later, UPN canceled their best show, "Star Trek: Enterprise", which was also reaching a well publicized creative peak.

The only thing left on either network that I cared about was "Smallville", which was the highest ratest show on either network at the time of the CW merger. Now, after a pretty stupid seventh season, "Smallville" is set to end next year, leaving the CW completely without anything evenly remotely worht watching.

[Ides]

02:39 PM on 05/16/2008

I like a lot of their shows, they just juggle the schedule like a drunken clown and refuse to transition fully to the internet in the same way EVERY OTHER NETWORK HAS.

In fact, the CW should be a purely internet station since their viewership is so young, that way they can keep their ratings competitive. They need to reinvent viewing because they can't compete against The Simpsons or Law and Order or The Office and I don't know why they pretend they can.

[Wickywoo]

11:52 AM on 05/16/2008

"What does CW stand for anyway"

CBS/Warner

[Wickywoo]

11:51 AM on 05/16/2008

Reaper is a great show, Veronica Mars WAS a great show, Smallville continues to rape the Superman franchise with Clark the Supervillain Slayer, what else do they have? Nothing.

They need to stop making crap. I'm shocked Reaper was even saved

[tombollocks]

11:46 AM on 05/16/2008

Poor writers
Poor concepts
Poor logo
And mostly, that damned ugly kelly green background

Goodby CW. You won't be missed.

[mediamarv]

11:44 AM on 05/16/2008

What does CW stand for anyway?? I have never watched and my Dish system doesn't explain.