Broadcast TV has a problem. (No, not Two and a Half Men, although, trust me, that show’s got more problems than my uncle Benny’s waistband after an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord.) The trouble here is that the average TV audience is getting older while advertisers are still grabbing for the youth market golden ring.
A new Baseline Inc. report just revealed that the median age for folks watching ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX is a mature 51-years-old. Now, that may have something to do with the fact that some youngsters are flocking to the Internet as their entertainment hub. (Those crazy whippersnappers.) But whatever the reason, this graying of the viewing public has TV producers scratching their collective noggin.
Case in point, ABC’s number one show is Dancing With the Stars. The median audience age? A whopping 60. Try selling them on the latest teen makeup line or multi-keyboard smartphone. And even the median age for perennial favorite American Idol has jumped from 36 to 44 over the past seven seasons.
Big TV’s solution so far? Well, it seems to be to make their shows “edgier” in hopes of attracting a hipper crowd. But that may not be working. The fall season has just started out, but a number of new releases across the network spectrum are already sucking gas in the ratings. Fox’s Lone Star was scrapped after only two episodes.
Personally I think the networks and advertisers just need to get with the program and recognize what they’ve got to work with. Why not draw in the younger crowd with some really family friendly stuff? Then you’ll get the thirtysomethings and all their kids who just have to have the top-of-the-line iPad. Besides, it’s not like the over 40 crowd doesn’t buy stuff. I say show them what they want.
(Just, please, no more Viagra commercials.)
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