TV by the Numbers - Latest Comments in Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Debbie — Sat, 24 May 2008 18:29:41 -0000

I may be naive-but I just don't get it. The network has to make money,got that, but there is SO MUCH really bad television out there. Why would you drop a program that has held its own, has class and even more possibities to show ,after one season? Is it smart to spend money on a new project when you have a diamond like MOONLIGHT right in front you? Moonlight , you will be missed. May the powers that be reconsider.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

swiss100 — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:03:14 -0000

Shonda,
I feel your pain...the best we can hope for is another network picking the show up. That said, there are hurdles to climb, one of them being Alex O's contractural ties to CBS which could preclude him from participating in Moonlight. Another is the fact that the show is expensive to produce relative to programming on CW or SciFi (many shows made in Canada)...not to say it can't be done and so far, WB has yet to pull down the sets or told the organizers of the crusade to stop. Clearly, somebody is listening and there are efforts to save the show. We can hope, but we have to be real too, it's long odds.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

shonda — Tue, 20 May 2008 02:17:20 -0000

When one is discussing vampires DEAD isnt an option. Vampires live forever!!! I don't understand the business side of all of this, but I know that I enjoyed watching Moonlight every single Friday night. I am hoping someone else picks up the show or CBS comes to its senses. I for one will not be watching anything on CBS, this was the one and only show I enjoyed on their network, so its not a stretch to say I wont be watching. Hope they realize the mistake they made. Women wanting to watch more women??? Ha what a joke!!!! Someone needs to get a reality check and I dont mean that crappy reality tv either.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Guess Who — Mon, 19 May 2008 15:21:39 -0000

Moonlight is dead and buried. It aint coming back now matter how many bags of blood are donated. After the Jericho fiasco where the ballyhooed NUTS Campaign resulted in the loss of millions of viewers the networks arent going to listen to a few hundreds crazed fans no matter what they do.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Jen — Mon, 19 May 2008 09:47:36 -0000

Negative people need to get a life. When your done working your part time job at stop and shop, pursue another career, instead of pretending like you know who the TV industy operates. Its foolish of you to stop a herd of Online fans trying to save their show. I never saw moonlight but must agree that I never saw any advertisments for it. Except for in TV guide, Who I think gets it right more then this site does! And as someone before me said, this isnt suppose to be a mean-spirited message, im just a no-it-all with a comptuer and internet access.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Pat — Mon, 19 May 2008 08:37:37 -0000

So CBS replaced C2H, which did better than the two other Friday night shows, from what you are saying? In a year without a writer's strike. That doesn't make great business sense... In terms of Moonlight. Granted the numbers are not HUGE like a few of CBSs shows and the big shows on other networks. But I would like to point out that Moonlights numbers stayed fairly consistent across the season. From the beginning of last fall's season to the most recent episode data, CSI , an established show, has *lost* almost as many viewers as Moonlight had, that's -28% total -40% for the sacred 18-49 demo. House is down 5 million, that's -28% total and -35% of 18-49. Grey's Anatomy down almost 5 million, that's -25% total and -28% of the 18-49 demo. So there's a bleeding of viewers going on across the networks and the biggest shows on TV. Why not keep a show that was doing well (not GREAT) in it's time slot and give it time (and promotion!) to grow.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

nat — Mon, 19 May 2008 07:29:37 -0000

Wow, it looks like all the networks are suffering, viewers seem to be slipping through their fingers! I wonder if the Writer's Strike has had a lasting effect on them? I have to say I'm disappointed that moonlight hasn't been given a chance for a 2nd season. I don't know if this new program CBS are putting in the 9pm timeslot will do any better, it seems like a one season plot to me! And how exactly is it designed for women, the clip I've seen so far just shows women...no men... I'm not sure the idea of a women chasing after a man, for a whole season, really makes me feel all that empowered!

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

JanSwear — Sun, 18 May 2008 21:38:40 -0000

Please bring back Moonlight.

JanSwear
janice@gddsco.com

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

JanSwear — Sun, 18 May 2008 21:37:07 -0000

I can't believe CBS canceled Moonlight. I feel the TV networks don't care what the viewers really like.

Janice Swearengin
janice@gdssco.com
256-882-2361

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Laura — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:24:55 -0000

I think CBS could have gone either way on Moonlight, and that in the end it was a judgment call on their part. I understand them wanting to change the overall balance of their weekly schedule, but I disagree with how they chose to do it. Still, I'm not giving up on the chance of getting Moonlight back in some form, or on some network. Frankly, I'd watch it if it were Internet only.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Audra — Sun, 18 May 2008 15:18:11 -0000

I think CBS canceling MOONLIGHT is the biggest mistake that this network ever made and I pray that some other network picks this series up because I feel that CBS killed it before it really took off.

SHAME ON YOU CBS SHAME ON YOU ALL

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Robert Seidman — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:49:03 -0000

Belle, NBC has tried the strategy of rerunning shows during the week (all Law & Order Saturday), as has ABC (with Grey's and Desperate Housewives) and the CW does it as well. Ratings wise, it hasn't been a winning strategy for the nets with most of the encores doing very badly. Theoretically, the broadcast nets should be trying to maximize their scale with shows that can reach at least 10 million. But that theory of scale seems to be a thing of the past.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

belle — Sun, 18 May 2008 13:02:42 -0000

House is a big hit and stars Brit Hugh Laurie.

Anyway, Moonlight was a phenomenon as far as developing a fandom, and is an entertaining way to spend a Friday night. I'm off the beloved demo, being much too old, but hey, and must wonder why don't advertisers want my money. My usual Friday schedule this season has been Moonlight at 9, taping Dr. Who; Battlestar Galactica at 10:00, taping Numb3rs, sometimes tape or watch the Sci-Fi shows after 11. The big 3 networks should take a scheduling hint from cable and show some of their shows more than once a week.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Peter L — Sun, 18 May 2008 11:54:10 -0000

Katarzyna, you're making a lot of assumptions here. First of all, you're assuming that the same people that watch GW watch Numb3rs as well. Although I'm sure there are millions, there are not 8 million, or even 7 million. They attract two different crowds. I myself (being in the 18-34 male demo) only watch Moonlight (rare from I what read) and Numb3rs. My friends and co-workers don't watch either because most of them are tired of police and detective dramas. While my small circle of friends in the middle of New York is by no means even close to the measure of other circles around the states, I think I can confidently say that the idea of a group (if it exists) of ignorant Americans boycotting television because of foreign actors is completely inane. Why didn't they boycott the Office, a direct product of British TV? Moreover, I am avid TV watcher and only knew Sophia Myles was British because she was in an episode of Doctor Who (a British show...) and had no idea Alex O'Loughlin was Aussie until I read your post. I wouldn't believe everything you read in the comments of blogs...

This post isn't intended to mean-spirited, I hope it doesn't sound that way, I just wanted to get my opinion across...

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

bristol — Sun, 18 May 2008 09:28:13 -0000

Please CBS bring back Moonlight that season finale was the best. Can't believe I will never see Mick and Beth again. This truely is the only show I watch except Nascar. What would it cost to bring Moonlight back?

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Gwen — Sun, 18 May 2008 08:52:14 -0000

It isn't like Moonlight was the only show that lost viewers in that slot this year. Both the Price is Right and Ghost Whisperer lost viewers when in that slot and had the number rebound for Numb3rs.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Katarzyna — Sun, 18 May 2008 08:14:44 -0000

Never say never... BTW, have you ever tried to find the reasons why "Moonlight" didn't do as well as it theoretically should? Reading people's comments on TV Guide's Matt Roush article about "Moonlight " cancellation I've read the comment which made me really sick, but if you think further about it, this could be the reason why SOME people who were watching Ghost Whisperer went somewhere else for an hour and returned for Numb3rs. That person - he or she, no idea, said that he/she don't want Australian and British actors on her/his TV screen in American show. Alex O'Loughlin is Australian, Sophie Myles is a Brit, in last Friday's episode there were two more Aussies - wonderful Claudia Black (why the hell CBS didn't advertise her presence in this episode, they should know that she has quite big fan base - FARSCAPE, Stargate SG-1?) and Jonathan LaPaglia. I'm pretty certain that there are much more Americans simply boycotting Aussie/British actors in American shows and this is the main reason why "Moonlight" was loosing audience in comparison to GW and Numb3rs. I'm not familiar with these shows, but I'm pretty sure that their cast are all Americans, right?

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Mike d — Sun, 18 May 2008 02:34:17 -0000

The Gladiator promos for "the beast" look like something made for the WWE, I think this show would be better off made for cable.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Josh — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:04:45 -0000

I can't wait for WWE Friday Night Smackdown to move to MyNetworkTV so then MyNetworkTV can beat The CW in the ratings. Maybe next season MyNet will be in the fast national ratings.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

lunarlover — Sat, 17 May 2008 22:55:04 -0000

I agree. Maybe it's time for the CW to focus less on its younger viewers (it has difficult to measure their numbers and how to advertise to) and go with Moonlight fans who have already committed to support any network that will pick up the show. We do realize this is a business as well and want adverisers to "buy" into the show too. Our money will go with Moonlight.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Bill Gorman — Sat, 17 May 2008 20:21:04 -0000

LSW, I think the narrow 18-34 emphasis [and female 18-34 at that] by the CW is relatively unique to them among broadcast networks.

The other networks and their advertisers seem to value adults 18-49 [although Les Moonves at CBS will say he targets 25-54 because that's what he gets].

Thing is, that's not new. That emphasis on the age demographic group has been around for a very long time.

You could argue that emphasis is driving folks outside the demo to cable, and you may be right. But I think the broadcasters are just trying to deliver the maximum number of what their advertisers want.

And those advertisers want adults 18-49.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

LSW — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:56:00 -0000

I think broadcast television needs to "shift its paradigm". From the entertainment news I've been reading, the 18-34 crowd that CW and other broadcast networks are trying to cater to are not into traditional television viewing but in watching shows online. So it seems like broadcast television is abandoning the middle aged and older audience that is comfortable with television for one that is just not interested. I think they should shift their focus to making shows online for the younger crowd and shows on television for us old fogeys.

After a few more years, there just may not be a desire for broadcast television anyway. Until this television season, I had gotten away from broadcast television and was watching mainly cable networks. This year broadcast offered some interesting looking series like Moonlight, Journeyman, Chuck, Pushing Daisies, etc. and so I tuned in again.

It just seems like between broadcast, cable, and the internet that a show like Moonlight with a loyal audience of seven to eight million viewers should be able to find a home.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

angie — Sat, 17 May 2008 19:09:56 -0000

Why is it that when a show doesn't do well, fans automatically start blaming 1) the time slot and 2) promotion and 3) the ratings system? It's like irate fans read from a manual or something! It sucks to lose a show you like (how about SciFi abruptly canceling Farscape? That still pisses me off), however, at some point logic must kick in. If people want to watch something, they will find a way no matter what.

That said, there's no point in even trying to get Moonlight onto the CW. First, it's owned by CBS, which is controlled by Les Moonves, who also therefore controls the CW, and who pulled the plug. Also, Moonves isn't going to make the same mistake twice, by listening to fans' clamoring and bringing back a show and then having them not tune in. Jericho fans gave every sci-fi genre fan a bad name. No thanks to them, we'll likely never get a network to respond to fan furor again. And secondly, the CW only has one more year in it. As I said months ago when the WB launched its own online streaming venture, they are going to pull out next year and that will be the end of the network.

By giving Dawn Ostroff control, Les Moonves ran the network into the ground. They aren't just targeting younger audiences--they are apparently targeting younger, STUPID, audiences. Farmer Wants a Wife? Even young people want quality program, not the trash the CW is spawning. Apparantly Dawn Ostroff & Co. is incapable of understanding this, and because of that, the network is doomed. Anything that moves to that station will die with it.

I will mourn the loss of Supernatural. However, I will not go nutso over campaigning to get it back. At the end of the day, it's just a t.v. show.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Robert Seidman — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:26:15 -0000

It doesn't matter what the media says really. Les Moonves is involved heavily in the decision making process too apparently, so I consider it obvious that both Dawn Ostroff and Nina Tassler have the green light on the Fall schedule. Does that mean they won't look back someday and think, "Wish we'd have done XYZ?" Of course not. And it doesn't mean that by November they won't completely overhaul the C-dub again, but by then Sophia Myles is very likely to have her next job. So I really don't see any way the show airs on the CW. Let me reiterate: I think there is no chance of that outcome.

Nikki Finke's last report on Moonlight was that it's dead, dead, not coming back to life, dead. I wish I didn't agree with her and I'm sorry for the fans of the show.

Re: Nielsen Ratings: May 16, 2008: Au Revoir Moonlight

Rafferty Rulz — Sat, 17 May 2008 18:06:54 -0000

Dear Mr. Seidman:

You may or may not be right regarding Moonlight going to TheCW, if as you said they are skewing a younger audience. However, I would ask you to read the following WSJ article about the state of TheCW

http://online.wsj.com/artic...

Nina Tassler might say no to Moonlight going to TheCW, but wouldn't you agree that Dawn Ostroff, a longtime associate and protégé of Les Moonves, might see an opportunity to stop the bleeding (TheCW has lost $2 billion and 22% of its audience) since its inception.

Moonlight has a core audience of approximately 8 million fans. Even Nikki Finke, deadlinehollywood, reported that Moonlight has more than twice the number of viewers than Gossip Girl which could make Moonlight the most watched show on TheCW.

I believe I read someone commenting that the cancelling of Moonlight by CBS was a business decision. I contend that a network currently loosing money, viewers and one of its lynch-pin shows (Smallville), which will be going into its 8th and possibly last season, picking up Moonlight would make a good business decision. It's a production of Warner Bros which co-owns TheCW, Moonlight has an audience that will follow it to TheCW, regardless of the viewers age. I would suspect those numbers would attract advertisers and with Twilight hitting the theaters in December 2008, I believe TheCW could use Moonlight to piggyback on the frenzy that movie will create.

Just so you know, I've appreciated your support of Moonlight and look forward to reading your comments.