After reading this blog, a reader from a rival network just slipped this to us. With no comment from me, I wonder what you think…
EMPTY RATINGS, by Anonymous
It was the best of times (for programming) and the worst of times (for sales).
Personalities on my network (I can’t say who, sorry) shared one thing in common: Driven by their high ratings, our programming department has peppered our schedules with these salacious and egregious characters. And while ratings still rule in this business, these programs have unintentionally unearthed a new phenomenon within our hallways: Unsellable ratings – or EMPTY RATINGS, if you will.
Ask anyone in any sales department, and they will confirm that the advertising community has classified these shows as “uncontent-friendly.” As a result, high-paying advertisers are refusing to run their creative within our programs that “debase the human spirit.”
Undeniably, the marketplace has become saturated and ratings erosion remains huge threat. It’s hard to walk away from a rating’s formula that appears to be working (from the programming perspective). However, if sales can’t monetize those rating points – no one wins. Sales can’t sell, and programming budgets will ultimately be scaled back. Has anyone ever counted the amount of empty ratings on television? Think about it, it’s staggering.
So why can’t programming and sales align? How can we learn to produce engaging, high-rated, sellable shows? We’ve stumbled upon a few brilliant nuggets. Because no one should have to walk into an advertiser’s office with a straight face and hand them what we’re handing them.
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