I went looking for the Grammys ratings hoping they would be up this year. That would validate my theory.
From Entertainment Weekly: But the show’s ratings deliver yet another shock: According to CBS, the telecast drew 26.7 million viewers and a 10.0 adults 18-49 rating from 8 to 11:30 p.m.
That’s up very slightly from 2010 and marks the show’s biggest adult demo number since 2004 and the largest audience for the show since at least 2001.
Theory validated!
Higher numbers in this era of added competition and diminished ratings is impressive. Often the Internet is blamed for fewer viewers. I think the Grammys shows the Internet can also be helpful.
The Grammys, Jersey Shore, American Idol, Emmys and Oscars are all ‘talk about’ shows. Though we watch separately and often alone social media allows us to watch together.
This is worth keeping your eye on. Much of the social media bump is now serendipitous. Better integration could change that. Increased ratings through social media can be cultivated.
The bump is probably finite. Once everyone tries to take advantage the mojo will go away or be tougher to get. Right now lots of people are leavinng money on the table by not taking advantage.
IMHO, it’s hard to equate today’s ratings with those from even five or ten years ago (much less twenty). It’s a different world – apples and oranges. I’m old enough to remember the day when – if you were lucky and had a decent antenna – you got the three networks. Period. Today, with cable or a dish, there are hundreds of channels to choose from – and that’s not even considering other options like On Demand, DVDs, the Internet…
With what some of these actors are making and with the number of choices available, I really don’t understand how any show can make a go of it today.