Crowded Field
Variety writer, John Dempsey, has an interesting article today about networks selling shows to cable so they can play the reruns. Shows that typically do well in the ratings for the networks are getting only small prices per episode compared to a few years ago.
Lost and Heroes are big ratings boosters during the week with new episodes but were sold for only $200,000 per episode. This is compared to at least a million similar shows would have gotten even last year.
One reason for this is that Lost and Heroes are serialized. You have to know what’s going on to like the new episodes…you can’t jump right in. These shows typically don’t do well in reruns. Big shows like Alias, 24, and The Shield are not pulling in big numbers of viewers on cable.
CBS pushed back the cable release of Criminal Minds from 2009 to 2010because they can’t get the price they want, which is mid-to-high six figures.
Dempsey writes, “Scott Koondel, exec VP of CBS TV Distribution, says, however if a cable network showed up with a solid offer for 2009, he wouldn’t hesitate to make the accommodation.”
The reason for the lackluster price for popular shows: too much competition. Dempsey writes:
The cable-network grids are so clogged with these shows that they end up cannibalizing one another.
October 29th, 2007 at 9:31 am
[...] “World Series Game 1” (FOX) 16.87m 2. “Criminal Minds” (CBS) 14.93m 3. “CSI: NY” (CBS) 13.64m 4. “Private Practice” (ABC) 11.77m 5. “Pushing [...]