With the right language, any show's performance can be perceived as extremely strong or incredibly poor.
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| Photo Credit: Variety |
In an era where most rely on eye-catching headlines over the actual content of an article in question, misinformation generally tends to run rampant. For enthusiasts of broadcast television, hearing that their favorite show fell substantially in the Nielsen ratings could cause them to believe that their series may be in danger of cancellation. At the same time, a headline that boasts that a program hit a new high may invoke false hope that a struggling performer will be renewed. In reality, perhaps the show that rose still clocks in at a distant 5th place in its timeslot while the one that cratered tops the night consistently. With the proper wording, a poor performer can be seen as a strong player while a clear juggernaut may be portrayed as a burden for the network. Below are the ratings for Tuesday, March 1, 2016 and a few ways that one could make hits look like flops and flops look like hits.
Broadcast ratings for March 1, 2016.
The Muppets
Positive Spin: On finale night, ABC's The Muppets was the lone scripted series to rise from its previous episode on a week-to-week basis. The Jim Henson entity garnered a 0.9 rating, effortlessly outperforming three of the four Fox comedy offerings ['Granfathered' (0.8), 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' (0.8), and 'The Grinder' (0.6)]. The mockumentary sitcom was also the highest-rated program of the night for the alphabet network, beating lead-outs 'Agent Carter' (0.7) and Super Tuesday coverage (0.7). To top it off, Kermit and the gang posted their strongest result since December 2015. These iconic characters seem to have done it all, excelling in both the film and television industry.
Negative Spin: ABC's failed Muppets reboot sauntered to the finish line for its final episode with a dismal 0.9 rating, losing out to every show in its timeslot aside from a repeat of World Dog Awards on the CW. This data point is nearly 70% below the 2.9 Nielsen rating it posted for its September series premiere. The nightmarish numbers caused a ripple effect as the alphabet network came in last place at both 9:00 and 10:00pm respectively. Considering the normal 8:00pm timeslot occupant (Fresh off the Boat) posted ratings 33% higher the previous week, this crass revival of the beloved felt-based brand should stay far away from prime-time television.
Brooklyn Nine-Nine
Positive Spin: Despite the Fox network's best efforts to sink the Samberg-led police sitcom, Brooklyn Nine-Nine remains a Nielsen ratings success story. The comedy declined just a tenth from last week's episode and outperformed the season finale of 'Agent Carter' (0.7) head-on. Even surrounded by weak performers like 'Grandfathered' and 'The Grinder', Nine-Nine continues to consistently churn out solid results. If the series was granted a much better slot, it could have the chance to return to its former glory. Instead, Fox is mercilessly choosing to air the critical gem in their worst slot possible.
The Voice
Positive Spin: NBC's The Voice was the night's top program by a wide margin, demolishing everything in its path in the coveted 18-49 demographic. To put things into perspective, one would get a a combined 2.3 demo rating if they put together all three programs that aired on ABC. In comparison, The Voice managed a monstrous 3.0, seven-tenths above that total. The singing-competition series continues to fill the hole that American Idol left, proving that it will not be slowing down in popularity anytime soon.
Negative Spin: It's becoming more and more clear that NBC's The Voice has seen far better days. Once a juggernaut, the competition series came back to a 3.0 A18-49 rating demo and 12.3 million viewers. This is a far cry from its late-February 2014 premiere which garnered a robust 4.7 rating with nearly 16 million viewers. The Voice came in second place in viewers, losing to CBS's NCIS (15.4 million) and very nearly falling behind NCIS: New Orleans (11.7 million). It would be an understatement to characterize this 36% drop as a minor fall. Regardless of how it is performing in comparison to other programs, The Voice will need to stop the slippage to remain a powerhouse for the peacock network.
Negative Spin: It's becoming more and more clear that NBC's The Voice has seen far better days. Once a juggernaut, the competition series came back to a 3.0 A18-49 rating demo and 12.3 million viewers. This is a far cry from its late-February 2014 premiere which garnered a robust 4.7 rating with nearly 16 million viewers. The Voice came in second place in viewers, losing to CBS's NCIS (15.4 million) and very nearly falling behind NCIS: New Orleans (11.7 million). It would be an understatement to characterize this 36% drop as a minor fall. Regardless of how it is performing in comparison to other programs, The Voice will need to stop the slippage to remain a powerhouse for the peacock network.
What do you think of this article? Have you been misled by a rating headlines before? Leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
