Tribune CEO Peter Liguori is the network’s biggest affiliate owner, so the CW owners CBS and Warner Bros have to take him seriously. And something will have to give based on the tough comments he made today at at the MoffettNathanson Media & Communications Summit — the same day CW execs told advertisers, in their upfront presentation, that the network just attracted its largest audience in three years. Liguori says he’s “not pleased with where the CW is” adding that it “should not program to [young] people who don’t watch television.” CBS’ Les Moonves and Warner Bros’ Kevin Tsujihara know that CW “can’t move forward without us.”
What specifically does the Tribune chief want? Liguori says it may be time for him to “get a seat at the table” for programming. “Maybe I can put some of my content on there.” He also raised the possibility of playing a larger role in its management. “All of those things have to be in play.” Part of the problem, as Liguori sees it, is that CW is a sideshow for its owners. “If CW becomes a competitor, isn’t [Moonves] possibly threatened [at CBS]? Yes. We have to break that log jam.”
What specifically does the Tribune chief want? Liguori says it may be time for him to “get a seat at the table” for programming. “Maybe I can put some of my content on there.” He also raised the possibility of playing a larger role in its management. “All of those things have to be in play.” Part of the problem, as Liguori sees it, is that CW is a sideshow for its owners. “If CW becomes a competitor, isn’t [Moonves] possibly threatened [at CBS]? Yes. We have to break that log jam.”
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Maybe he should pay more attention to where the CW is at, and not where
ReplyDeleteit was at a few years ago. Had he heard the upfronts today, he would
know that The CW just had its best year in a long time. As well as that
they have actually moved away from those shows that just attract young
people. The timing of his comments are a little confusing, they would be
more in sync with The CW from about 4 years ago, and not this years.
But kudos on the success of Salem! Honestly I have no idea about all of this affiliate stuff, so for all I know he could be a genius in what he is saying. I just find it all a little confusing.
The CW may have its issues but while I do think more mature programming is needed I feel like The CW should have a unique and at least semi-youthful feel. If that makes sense. Even SPN while about older characters and being more "mature" than say HoD, it still feels different than what you'd find on CBS, NBC, etc and I feel that's a strength of The CW in a way. They've made progress in coming to a nice middle ground though with newer shows, The 100 being a good example but it still has issues. They should just focus on good writing, and not focus on putting love drama in all their shows at least until it can come up organically. Star Crossed would have been so much better had it not been centered on...well a star-crossed romance. More sci fi fantasy, and offbeat unique things, which JtV seems to be. Less romcomdrams.
ReplyDeleteI like parts of the current programming and I'm kind of in Liguoris boat, it's a side project for CBS and Warner.
ReplyDeleteTheCW has without a question the best line-up creativity wise. Supernatural, Arrow and partially The Originals are shows that you WON'T see on any other network but Syfy.
The problem DOES NOT completely lie within the line-up, it's the advertising and the way the network presents itself. "TVNow" sizzlereels, indiepop, #Team[randommalewhoispartofatriangle], 100% push on young actors are parts of the issue as well.
I had a similar discussion today: theCWs sizzle reel showed off not one of their older actors. Paul Blackthorne, John Barrowman, Daniel Gillies got booted from that promo.
It's almost as if theCW SHUNS to use any of them in promotional material. I don't know how many discussions I had with people about Daniel Gillies never to be featured on a poster while the 'young and hot faces' of Charles Michael Davis and Phoebe Tonking get their a**es promoted.
Showing off that the network actually has more mature actors to offer in its lineup alone would be a draw for an older audience.
I don't expect the network to act as if it's as mature as CBS right now, it has mature shows but the way the network PROMOTES its shows screams "TEENDRAMA"
A bit more maturity sure could help
TheCW is still promoting itself as a teen network though. I get his point. It's not going to make mature shows appeal to an 'older' audience if it promotes them as another teen drama.
ReplyDeleteThey push the romantic angle in EVERY single promo and makes shows with a mature theme appear teen-ish to others.
I love theCWs line up but no one can deny that the network isn't presenting the shows properly.
If we were talking networkes presenting their shows as waitresses theCW would be the 16 year old chick with giant glasses trying to make a buck over the summer while the way CBS and others are presenting themselves is simply more mature.
One could say the others are more buttoned up the way they present their lineup but sometimes buttoned up simply applies better to certain audiences
I guess I do get what you mean. I believe a good example of what you are saying is Star Crossed. After seeing it, it's clear that it had incredible potential but it was just marketed to the teenie crowd. The love triangle and 'star crossed' love crap got pushed instead of the really interesting integration/terrorist aspects of it. I mean they changed its name to star crossed for crying out loud. I only watched it because I thought it was going to be really bad and I wanted to have a laugh, but it was like I was watching a completely different show compared to the one that was marketed.
ReplyDeleteYou talked in another post earlier about the sizzle reel, I know I'm a little biased but even Supernatural (their top performer in 2014) was barely in it, and I can't help but think that perhaps that's because the cast are in their mid to late 30's.
You are completely right. The 100 had one of their better promotional campaigns, but it still fell short, like another teen drama when it has more to offer.I recall TSC was promoted as Twilight with witches, and nearly every promo focused on the scene with floating water droplets. WTF? The show dealt in romance but less so than any other CW show at the time besides SPN, yet that's what they pushed. I have stopped watching CW promos aside from initial series trailers because they anger me with how stupid they make every show seem.
ReplyDeleteI'm not the only one hoping that Tribune buys out CBS's share am I?
ReplyDeleteCBS I feel is the bigger problem of the 2. They're treating The CW as a side project. A farm to get shows into syndication that would never stand a chance on the main network. WB I feel is at least trying to treat the CW as more then a farm.
For one, I think Liguori is being too hard on The CW since it had its best season in three years, where was he when the network's rating were woeful by spring 2013?
ReplyDeleteThat being said, I do think the network is capable of more and should realize that it can't be promoting itself to teens, but to a much wider audiences; it usually treat shows like Reign, The Vampire Diaries and such as if they were targeted exclusively to 18-34W when these shows have an appeal that it is much wider than that; yes, they sure can aim to grab those audiences, but their promotion seems to exclusive to that audience when their line up offers so much more.
Take Arrow for instance, the show with the biggest total viewers and The 100 which is n#2 in viewers, they could easily atract more people if the network did propper work or if they spent a few more bucks in order to get a big promotional push. It's not impossible for the network to get above 1s ratings, it did it in the fall after all.
They have a lot of shows with the potential to go there, but for that they need to know how to promote their shows properly, and that is doing promos that don't aim only to teenage girls who will likely watch the shows on their phones, but doing something that is appealing to a much wider audience.
Ackles isnt far off 40 is he?
ReplyDelete36. Padalecki will be turning 32 in a few months, and Misha will be 40 this year.
ReplyDeleteHe is 3 years late, where was he in 2011 where CW had its worst season?
ReplyDeleteIs he pleased with Salem numbers? They renewed it, right? (LOL 0.1)
I think he is being ridiculous. The CW is up from last year.
ReplyDeleteI think he blocked Cult from his head by the time it was airing, or he saw the numbers backwards (instead of a 0.1 the show was actually getting a 1.0 in his mind)
ReplyDeleteMan, Misha is old! I would have never guessed he is 40! He looks way younger
ReplyDeleteI'd like it if CBS was never ever a part of my entertainment pleasure. When I go see movies that are by CBS films I roll my eyes when I see their little title card and especially resent it if I enjoy the movie haha. Weird I know but I loathe CBS, I have no love for a network that can command the ratings with THE most vanilla and generic crap on TV. They should be proud of anything they have on CW because its more watchable than anything they air themselves.
ReplyDeleteHaha he's not that old. Just old by CW standards.
ReplyDeleteI just read the full article and this guy is full of crap. He only wants to put his own content on The CW. I guess Salem will get a 0.3 instead a 0.1.
ReplyDeleteYou obviously didn't watch The 100 first promos because there was no romance at all lol.
ReplyDeleteAlthough I think there are quite a few things wrong with the CW programming, I absolutely disagree with his idea of "promoting a network for people who watch TV". The truth is the division between TV and other media is becoming fuzzier and fuzzier. One of the only good things about the CW is they actually noticed that switch and have made efforts to adapt, bring the younger audience in, and expanding to not so traditional ways of broadcasting. Could they be more diversified? Yeah, sure, enough with the teen shows, but that doesn't mean they are doing everything wrong either. It is networks who don't change who will be in trouble, the ones who stick to the "people who watch TV". Because, guess what, there are less and less of those left.
ReplyDeleteHe looks good for 40. they are all still hot looking for there age. CW stopped being a teen network years ago it more SyFy and Superhero's network now to me.
ReplyDeleteI find the “Maybe I can put some of my content on there” comment ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteWhat’s he planning on doing? Threaten to disown The CW unless they run edited-for-content versions of Salem? Good luck with that, Mr. Liguori. You’ll do nothing but alienate CBS and WB from selling syndicated content to your stations.
Half of their line up is action/drama: Supernatural, Arrow, The Flash, The Originals, The 100, The Messengers, iZombie. Also The 100 barely has love drama. Two people having sex doesn't count as love drama.
ReplyDeleteThe only pure romcomdramas are HoD and Jane The Virgin.
BatB, Reign and The Vampire Diaries are romance shows so that makes half of the shows romance dramas while the other are more action orientated.
And the only shows that have teens are The 100 and Reign. And maybe The Originals if you count Davina. That's only three shows.
Well i agree. For 5 years i refused to watch Twilight the series i mean The Vampire Diaries. I tried it a few weeks ago, and couldn't get pass episode 3 in season 1. The teen drama rep, kept me from trying The Originals & Reign I recently started The Originals(through ep 7), but it's starting to get a little too soapy. I plan to try Reign this summer, i love historical fiction, but am worried it will be a teen soap.
ReplyDeleteLiguori's comments do concern me however. I love Arrow & Supernatural, and watch The 100. They're not to much in your face, with teen drama. I look forward to The Flash, The Messengers, & and iZombie If he means, moving away from teen drama, i'm all for it. If he means, moving away from "genre" series, he can go pound sand. :-|
The CW seems to have a lot of haters online so they are jumping on this bandwagon thinking this guy will turn The CW into the next AMC. This guy only wants to replace some shows with his crap.
ReplyDeleteBut they did focus a lot on that "we're back" scene and that other one with the "whatever the hell we want". I agree the show has barely any romance or teen crap in it, but the first teasers/promos did seem a bit juvenile and that turned a lot of people off.
ReplyDeleteSomeone needs to tell "The Tribune" it could be much, much worse.....................SyFy Channel worse! 4 EVER, Nobody!!!
ReplyDeleteHe only wants to put his crappy content on the network. He has 0 interest in quality programming.
ReplyDeleteWell, he owns dying medias (newspapers, television) and a company who filled on chapter 11 of bankruptcy.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, he is just protecting his old model of outdated business.
But in the promos there was no teen romance or love triangle stuff. That was my point. The pilot was weak but show has gotten so much better.
ReplyDeleteI think people just jump on the bandwagon of hating CW shows when the network is past its Gossip Girl and 90210 days. None of the shows are pure teen shows and the only shows that have teens are The 100 and Reign. And one character in The Originals. That's it.
It was the same for Reign. The marketing was terrible. It made it seem like all the show was about was a period love triangle show. But I started watching, and I think it was episode 7, but I thought the show and the way it was marketed were two completely different things. The promotion was stupid, I loathed all the posters because it pushed the romance aspect even when the show has so much more going.
ReplyDeleteThey still chose to show those silly scenes instead of the more interesting stuff. First impressions count, but the CW still has that stigma attached.
ReplyDeleteAnd to be honest, none of the actors on the 100 look remotely like teenagers, if I didn't know better I'd say they're all in their early-mid 20s
Yeah, and The 100 and Reign, which have teenagers, also appeals to a more mature audience. The CW has certainly changed for the better.
ReplyDeleteReign was a great surprise for me. The promos for it at the beginning of the season were to soapy, but after a while they started showing more "mature" and dark promos, so I decided to give it a try. Best decision I've ever made.
ReplyDeleteI get that the promotion isn't the best but The CW is slowly changing and I wish people would stop thinking every single show is like 90210 because it's not. I don't know how many times CW haters have told me Arrow is a teen drama when nobody is a teen there and Oliver is obviously in his late twenties.
ReplyDeleteAlso The Flash and Jane The Virgin promos had 0 romantic scenes.
Reign just wins by having Catherine and mad Henry. They are the best.
ReplyDeleteI love Catherine, she is a *****, but you can't help but love her. I love that they scratch the whole love triangle and are focusing on more "mature" topics. I'm sad that I have to wait until october for the new season.
ReplyDeleteI've only seen the pilot for Salem. I liked it a lot. I'm saving the rest for the summer. A big problem with WGN America shows, is WGN America isn't available in a lot of places. I'd imagine that contributes to the low ratings. I have Comcast/ Xfinity in the Philadelphia area (the 5th largest television market in the country), and we don't have it. Though, they put a trailer for Salem on demand. : |
ReplyDeleteThat's precisely what it is. But, IMO, the only smart way to deal with the situation is by adapting it, not by sticking to the model exactly as it has always been. But, you're right, he is protecting old business.
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't matter if his complaints are legit or not. He could make CBS and Warner Bros life living nightmare. Tribune contract with CW is up in 2016. If Tribune does not renew the contract, CW will be scrambling to find alternate affiliates in extremely large markets (Los Angeles, Washington D.C., Denver, New York City, Chicago etc.). This could prove disastrous for CW. They better start trying to make him happy if they want the CW continue exist.
ReplyDeleteEven arrow one of their top performers barley gets 2 million and they want it for ten years ha it will not reach it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't watched Salem yet but this guy talks like his channel is having stellar ratings.
ReplyDeleteWhy si complaininjg now? when The CW is having it's best season in years is ridicoulous, The CW's problem is that they still goes for the "teen" public having shows that clearly can atrack more people but they are working with that.
ReplyDeleteWhat kind of content does he wants to put? i dont know who the guy is so what can he bring to the CW to make it better like he says.
He is three years late!
ReplyDeleteOMG that promo is so bad!
ReplyDeleteThe CW should stop promoting itself to teenagers only.
ReplyDeleteOut of touch corporate bigwig. I never even heard of his channel, before i saw promos for Salem online.
ReplyDeleteTribune could be worse, unlike CBS they could start to use theCW as a trashbin for prestige shows
ReplyDeleteI think what Liguori is trying to get at (but worded really really badly), is that CBS doesn't care about the CW. They aren't really trying to improve the network. If The CW ends up doing well, then it'll be a competitor to the main CBS network (which CBS doesn't want). So WB is pretty much carrying the network.
ReplyDeleteWhat I think he wants is for those involved to at least be trying to improve the network. And if CBS wont try, then WGN/Tribune will.
true, the issue with the 'lesser evil' is always that it can evolve into a bigger one.
ReplyDeleteI'd rather keep the status quo than completely change the networks direction and ultimately lose a good batch of my favourite shows
I don't get it, we had the first post-gossip girl season (the end of CW being a young female network) and the results were pretty good, no thanks to the enormous amount of preemptions (I can assume Tribune preempted a lot of CW nights, right?). Maybe this guy could try to air the actual schedule properly and see what he can gain.
ReplyDeleteI get this part, and maybe he's right, but he's not happy exactly now? When CW is changing his focus (and doing it right)? I don't wanna see shows like Arrow and Flash being treated like shit because this guy prefers period supernatural dramas or whatever.
ReplyDeleteHe's mentioned in interviews that he see's original programming (like Salem) as the companies future.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-06/tribune-ceo-sees-shows-like-salem-as-company-s-future.html
So I think Tribune could have potential. But I can see your point. It's pretty much an issue of what do they do at this point. I'd hate to see Arrow or The Flash end in 2016 because they can't renew the Tribune deal. =/
I hope they can work around this problem, The CW has gained a lot this season and it would be insane for the network to enter in this crisis just because a guy says they are not pleased with how they are doing despite their evident gains
ReplyDeleteI understand what he's saying and he is right but he doesn't want to improve the network. He just wants to put his crappy programming there.
ReplyDeleteAlso I don't know what are the programs "people who watch tv like". NCIS? Game of Thrones? Scandal? The Big Bang Theory? There's not a formula.
Misha has been 'around' for a while in terms of tv work.
ReplyDeleteAlthough in essence no different than say Ian Somerhalder who was/is? playing a character who was embraced around what 21 years of age?
ReplyDeleteExactly. My biggest fear is that this guy wants to cancel half of the shows and replace them with shows "people who watch tv like" whatever those might be.
ReplyDeleteWhat he said about CBS was true, they're not gonna try and compete with the CW, but he's too egotistical for me and despite things everyone's already told me, i still fear for the CW :/
ReplyDeleteIf ya ask me the issue is they don't have shows with actors that attract anyone over the age of 21 at the most. Look at the shows they had when the CW first came to be and look at what they have now, not hard to believe the ratings are what they are. The shows just aren't worth watching anymore.
ReplyDeleteI agree with others that say the marketing of the CW shows is way too teen oriented but also the casting as well. CW have a certain look for its actors, and that look is very generic - mostly white (but that's a Hollywood wide issue), mostly young, mostly looking like models. Everytime I see a new CW show I cannot tell the differences between their actors and that of their other shows. They need to spice things up a bit, not be afraid to go for older actors in main roles rather than just supporting.
ReplyDeletelol CW execs: "the network just attracted its largest audience in three years." well aren't we sitting on a throne of lies.
ReplyDeleteThe Originals is the worst of all the CW shows tbh. No wonder why it was replaced to Monday with JtV...next step will be Friday OR cancellation...
ReplyDeleteJust remove love triangles from most of your shows and I'll be happy.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what a lot of people said in that it is a marketing issue, not so much a show issue. Star-Crossed and Reign are great examples. Both good, solid shows with interesting and unique stories, however The CW force promoted them as teen-dramas for no apparent reason other than to potentially run them into the ground.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I liked CW alot more when It was airing shows like The Secret Circle and One Tree Hill. Yes it was not the best rated and everything but there are some people who dont always want to watch action and stuff. in 2014 there are no Teen dramas, One Tree Hill ended, Gossip Girl ended, 90210 ended, The Carrie Diaries was well canceled. The CW was the only channel which provided people who like those types of shows with what they wanted. Im not saying that the direction they are going with now is bad and all, Its good but I liked CW alot more when It was airing the type of shows I'd watch. The CW will always be my favorite channel since it airs/aired my top 5 favorite shows. I still think them canceling The Secret Circle is a mistake. I will miss that show forever :')
ReplyDeleteWell hello soul mate.
ReplyDeleteI have my 60+ relative watching Reign and she loves it. Of course it doesn't follow history to a T and the outfits are not realistic but it's FUN. Take it for what it is.
ReplyDeleteNCIS: Cyber
ReplyDeleteNCIS: Las Vegas
NCIS: Boston
NCIS: Pittsburgh
Don't forget NCIS: Chicago
ReplyDeleteABC family and MTV now have those type of shows.
ReplyDeleteRatings have been down for all the networks so it makes no sense to compare the ratings now to what they used to be during the first year of The CW (8 years ago).
ReplyDeleteABC Family and MTV dont give me that feel :) sorry if Im sounding like a brat but The CW had the best shows before for drama and that sort of thing. Thank god HoD is still there (even tho its not a teen drama I still enjoy it)
ReplyDeleteI think it's implicit on the CW that if you put 100 attractive teenagers together then there will be a lot of romance drama. And like most CW shows, half the comments are shipping related and the likabiity of a character hinges on whether or not they have a romantic storyline that people can get behind. So as long as the CW keeps catering to this kind of fandom rubbish, they won't attract a more mature audience. Don't get me wrong, I like romance, but the CW approaches it from a very juvenile perspective, which is what irritates me.
ReplyDeleteThat could apply to all the networks. Except for a few exceptions nobody is ugly and over 50 on TV.
ReplyDeleteSorry but that applies to every single show. I don't know if you watch The Walking Dead but every single recap or article about the show had Daryl/Carol and Daryl/Beth shippers fighting each other. Shipping always gets the most fan devotion no matter what the show is.
ReplyDeleteAlso many shows have romance. Scandal is considered an "adult show" and it was plenty of romance and love triangles.
Maybe it is the network shows I watch (which admittedly aren't many) but they are not full of young model types and have several actors in their 30s, 40s and 50s;
ReplyDeleteThe Good Wife, Elementary, Parks and Rec, Hannibal, B99, 24
While I don't like those kind of shows (though I fairly enjoyed TSC) I think that there should be a cable network that offered for people who liked them. In Latin America we have Glitz*, a network that airs Gossip Girl, The Carrie Dairies, and shows of that kind. I think a Glitz* network could work out, and it could let The CW go with its sci-fi/fantasy/action direction that has been working out quite well for them
ReplyDeleteGlitz is a cable channel so they have other rules. I think people need to accept those kind of dramas don't sell anymore. In the future maybe they will sell again but now they don't.
ReplyDeleteI love Hannibal and Hannibal has plenty of attractive people. The CW has plenty of actors in their 30s and a few in their 40s. But except for the couple in Resurrection I can't think of any other network show having anyone over 50.
ReplyDeleteAlso the shows you mentioned are all low rated. Look at the cast of Scandal and The Walking Dead. Most of them are young and attractive and the oldest person is probably 40. The same goes for Once Upon a Time and Agents of Shield.
I'm just tired of the double standard some people have with The CW. They blame the CW for the same things other networks do.
What´s the problem with romance? i think it´s very important on a show, that´s the main reason that i like CW, i´m sick of crime shows and cops shows and murder shows without emotions, a show it isn´t less mature if it has romance, so i don´t get it. Have you seen the amout of new shows about murder and missing person and detectives that tv companys order for the fall season... it´s incredible. I hope CW don´t chage the romance part, and by the way. Star Crossed it was a romance, that´s the main reason that i watch and i think it has a lot of potencial, but has everyone say here the numbers are to munch important. Usually the shows that i watch are the ones with small numbers :(
ReplyDeleteTechnically it did with Iris West but that was more for the comic book fans than casual viewer who doesn't know much about Barry Allen's Flash.
ReplyDeleteI have Comcast, too, CWPhilly same as you ... I didn't bother watching the freebie Salem pilot because WGN A was no longer available on Comcast.
ReplyDeleteWhile I make no claim to know anything about the business decisions of television networks, except for Supernatural, I don't watch any show on that station. This is because I find the station geared towards teenage angst and teen love triangles with young, attractive actors. I've thought for the last couple of years, that is what they have tried to do with Supernatural -- turn it into a coming-of-age story for the two leads.
ReplyDeleteIt would seem to me that if they did broaden their target audience for something other than teenagers, we'll get the same fare we have on the other networks, which would compete with CBS. The latest network rankings show ABC had the highest target audience viewers (18-49) and CBW had the most viewers. Personally, I find TV a predictable wasteland and the only show I do watch on a regular basis is Supernatural, so I don't care what they do with the CW, just leave Supernatural alone, pull back from the teen-type angst, and let it run it's course.
Same problem with From Dusk Till Dawn on El Rey. :(
ReplyDeleteIt's also possible that you don't watch any shows that have normal looking people over 50 .But I can give you tons of examples of awesome that have characters with major roles are close to 50 or over 50 and don't look like they stepped off the runway or had 10 rounds of plastic surgery:
ReplyDeleteBreaking Bad/ The Blacklist/Fringe/ Downton Abbey/ Game of Thrones/ Person of Interest/24/ CSI/NCIS/ Law and Order/Sopranos/LOST/ Once Upon a Time/The Good Wife/ Chicago Fire/Parks and Recreation/Elementary/Sons and Daughters/The Crazy Ones/Modern family and an endless stream of other sitcoms.This list represents most of the network shows I do watch and doesn't include the vast majority of network shows that I haven't watched..
Most of these shows are very popular and have won lots of awards. In some of them,, the lead character is (or was) over 50. e.g. James Spader in the Blacklist, Bryan Cranston in Breaking Bad, Mariska hargitay (Law and Order), James Emerson (Person of Interest), Mark Harmon (NCIS), etc, etc.
Or many of these shows have very prominent supporting characters that are popular with viewers (eg. the Dowager Countess on Downton Abbey, Rumplestilskin on Once Upon a Time, John Locke on Lost, several characters on Parks and Rec,Game of Thrones,etc. etc I could go on Forever.
The fact that you aren't aware of these very popular shows ore don't even notice the older characters on these shows just summarizes why you, my friend, are the CW's prime target audience, but others are not But stop lecturing people on things that you know absolutely nothing about.
Yea let them make an original show thats like Gossip girl and those type. Id watch it
ReplyDeleteThanks! About time, i guess all that complaining by people, on the Comcast forums had an effect. Now if they would just add El Ray, so i can watch From Dusk Till Dawn legally. :)
ReplyDeleteHmm well I've noticed my area added El Rey the day after FDTD premiered, it's only in SD though, however they have that show on demand as well and it's in both SD and HD. So that's something else you could check, I'm not sure if it's by market or not so maybe you still don't have it.
ReplyDeleteI just wish they'd add an HD feed to my package so I could watch Dark Angel and stuff, I already paid for the season pass of FDTD on Google Play because I didn't think Comcast would have the channel so I generally watch it on my phone or computer, but I did show one of my friends an episode onDemand last week. :)
The WB was clearly the better network and if you look at the CW it is clearly that CBS holds The CW back while WB is really trying, but of course that is understandable, WB has only The CW as an network, CBS has The CW and CBS (of course the main channel is more important).
ReplyDeleteOut of the three shows WB is bringing the big hits, the only thing that CBS does is forcing their shows on the network (like the BATB renewal for an example), CBS even declared that The CW is just a side business, that they make money through sales/syndication aka don't care about the network itself (the affail. are the losers who depend on the network/ratings).
Getting CBS out of The CW is a good idea but what happens then? Tribune buys it's way in it and forces his shows on the netwok (like CBS does right now).
I think that the best can happend if WB becomes the SOLE-owner of the CW, getting CBS out, with that WB can groom The CW out of that "niche" to an major-broadcast (it beated FOX on Tuesday!), without CBS in the way nothing will hold the network back and WB is already bringing the hit-shows to the table.
But everyone here is right with the marketing, they should loss that "forced love triangle" on every shows, make the promos serious and not like a joke to the show (like the TVD 5x22 promo, show some scenes from the other sides instead that love-shit) and promote the hell out of your show, promote so it will appeal to everyone (they could have promoted for an example The 100 with two diffrent poster-types, one type only with the teenager with a tag-lines that summarizes the earth plot and then a second type with the "older" actores on the Ark with a tag-lines that summarizes their plot, I haven't seen a poster with those actors on it)
They still need Tribune if they want to survive, so WB can give them maybe 10-20% ownership like they did with The WB?
Enough so that Tribune don't want the CW to fail, enough so they will try to push the network (they disbranded/preempled it) but not enough to force their shit shows on the network (I have seen Salem, I really looked forward to the show, the pilot was okaaay but after the second episode I gave up)
Here's what I would do when the deal comes up. Give them Monday Night for 13 week period. Whatever they want to do. Whether it's 4 sitcoms, 2 sitcoms and 1 drama, or 2 dramas. If the those shows are a success both sides make out and you can build from there.
ReplyDeleteNo El Rey yet for me. Maybe they'll add it soon.
ReplyDelete