CBS makes lower ratings roll the right way for Julie Chen and 'The Talk'
A TV show needs good ratings to survive, right? Well, not always.
Take, for example, CBS' new daytime show, "The Talk," which on Tuesday got renewed through next season. Modeled on ABC's warhorse "The View," "The Talk" is co-hosted by Sara Gilbert, Sharon Osbourne, Holly Robinson Peete and Leah Remini. Oh, and there's also Julie Chen, who happens to be CBS honcho Leslie Moonves' wife, which of course doesn't make any difference at all to the show's fate.
The network could have explained its renewal decision any number of ways: "It's a rebuilding year," "The Twitterati love it," or "You realize it's Leslie's wife, right?" Instead, CBS said the show is on a "ratings roll," which is an interesting take on how "The Talk" has performed this season. If there has been any kind of a roll to the ratings, it's been downhill. "The Talk" averages 2.2 million total viewers, according to the Nielsen Co., which is off 15% compared with "As the World Turns," the soap that last year occupied its spot.
Ah, but it's done better among its target audience of women, right? Nope. "The Talk" has slipped 17% in women age 18 to 49, its core demographic. And it's down 19% among a slightly older group, women age 25 to 54.
"The View," by the way, still draws a far bigger audience (3.6 million), but it airs in the morning, while "The Talk" runs in the afternoon. But even in head-to-head competition, ABC's "One Life to Live" outdraws "The Talk," averaging 2.5 million.
So where's that ratings roll CBS talked about? The network says it's happened over the last couple of weeks. Uh, fine -- except that decisions to bring back daytime syndicated shows aren't based on two weeks of ratings; they're based on several months at least. And the recent season highs still don't beat what "As the World Turns" was doing.
When the show premiered in October, Moonves filmed a short video for "The Talk" in which he proclaimed his love for Chen but vowed to cancel the show anyway if it didn't work. It may eventually come to that, but let's say that for now "The Talk" is getting more time to prove itself than the average network show.
What do you think of "The Talk"?
-- Scott Collins
Twitter/@scottcollinsLAT
Photo: Leslie Moonves and his wife, Julie Chen. Credit: Andrew Gombert / EPA
It helps that this is a network show vs. produced by an outside production company like Soaps or more expensive chat shows like Ellen. Probably also helps that it creates some strong synergy for CBS primetime reaching a daytime audience.
I have seen audience levels for syndicated daytime programming far lower than the talk get renewed year after year after year.
Lots more to renewals then just the numbers!
Posted by: Programming Insights | January 27, 2011 at 06:36 AM
I refuse to watch The Talk or anything CBS puts on in the afternoon since they took away my Guiding Light and As the World Turns..I hope The Talk and Let's Make a Deal continue to spiral down..I want CBS to realize what a big mistake they made by taking away our soaps..I won't watch again until they bring back our soaps..You can count on that!!!
Posted by: Cathy Borah | January 27, 2011 at 08:59 AM
Never watched and I NEVER will. Even when Eric Braeden (one of my longtime sweeties) appeared, I didn't watch. CBS did it's loyal viewers (30 years and I'm only 41) a HUGE disservice by replacing our beloved GL & ATWT with the crap they're trying to spoon feed us. The women have no talent (otherwise JC would have Katie Curick's job and the rest would be ACTING instead of talking to those who actually do have talent). If they ever take of Two 1/2 Men or CSI - Miami and I will never have to watch the "eye" again. This is from someone who watched her soaps right into the WCAX (VT Local) news, CBS news and then Network programming. Didn't even need cable. Oh well...now they suck!
Posted by: Robin | January 27, 2011 at 09:25 AM
You are right Programming Insights, it is more to renewals than just numbers, in my opinion, its the executives of the network who have the final say. While I have not watched the Talk and do not intend to, I do find it interesting that they are already being renewed for a 2nd season when they just a few months into their first season.... Don't get me wrong, I wish nothing but the best for the ladies, its the network I am put out with, that they could so very easily cancel As the Worlds Turns to make room for the Talk... A 54 year iconic program such as this, certainly deserved better from their network and their parent company. I also understand that its more expensive to create a soap, but over the long haul, whatever the advertisers are pushing would do better with 5 1/2 decades of loyal viewership... The Talk or any other mind numbing talk show you come up with today,will not stand the test of time as did soaps such as Guiding Light and As the World Turns... I only wish CBS were as loyal to their soaps and viewers as the other networks are... At this rate in the not too distant future, there will not be anything on daytime television other than news and talk shows..... Thank goodness for cable.
Posted by: Bryant Edwards | January 27, 2011 at 09:41 AM
Soap fans - like the more than 2 million of us who were thrown under the bus when As The World Turns was unceremoniously cancelled - increasingly watch our shows online. We tune into youtube or some other online sources at our convenience instead of turning on the television. Instead of reaching for the remote, we reach for the mouse. We do not, however, tune into youtube to watch talk shows, especially when they are boringly inadequate cut-out copies of other shows.
Television networks are losing viewers by the boatload. Daytime TV is the canary in the mine, but TV executives refuse to see it. The answer is NOT broadcasting cheaper programming and slashing production budgets; the networks need to change their entire approach.
1. Make programming more interesting and engaging (stop trying to keep daytime viewers on the cheap).
2. Make sure programming is more relevant and diverse (there was not one single person of color on As The World Turns when it was cancelled).
3. Hire talented people with vision and new ways of thinking outside the box, who know the value of fans, and can write a damn good story. (In other words, we don't need for Les Moonves to put any more of his family members in front of or behind the camera. Use that money to hire people who care what viewers think and want. Les can stand to take a salary cut too).
4. Most important of all, make creative use of the Internet. It's how viewers "watch TV" now. That means, you can't just post substandard video whenever the network is ready for us to watch, we want to watch when we're ready to watch! The future is now, tv execs need to stop fighting it and join the rest of us in the 21st century!
Posted by: WorldTurnsTV | January 27, 2011 at 09:49 AM
Just another something CBS is trying to force down our throats, while they cancel or make unwanted changes in everything we really want to see. When CBS bottoms out, maybe then they will think about what the viewers want.
Posted by: Charles Smioth | January 27, 2011 at 10:08 AM
Sorry CBS your not getting my ratings from my house.. You went alittle to far on your makeover with my Early Show ..
I just sure hope when your done with you screwed up overhaul that your rating just keep going down... I can't see you coming out of that 3rd place rating anytime soon
Posted by: Dawn | January 27, 2011 at 10:56 AM
Its all a big scam to keep his wife in the business, whats the point of an old guy having a beautiful young wife, if he cant brag about her ratings....im surprised he hasnt figured out a way to scam the ratings in her favor....I think CBS is running itself into the ground and hopefully les and his adolescent bride will go with it...I am appalled everytime i see them together, she is money hungry and he is a horny old man, his business sense sucks, or he would have fired Dave Friedman when he axed our morning crew, just to save some money, and to hell with what the viewers want, i continue to keep my tv tuned to other channels, i dont care to help les moonves or his prissy wife.
Posted by: Nancy Lynn | January 27, 2011 at 11:47 AM
As a loyal fan of "As the World Turns" I was angry beyond measure when it was cancelled. I don't ever intend on watching that show. It's not because I'm angry that it replaced ATWT, it's that I don't like that type of talk show format. I don't watch "The View" either. I could care less about their opinions. I wonder if this replacement will last for 54 years. I get the feeling 54 months is more like it, but I even doubt that.
Posted by: Faye | January 27, 2011 at 11:58 AM
The talk is just like the view only difference is they have different people on it, I don't like the view and I don't like the Talk, of course I would not like anything they put on because they took off my beloved GL and ATWT. CBS and P&G have been boycotted by me and my friends who loved our soaps I don't buy P7G products and I don't watch the talk I still watch Y&R and B&B but then I switch to the fox network.you will be sorry CBS.
Posted by: Cheryl Kozieracki | January 27, 2011 at 12:58 PM
Well, Since the change on the morning show I am watching NBC, your new team doesn't make it for me. Where did you put Harry, Dave and Maggie?
In the gutter? You're making the morning show ditto of what they did but with younger players and that's not what's it about. Harry and Maggie made the news informative and Dave was awesome with the weather. I enjoyed his trips that you made him do, it brought a laugh to all the bad news. I have only seen Harry once during a comercial about a news story.
I really miss my morning news. NBC is good, but I'd rather have my old team back.
Posted by: Susan Hirsch | January 27, 2011 at 01:25 PM
I was a loyal CBS viewer 40+ years. I have always worked so I recorded my favorite soap, As The World Turns, and watched every episode. I loved it and it was my relaxation time. I have not watched a single CBS show since September 17, 2010 and neither has anyone in my household. I would rather watch my dog sleep than to watch anything that they air.
I think it is horrible that people like Les Moonves can totally disregard his customers so his wife can be on yet another tv show. It is the most unprofessional decision I have seen outside of politics. They need to get rid of him before he alienates the rest of their viewers.
Posted by: Brenda Stevens | January 27, 2011 at 01:59 PM
You people who are boycotting CBS over the cancellation of your granny soaps are not the viewers CBS wants to reach anyway. You are older and lower income - much less desirable to the advertisers. And "The Talk" may be behind 15% ATWT in the ratings, but it costs only half as much to produce, so it's more profitable for CBS.
Posted by: Miffy | January 27, 2011 at 03:15 PM
Funny...older and lower income? Really? You have no idea what you are talking about. My family does just fine and my 16 year old children loved ATWT and GL! I spend a lot of money every year on products, so as I see it I am desirable to the advertisers but I will not have anything to do with CBS. I choose to turn my channel elsewhere. The soaps hold a lot of memories for me because I watched with my mom and grandma and I watched when I was a child just as my own children are watching soaps now. They are more into soaps than I am! You have your opinions and we have ours. No one is any better than anyone else here so get over yourself.
Posted by: Donna | January 27, 2011 at 06:22 PM
Gee! "The Talk" has crummy ratings! who could have guessed that another talk show was not going to get the ratings they expected. The only talk show worth watching is Oprah and CBS is losing that. CBS has been a strong network for years but now they are trying to change the formula of solid news,quality drama, a bit of comedy and variety shows, to game shows and "reality" shows with some
drama and comedy thrown in. People that actually watch TV and want meat and potato shows that have quality news, not pretty faces! they want quality plots and actors! not some morons running around a island pretending there are no cameras filming them. They want good comedy that's not too trashy. The internet is in almost every home now, if CBS wants to keep it's viewers they better figure out what used to make them the network to watch.
Posted by: deb | January 27, 2011 at 11:41 PM
The Talk is most certainly more profitable than As The World Turns, because it is so much cheaper to produce. But the real question is how long will this show be more profitable. Advertisers and media buyers will not continue purchasing air time during a show with ratings and viewership in a constant downward spiral-- that is exactly what is happening to CBS with respect to 'The Talk.'
Until and unless the show can present relevant, fresh topics in a way that engages viewers in new and exciting ways, then it will continue to decline.
I am under 40 and over 30; a card-carrying member of the highly coveted women 18-49 demo. I earn more than my age and I have both a bachelor's and master's degree. I am also a bonafide fan of As The World Turns.
A professor colleague who teaches at an almost-Ivey League law school part-time and works at a top law firm full-time is also a fan; I am quite sure the professor is highly paid. I have friends who are teachers, professors, engineers, marketing managers... all of them enjoy soap operas.
I say this because part of the problem with stereotyping people is that you're almost, always, wrong.
Posted by: WorldTurnsTv | January 28, 2011 at 10:53 AM
Having watched Y&R and The Bold and the Beautiful since they began, I had no trouble turning off the TV when the "granny soaps" came on. I wasn't sure about "The Talk" when I first started watching (mostly because it followed TBATB) but I like the hosts and their rapport (Julie Chen is even growing on me). Definitely agreed with their(?) choice of dropping a host because there were too many and she was unknown and kind of dull. The show has only improved since it started.
Posted by: Leesa | January 28, 2011 at 04:10 PM
I was once a soap, especially OLTL fan bu am enjoying The Talk more all the time. The women have good synergy and guests are often fun. Loved Betty White and Rick Springfield. Soaps are outmoded misogynst shows that focus on weak abused women, liars and a whole lot of negativity. Who needs them.
Posted by: Katy | January 28, 2011 at 05:46 PM
UGH! The Talk just started and people are comparing it's rating to The View and wondering why it's low. News flash: most shows have low ratings in their first season. And considering how much the soap opera was, it really wasn't doing all that well. I'm with the dude who said out with the old granny soap operas, and in with the new younger Talk. This is fresh new and isn't the political garbage they force-feed us on The View.
Posted by: LoveTheTalk | January 28, 2011 at 05:51 PM
The "Talk" is an OK show, but it is no The View. And as a long time As The World Turns fan, I really miss that show. I have always thought CBS had the better daytime line up and then they took away two of my favorite soaps. I am forced to watch those on ABC or NBC but I do not feel the acting is as good as the two CBS dropped, (Guiding Light being the other that I watched religiously). If they were smart instead of renewing the Talk, they would bring back ATWT and GL. Before everyone defects to ABC and NBC for their soap fix.
Posted by: Jackie | January 30, 2011 at 08:59 AM