Tony Rating Down Again

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:17pm

No mention of how "The Sopranos" season finale factored into these numbers.

From Playbill.com

Basketball, Not Tonys, Wins Ratings Race
By Andrew Gans
07 Jun 2004


The broadcast of the Detroit Pistons/Los Angeles Lakers basketball game helped the ABC network win the ratings race for Sunday, June 6.

The ABC network, according to Zap2it.com, averaged a 6.9 rating/12 share. NBC came in second with a 6.0 rating/10 share, and CBS, which presented the 58th Annual Tony Awards, came in third with a 5.2 rating/9 share. The eye network, however, did place ahead of FOX-TV, which scored a 2.7 rating/5 share.

According to these preliminary numbers, the 2004 Tonys were down slightly from the 2003 Awards, which scored a 5.4 rating/9 share. A single rating point represents roughly one million households; a share shows the percentage of televisions being used at the time.

CBS started the night ahead of the other networks with a 6.6 rating/13 share for its broadcast of "60 Minutes." ABC took the lead at 8 PM during the latter portion of "America's Funniest Home Videos" and the NBA pregame special. The basketball game drew a 7.3 rating/12 share during the 9-10 PM slot, and the end of the game and NBC's "Crossing Jordan" were neck-and neck at 10 PM.

Zap2it ratings are "taken from fast national data. All numbers are preliminary and subject to change, especially in the case of live telecasts."

Thought not a ratings winner, the 2004 Tony Awards is already being considered one of the finest telecasts in recent Tony history. Led by Tony Award winner Hugh Jackman as host, the evening featured several memorable speeches and production numbers.

Updated On: 6/7/04 at 02:17 PM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:19pm

The Tonys will be back on top again. Remember when Chicago won the Oscar and people were excitedly exclaiming that it was going to usher in a new era of Hollywood musicals? Well, the dozens of musicals released so far have all be fabulous and smash hits and it's only a matter of time before people rediscover the glory of Old Broadway.

[popcultureboy]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:21pm

Ironic that they pulled out so many stops to try and woo viewers and it really didn't work, isn't it?

[Mr. Tuttle]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:27pm

"of musicals released so far have all be fabulous and smash hits "

Really Namo. Doose tel us moore!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:28pm

Are you that irony-free, Chuck?

[junglered]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:29pm

This is sad, but not unsurprising news. -And you are right, popcultureboy, that the strategy of bringing in so many "non-Broadway" oriented artists to the show didn't seem to translate to a ratings gain.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:30pm

June is a low-ratings month in general. 90% of network fare is reruns.

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:41pm

Year after year I just can't undersatnd why they don't move the awards show to a Monday night.

[bwaylyric]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:44pm

Seems like they always go up against the NBA finals. Even though they have different audiences, basketball usually wins...unless it's a finals between the Clippers and some other team.

[TVBoy]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 2:58pm

As someone who works in television, I can tell you anything that airs during the summer months won't be a ratings grabber. CBS knows this, and thus their lack of extensive promotion.

As far as bringing in "big name non-Broadway" talent, they really didn't. Nicole, Sarah Jessica, etc., those are regulars are any awards shows. People expect to see them there sitting on the front row and presenting an award.

I'm a huge Broadway fan, but let's face it, the Tony's will never be the Grammys or the Oscars, ratings wise. Anyone can go to their local Target and pick up a CD or visit their local movie theater to see the latest blockbuster smash... so there is a sense of connection there. Not everyone can visit the Great White Way and shell out $100 for a ticket. Many people have seen every movie up for the Oscar or heard every song up for Best Pop Album, very few are lucky enough to see just one musical up for the award. Main Street America feels distant from Broadway and therefore doesn't take the time to sit and watch a 3 hour award show about something they know little about. The folks at CBS know this. That's why they would rather fill a 30-second slot with a paid ad then place a free Tony promotion in it's place.

I wish the Tony's would be a top rated show too, but the networks know it will never be.

Updated On: 6/7/04 at 02:58 PM

[javero]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 3:22pm

I was thinking that perhaps the Tony Awards could feature a set of high school-aged youngsters in a musical with "original" youth-oriented dialog & music, something in the vein of AI. Auditions could be held through out the year for the parts with several televised elimination rounds. The winners could be tapped to perform during a segment of the Tony Awards telecast. That is at least one way to capture a younger audience. The kiddies would tune in to cheer or jeer their classmates, depending on their perspective.

Updated On: 6/7/04 at 03:22 PM

[Nagrom5280]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 3:35pm

If the Tony Awards really do not appeal to "Main Street USA" as has been stated (which understand, I do not think the do either), then why not move the awards to a cable network such as Bravo so the awards can be what they should be, a celebration of the theatre. It is clear there is a group of individuals in America who know the names of chorus boys, who know all of the previous shows the ensemble members of Taboo were in, etc. Instead of trying to find a group of Americans who are not interested in whats playing on Braodway and trying to cater to them and 'win them over' with performances, why not reward the people who celebrate and enjoy all that is Broadway with the real celebrities, people performing on a Broadway stage. I would love to have seen Euan Morton perform, or Isabel Keating as Judy, or any of the designers talk about what inspired them to make the sets, or using certain lighting techniques. I just think instead of trying to convert middle America, reward those who enjoy and are passionate about attending live theatre.

Just my 2 cents.

[TVBoy]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 3:47pm

You have a valid argument. CBS, the network and it's affiliates, like it because they can use it as "bragging fuel" when needed. If somone or some company blames the network for not broadcasting family-oriented programming, creative arts shows, etc. the brass at CBS can always say, "We broadcast the Tony Awards, blah, blah." (Keep in mind, networks and affiliates are mandated to broadcast in the "public interest." When the network and affiliates report their programming to the FCC, be sure the Tony Awards will be highlighted in the report.) Plus, even though the show wasn't a rating standout, CBS still made money off of it -- more money than a repeat would bring in. (And, in case you didn't notice, remember all of those CBS show promos inserted during the commercial breaks? Even though they had a small audience, it was an opportunity to show off some of its regular programming to an audience who may not normally watch CBS.) Trust me, there's a reason it's still on CBS, and I'm glad.

Updated On: 6/7/04 at 03:47 PM

[javero]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 3:52pm

^^^Well put. I work for the federal regulator of the airwaves and your comments friend sum up things succintly. Its all about the Benjamins and the cheap promo for regular lineup.

[TVBoy]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 3:54pm

Thank you. This reminds me of a saying we have in our newsroom... "Television is like sausage. You like it, until you see how it's made." Last night, CBS was making sausage.

(And I say this with all due respect to CBS. Hey, I'm one of them.)

Updated On: 6/7/04 at 03:54 PM

[Phantom2]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 3:59pm

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

[SMichaelK]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 4:05pm

As some one in middle america (and no, in Ohio we don't speak like they do in Wonderful Town) I can say it can be hard to see a quality program, and while it would be nice to move it, many people may not have access to cable in the more rural areas of America. So while it would be nice to have it on an arts oriented channel such as Bravo... they would take away the oppurtunity for a sect of the population to see well done, albeit limited to songs, theatre.

[Nagrom5280]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 4:13pm

Sausage it was, I agree. I also completely understand the income that CBS generates from the broadcast. I know it will never move to an arts-centered cable channel, and part of me is glad that it is on national television, but the other part of me wishes it was about what's on stage (or what could be on stage) during the Tony Awards and not what's on the line-up for the fall season at CBS.

[Broadwaylilhead]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 4:22pm

Oh PH2's infamous "ahhhhhhhhhhhh" statement...

It was quite funny when Hugh made the joke to Sarah Jessica that only 6,000 were watching in person and another 6,000 on TV. Cracked me up!

[tappedout]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 7:56pm

I agree with Nagrom 100 %. I got tired of seeing Nicole Kidman, renee Zelwegger, P. Diddy's faces. They never (except once when they panned to Cheno and Marissa) panned to the broadway people as I think of them. I feel like the only time we ever got to see most of the people on the boards right now was when they were performing or winning, that's it. I mean it was their night and I feel like on t.v. at least I didn't see how they were reacting to other people's wins, what they were thinking...they just disappeared until they were on stage. It made me sad.

[thirdrowcenter]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 8:04pm

My favorite financial chat room has people from all over the country. I asked if anyone was going to watch the Tony awards yesterday. Not one said yes.

[Bohoboy]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 8:18pm

No one has yet to factor in the fact that many theatre people gather in one place and watch the tonys in a group, that certainly has some effect on the amount of people per screen. Am I crazy?

[TVBoy]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 8:20pm

Yes, but people do the same for the Oscars, Grammys, Survivor Finale, American Idol... they still all pull in the numbers.

[luvtheEmcee]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 8:40pm

ugh... again? I hope this doesn't eventually cause it to stop being broadcast. It's like the Superbowl to me!

[MusicMan]

Posted: 6/7/04 at 10:13pm

Dull, innocuous Broadway shows make for dull, innocuous awards ceremonies.

Maybe pay-per-view is the way to go.