This is not good news for those counting bricks while picketing. Except for Fox, primetime ratings for the major networks were down before the first "What do we want?" was chanted on November 5th. Since then, ABC is down 3%, NBC which had fallen to -18% has recovered to 13% off, thanks to "American Gladiator" and Fox is up 2% (due to the return of 'American Idol' and '24'). Playoff football is also having an impact with the Patriots pulling big numbers in their quest for perfection and Sunday's upset of Dallas by the Giants drew more than 40 million viewers, making it the highest rated program of the TV season. Next week when "CSI:Miami", "N.C.I.S." and "The Unit" go to reruns, there might be a dip in ratings since those viewers should go somewhere else but for now the industry is not exactly suffering...
Steve Sternberg, director of audience analysis at Magna Global says "despite no new breakout hits, the combined ratings of the five broadcast networks are down by percentages in line with normal audience erosion we've seen in recent years." Of course this is all subject to change depending on the length of the strike. Should the strike extend into May sweeps, all bets are off and there's another danger looming in a business that doesn't need another downturn...
Should the 50th 'Grammy Awards' be cancelled on February 10th or should there be an inferior representation of artists or heaven forbid, a 'Globe Awards' like presentation of awards announced from a podium, the biggest loser will be the record industry. The awards are little more than a stroke for the artists but a cancelled or scaled-back awards show will impact record sales, something not needed in a dying industry. Last year the Grammy Award winning Dixie Chicks sold over 100,000 albums ('Taking the Long Way') after winning 'Album of the Year'...
Joe Nardone Jr., who owns 'Gallery of Sound' in Philadelphia says, "It's going to be a problem. The writers' strike has already hurt a lot of artists who didn't get to appear on talk shows during the holidays to talk about their records and promote themselves. Less exposure is not what we need right now." For that reason, I'm hoping the strike ends. With a recession looming, we don't need anything to help it along...
10 Timeline Memories:
- 1913] A Penney for your thoughts: All 36 'Golden Rule' stores in Utah are consolidated into one company. The new corporation will be called 'The J.C. Penney Company" ...
- 1916] No joke Johnny: The Professional Golfers Association (PGA) is formed in New York City and an endless amount of un-funny golf jokes are hatched. One thing the PGA didn't count on was a Kelly Tilghman: http://youtube.com/watch?v=gkysGhnbdr0 ...
- 1929] Debuted on this date: Popeye makes his first appearance in the comic strip "Thimble Theater" and here's the first Popeye film: http://youtube.com/watch?v=z3s2o2sdV_0 ...1949] America welcomes the first VW Beetle to our shores. VW is now 20% owned by Porsche...
- 1950] On the Brink: A million and a quarter in cash and over $1.5 million in checks, money orders and securities is stolen in the Great Brink's Robbery from the Brinks Building in Boston...
- 1970] 'Happy Trails': Billy Stewart and 3 band members are killed when their car goes out of control and off a bridge in North Carolina. Stewart was just 32. "Sitting in the Park" is one of Billy's best records. If you don't think this is a beautiful song with Angelic harmony, you've got a 'hole in your soul' and a 'dip in your hip': http://youtube.com/watch?v=a3O1RT392fY ... 2007] Humorist and author Art Buchwald is a victim of kidney failure at 81...
- 1971] Super Bowl Sunday: The Colts' Jim O'Brien boots a 32-yard field goal with 5 seconds remaining to give Baltimore a 16-13 win over Dallas in Super Bowl V, considered the sloppiest of all SB games with a record 11 turnovers...
- 1977] Deadman walking: Convicted murderer Gary Gilmore, 36, is shot by a firing squad at Utah State Prison in the first U.S. execution in a decade...
- 1984] Supe's on: The U.S. Supreme Court rules 5-4 to allow private use of home video cassette recorders to tape TV shows (Yessss)...
- 1994] L.A. & Kobe Rocks: The Northridge (CA) earthquake rocks Los Angeles, registering a 6.7 on the Richter Scale. At least 61 are killed with damage estimated at $20 billion...1995] A magnitude 7.2 earthquake devastates the city of Kobe, Japan with more than 6,000 killed...
- 1998] Me and Miss Jones: Bill Clinton becomes the first U.S. President to testify as a defendant in a criminal or civil suit when he answers questions from lawyers for Paula Jones, who accuses Clinton of sexual harassment. Fox proves that Paula was telling the truth: http://youtube.com/watch?v=PxKA4k_oD5o ...
Music Memories:
- 1964] Number One on this date: "There! I've Said It Again" - Bobby Vinton. It's the last #1 hit before the British Invasion...1974] "Show and Tell" - Al Wilson http://youtube.com/watch?v=r4pOF-AopkY ...
- 1969] Released on this date: "Led Zeppelin" LP...
Commentary:
The TV ratings should go through the roof on Sunday when both NFL Conference Championship games are played starting at 3 p.m. This will not help the TV writer's cause in their continuing strike. It's time for both sides to get down to business and settle this thing ASAP...
"Happy Birthday...happy birthday":
Kid Rock (37), Jim Carrey (46), The Bangles' Susanna Hoffs (49) who was the lead voice on 'Eternal Flame': http://youtube.com/watch?v=4xjzi8NC8bI , Steve Harvey (51), Paul Young (52). I can remember talking to Paul and his manager at a point when the Brit singer was wondering if he could make it here. He did: http://youtube.com/watch?v=hUKBuAkr4Lg , Muhammad Ali (66), Maury Povich (69), James Earl Jones (77), Don Zimmer (77), Vidal Sassoon (80), Eartha Kitt (81), Newton Minnow (82) and Betty White (86)...
Timeline Countdown: 3 days until the NFL Conference Championships, 17 down and 2 to go for the Patriots, 17 days until the Super Bowl and 28 days until pitchers and catchers report voluntarily...
