- News Archive October 1998 -
- News Archive October 1998 -
UPN CAN'T GET A BREAK - Oct 29
From USA TodayStruggling UPN can't get a break. The mini-network canceled Mercy Point after three airings, since it was averaging a lowly 1.4 rating. But its replacements fared worse: America's Greatest Pets did a 1.3 rating and the Reunited sitcom even worse, with a 0.9 rating. "I don't recall ever seeing anything below a 1 rating" (for a first run broadcast), says Ann Elliot of Nielsen Media Research.(Thanks Rosemary)
CHRIS-CRAFT PROFITS UP - Oct 27
From Hollywood ReporterExpenses Down Profits Up(thanks Janice)Chris-Craft Industries Inc, 80% owner of TV station group BHC Communications, reported a threefold leap in third-quarter net income because of fewer operational charges in the period. The New York based company saw profit of $14.5 million, of 44 cents per share, in the latest quarter - compared with a year-earlier $4.5 million, or 14 cents per share - despite a 2% drop in operating revenue. Chris-Craft incurred reduced stock-based employment retirement benefits in the quarter. And Untied Paramount Network, in which BHC holds a 50% stake, shifted the timing of some programming expenses out of the third quarter this year. Separately, BHC saw net income of $15.8 million, or 70 cents per share, in the latest quarter - up 82% from $8.7 million, or 37 cents per share. BHC's third-quarter operating revenue slid 3% to $102.8 million from $106 million.
NUMBERS NOT GOOD FOR UPN - Oct 27
From Hollywood ReporterStephen Battaglio
Retooling network posts double-digit decreases in key demos(Thanks Janice)A rebuilding period for UPN has resulted in historic lows at the network, which has post5ed the largest declines of all the broadcast nets.
While the Big Four have suffered their share of ratings woes, UPN has seen double-digit decreases across the board in the first four weeks of the 1998-99 season.
UPN has posted a 43% drop in total viewers compared with last year (2.67 million vs. 4.65 million), a 40% drop among adults 18-49 (1.9 rating/5 share last year vs. 1.1/3). Among ages 12-34 - a demo more likely to sample the emerging network - UPN also is down from a 2.2/6 to a 1.2/4.
"UPN is in trouble. Its audience levels have dropped dramatically since last season," according to a J Walter Thompson newsletter that is circulated to its advertising clients. "Repeats during the first two weeks of the season yielded poor results; audience levels were about 50%.
"Based on ratings for its premieres during Week 3, we have to wonder how much longer UPN will be around," the newsletter read.
"There are bright spots and there are other areas that have created some concern," said Al DeVaney, general manager of UPN affiliate WPWR-TV in Chicago. "I don't think hasty reactions are ever good, but I do at some point want to learn more about backup plans for shows that are not working,"
Some media buyers speculate that the lower-than-expected ratings may put UPN in the unusual situation of having to give cash back to advertisers. The network guaranteed that it would average as high as a 3 rating among 18-49, yet most of the shows have sunk to a 1 rating in the key demographics. Cash back involves advertisers receiving two free spots for every spot they purchased.
Working in UPN's favor is the fact it only sold about 50% of its inventories. Since fewer spots sold, UPN can give back inventory to advertisers.
"This year, the problems look larger," said Bob Igiel, executive vp national broadcast for the Media Edge, Young & Rubicam's media unit, "They are clearly not getting sampling."
Still, Igiel said UPN has a chance to improve. The baseball playoffs are over, and the homes using television (HUT) levels should rise because viewers tend to watch more TV during the winter months.
What's more, ad executives believe UPN needs time to convert from a young-skewing network to one that is more broad-based.
"The affiliates and advertising community are keenly aware of what we're trying to accomplish" said Tom Nunan (pictured left), UPN's entertainment president.
"We've opened up two new nights and radically changed the programming," he said. "It takes time to draw viewers to that new direction, but we've attracted the right viewers. We'll take our lumps now for a successful long-term future."
Meanwhile, many UPN affiliates remain steadfast in their belief that the network's performance will improve.
"Shame on (media buyers) for thinking you can predict how networks operate," said Dave Hanna, a UPN affiliate board member and general manager of affiliate WUPV-TV in Richmond Va.
"Of course I'd like it if the ratings were better," he said. "We have some very good stories. I think it's early in the game to have somebody playing referee and throwing in the towel. I certainly don't think there's panic amongst the natives by any stretch."
DESMOND PFEIFFER GOES DOWN AS UPN TRIES TO REGROUP - Oct 26
From USA TodayPlummeting UPN hopes for a reboundUPN, which fell to sixth place in the network ratings race last season, is having a fall it would just as soon forget. The netlet drew protest with The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, a sitcom set in Lincoln's WhiteHouse, which many said trivialized slavery. But that was nothing compared with the mass rejection of new UPN shows by UPN viewers.
The networks at large are down from last year - UPN's competitor WB is the exception, up 14% - but none is off as dramatically as UPN, which is down a whopping 39%, despite spreading from three to five nights of programming. UPN hit a new low Oct. 15 with the thriller 30 Years to Life, which averaged a 1.2 rating, the lowest first-run prime-time broadcast rating ever.
Friday, UPN pulled Desmond and rewrote its Monday lineup. Starting Nov. 2, the night will lead off with Malcolm & Eddie at 8 ET/PT, followed by Guys Like Us, a second Malcolm & Eddie, and DiResta. UPN's new Tuesday schedule kicks in this week, with Mercy Point replaced by Reunited, a sitcom about a mom and the daughter she gave up for adoption, and the reality series America's Greatest Pets.
"This is a network that was built upon sitcoms for African-Americans and science-fiction shows," says UPN programming chief Tom Nunan. "It was too narrow a base upon to build a network. We have tried to put on shows that appeal to a broader audience. And that takes time and patience."
No other changes are planned before Jan. 25, Nunan says, when UPN premieres Dilbert, based on the comic strip. The network also will bring back The Sentinel, probably in March, the same month it hopes to launch a medical/cop drama from Barry Levinson and Tom Fontana (Homicide: Life on the Street), and Home Team, a sitcom from the Jim Henson Co., starring Greg Evigan (Melrose Place).
UPN's ratings have been falling for months, but industry observers didn't expect viewership to drop this drastically. "They (the numbers) weren't that big to begin with," says ad buyer Audrey Steele of Zenith Media. "So . . . I am very surprised."
Because advertisers bought time based on last year's ratings, Steele says, UPN will be forced to give out "lots of make-goods" - free ad time to compensate for lower ratings. Despite overall lows, Nunan says, new shows such as Legacy, Seven Days and Guys Like Us are attracting the younger viewers UPN had hoped for. "We just need more of them." UPN affiliates have been understanding so far, Nunan says. "The affiliates knew the earlier programming strategy wouldn't be healthy in the long haul, and they understand that it takes time to rebuild." How long? "It only takes one hit show to turn a network around," he says. "But . . . people have to be aware that UPN stands for an entirely different kind of programming. It could take a good two years until people understand."
For now, affiliates say they support the network. "We're not panicking," says Dave Hanna, general manager of UPN affiliate WUPV in Richmond, Va. "Obviously, we'd like to see better numbers, but it takes time."
Friday, UPN owners Paramount and Chris-Craft Industries released a statement saying they're "firmly" committed and "confident" in UPN. The network's future is the talk of the industry, says Marc Berman, a TV analyst with SELTEL, but "if UPN is patient and sticks with their programming, there is no reason they can't turn things around."
(Thanks Rebecca)
UPN IN EVEN MORE TROUBLE - Oct 19
From Variety:UPN, already in serious trouble on Mondays, Tuesdays and Fridays, has another disaster brewing on Thursdays. Its second try with a Thursday film, 30 Years-to-Life (1.2/2 in homes, 0.6/2 in adults 18-49) dragged the netlet down to what's apparently the lowest nightlong households rating on any broadcast network ever.(Thanks Joyce)UPN's Friday team fared little better with overnights showing a 22% drop vs. last week's premiere for Legacy (2.5/4 in homes in 35 metered markets) and a 21% falloff for Love Boat: The Next Wave (2.7/5). Given gaps in UPN's national coverage, those numbers are expected to drop well below 2 ratings when national figures are released by Nielsen Tuesday.
On the plus side, UPN's Friday sked did show growth in nine of the 35 markets.
NO MERCY AT UPN - Oct 16
From Variety: by Jenny HontzMercy Point averaged a 1.5/2 in homes and a 0.9/2 among adults 18-49, which was down 36% from the same two-week October timeslot average for UPN last season.(Thanks Michelle)Trey Callaway, the show's creator and executive producer, told Daily Variety that the netlet's decision to pull the show so soon "demonstrates UPN's lack of confidence in their own judgment. We developed an intelligent, sexy, interesting show that was groomed from the outset to be a companion to Voyager. Instead, we were a companion to Moesha and Clueless. Clearly that was not the right choice. We didn't get any support marketing-wise either."
UPN entertainment president Tom Nunan acknowledged that the show was originally developed for Wednesday night, but said 7 Days was a stronger Voyager companion. "We were still so excited about the prospects of Mercy Point that we gave it a chance on our air anyway. It wasn't the best scheduling move, but we were optimistic."
Nunan said UPN is now considering running the additional episodes back-to-back on Thursday night as part of the netlet's movie franchise.
SENTINEL PRODUCTION UPDATE - Oct 16
Jeri Ryan has left Vancouver after reprising her role as evil Sentinel Alex Barnes for the fourth season premiere episode of The Sentinel for which filming is almost complete.Unfortunately, due to scheduling difficulties the planned three day location shoot in Mexico had to be cancelled.
On a brighter note, Pet Fly has secured genre favorite Robert Vaughn to guest in the episode The Real Deal which begins filming next week.
As reported below, UPN's 'ER in space' series Mercy Point has been cancelled after only two outings and will be replaced on October 26 by America's Greatest Pets and Reunited.
Due to the late start of Sentinel filming and the fact that the season opener is still be be completed, The Sentinel was not really an option for this timeslot at this time. While we all keenly await the return of The Sentinel, being thrown on with ten days notice in the ratings vacuum left by Mercy Point are not the ideal conditions to return to our screens.
However, The Sentinel will be returning in the near future and now is the time to contact your local UPN affiliate to keep up pressure on the network and ask when the show will be back. Visit the Target page to find more ways to support The Sentinel for its return.
NO MERCY FOR MERCY POINT
Reported by Electronic Media:
UPN'S FIRST FALL FATALITY - MERCY POINT CANCELLED - Oct 16UPN realigns schedule: Fighting a disappointing first two weeks, UPN has already juggled its prime-time lineup, yanking the Columbia TriStar drama Mercy Point off the air and flipping the time periods of two Monday night sitcoms.(Thanks Laurie)Effective Oct. 26, Malcolm & Eddie will move to 9 p.m. (ET), swapping slots with The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer, which moves to 9:30 p.m. On Tuesdays, starting Oct. 27, Mercy Point will be replaced at 9 p.m. by two new shows--the reality series America's Greatest Pets, hosted by animal expert Jules Sylvester and actress Ali Landry, and the Castle Rock sitcom Reunited (formerly Nicki), starring Julie Hagerty.
"The introduction of two new programs on Tuesday is designed to improve our competitive edge on one of television's most vigorously contested nights," said UPN Entertainment President Tom Nunan. "Malcolm & Eddie has a loyal following, and we believe flipping the show to 9 p.m. will strengthen the entire hour."
(It's nice to see that UPN believes that a 'loyal following' should be taken into account when making programming decisions. Mmmmmmmm ... Eds)
UPN'S PREMIERE WEEK A DOWNER - Oct 15
Excerpt from Hollywood Reporter in the wake of the first week of UPN's new fall programming."UPN's week of premieres was a downer, with strong results on Wednesday and satisfactory numbers on Thursday (I Married A Monster), but weak Nielsens on Monday, Tuesday and Friday.(Thanks Kat)"For Oct 5-11 UPN was down 37% vs. results for the same week last year. Rookies showing varying degrees of promise are UPN's 7 Days. First-year disappointments include UPN's Guys Like Us, Mercy Point, and Legacy. New shows in the deepest trouble include UPN's DiResta and Desmond Pfeiffer.
"UPN's Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer (1.4 rating, 2 share in homes, 0.8/2 in adults 18-49) is all but dead after two airings, down on Oct. 12 by 13% vs. its disastrous premiere last week. For the night, UPN averaged a 1.6/2 in homes, down a tenth from last week's rough start for the netlet's worst-rated firstrun regular-fare Monday ever.
"UPN wobbled with its Friday launch, as Love Boat drifted 34% behind its season average on Mondays last spring, equaling its lowest firstrun rating to date.
"UPN got off to a respectable Thursday start (I Married A Monster) beating WB's first Thursday 18-49 rating of three weeks earlier. UPN got some (more) welcome good news from it premiere of Seven Nights, (sic) which earned that netlet's best Wednesday rating since last March 4.
"UPN's debuting lineup looked shaky, down by 30% vs. its year ago Aug. 26 Tuesday premieres. UPN's premieres... hit an all-time UPN low for regular firstrun fare... on Monday."
OFFICIAL FAN CLUB FOR RICHARD BURGI ANNOUNCED - Oct 11
The following announcement comes from the fan club committee:Not your typical star...
...Not your typical fan club.Announcing --
The Official Richard Burgi Fan Club
Show your support and appreciation for Richard Burgi -- join his official fan club today!Members will receive:
Visit the RBFC website for membership and Club information or contact coupede@cais.com.
- an autographed photo
- a subscription to the Club's quarterly newsletter
- updates on guest appearances and interviews
- all the latest news about Richard's current and future projects
RICHARD BURGI INTERVIEW - Oct 9
Mania Magazine has published their interview with Richard Burgi.
In this interview he discusses the shock news that The Sentinel was not renewed, his thoughts on the character of Jim Ellison and his approach to acting.
I MARRIED A MONSTER PRESS RELEASE - Oct 2
From Ultimate TV website:I Married a Monster Debuts on UPN
Richard Burgi (The Sentinel) and Susan Walters (Melrose Place) star in I Married a Monster, based on the 1958 cult classic, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, the premiere presentation of UPN's new movie franchise, "UPN's Thursday Night at the Movies," airing THURSDAY, OCTOBER 8 (8:00-10:00 p.m., ET/PT) on UPN. Designed as entertainment for the entire family, "UPN's Thursday Night at the Movies" delivers a compelling mix of themes ranging from futuristic and action adventure, to suspense and love stories with a twist.
As I Married a Monster opens in the small town of Blue Falls, longtime sweethearts Nick Farrell and Kelly Drummond are about to marry when, without warning, the groom becomes possessed by a monstrous being that's intent on procreating its dying race through humans. After the wedding, Kelly realizes there's something otherworldly about her new husband and, when other men in the town begin behaving as oddly as Nick, she knows it's up to her to fight the beasts that are taking over Blue Falls.
Starring are Richard Burgi as Nick Farrell; Susan Walters as Kelly Drummond Farrell; Barbara Niven as Linda Harris; Tim Ryan as Steve Talbot; Richard Herd as Uncle Paul Drummond; Tim deZarn as Bud Riley; Dick O'Neill as Pop; Jason Van as the deputy; and Vaughn Armstrong as Sheriff Collins. Nancy Malone and Duane Poole are the executive producers. Nancy Malone is the director. Academy Award-winning composer David Shire (Norma Rae, All the President's Men, Saturday Night Fever, The World According to Garp) is the composer. I Married a Monster, based on the 1958 classic Paramount movie, I Married a Monster from Outer Space, is a Stu Segall production and is distributed by Paramount Network Television. It was filmed on location in San Diego, California.
The film carries a TV PG parental guideline.
(Thanks Ann)