ABC Television Network

Posted on April 8, 2013 by mjenkins

by Macy Jenkins

History

The American Broadcasting Company began in 1943, after previously operating as the NBC Blue Radio Network. The first television broadcast was in 1948. In 1996, The Walt Disney Company bought ABC, which is now a part of the Disney-ABC Television Group. Corporate headquarters and network news are based in New York City, while programming is based in Burbank, California.

The Players

Source: disneylandtraveler.blogspot.com

Bob Iger

Chairman and CEO of the Walt Disney Company.

Iger began his career at ABC in 1974. Most recently, he acquired Pixar (2006) and Marvel (2009). He directed the merger between Capital Cities/ABC, Inc. and The Walt Disney Company. [1]

Source: Womensconference.org

Anne Sweeney

Co-Chair, Disney Media Networks; President, Disney/ABC Television Group.

Sweeney oversees ABC Studios, the ABC Owned Television Stations Group, the ABC Television Network, Disney Channels Worldwide, ABC Family, SOAPnet, and A&E Television Networks.

Source: disneyabctv.com

Kevin Brockman

Executive Vice President, Global Communications, Disney/ABC Television Group.

Brockman oversees all corporate, news and entertainment communication efforts worldwide on behalf of the Disney/ABC Television Group.

Source: disneyabctv.com

Rebecca Campbell

President, ABC Owned Television Stations Group.

Campbell is responsible for the company’s eight local TV stations and their digital assets in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Houston, Raleigh-Durham and Fresno.

First Quarter Report

The Walt Disney Company’s media networks (which include cable and broadcast stations) increased by 7% in 2012, ending with $5.1 billion in revenue. ABC Broadcasting revenue increased by 6% over the last year, going from $1.4 billion to $1.5 billion. This comes after broadcasting operating income increased by $36 million to $262 million in 2012. The increase in operating income was able to increase because of higher advertising revenues. The amount of online advertising increased, as did advertising rates. [2]

Ratings

Each of the broadcast networks has seen a decreased in ratings from last year. As of March 24^th, ABC is in fourth place (after CBS, FOX, and NBC) with a 26-week season average of a 2.3 rating. ABC is down 8% from last season. Among total viewers, ABC’s 7.8 million is second only to CBS’ 12.1 million viewers (CBS had the Superbowl and the Grammy’s, while ABC’s main event was the Academy Awards). [3]

Source: nydailynews.com

On Sunday February 24^th, 40 million people tuned in to watch Seth MacFarlane host the 85^th Annual Academy Awards ceremony. It was the most watched Oscars since 2010. And this year’s saw 1 million more viewers than Billy Crystal’s 2012 ceremony. [4]

Primetime Programming

In January 2013, ABC had television’s number 1 scripted program for adults 18-49,
“Modern Family.” [5] Source: scottfeinberg.com

Top Rated Shows: Modern Family, Grey’s Anatomy, Scandal, Once Upon a Time, Dancing With the Stars, The Middle, The Bachelor, Castle, and 20/20.

On March 21, 2013, Grey’s Anatomy beat American Idol for the first time ever. And ABC delivers its most-watched non Oscar week since November during the week of March 18th.

On March 21, 2013, “Grey’s Anatomy” beat “American Idol” in the ratings for the first time. And ABC delivered its most-watched non-Oscar week since November during the week of March 18th. [6] Source: homeofthenutty.com

New Shows – Winter 2013:

The Taste: The competitive reality cooking show premiered on Tuesday January 22, 2013. The eight-episode season consisted of auditions where the judges blindly tasted food and eventually eliminated teams to find the winner. The premiere earned a 4.0 rating but the spring finale raked in a mere 1.1. Critics say The Taste is simply a less exciting version of NBC’s The Voice. [7] [8]

Zero Hour: The drama premiered on Thursday February 14, 2013. It was the least-watched premiere for a scripted series in ABC’s history (1.3 rating/6.3 million viewers). Two weeks later, it was canceled. [9]

Red Widow: The drama premiered on Sunday March 3, 2013 and was picked up for eight episodes. It’s centered around a woman who discovered her husband’s secret business life after he is murdered. The premiere earned a 1.5 rating and it’s currently the lowest-rated show on the network. However, ABC hasn’t pulled the plug yet. [10]

Splash: The series premiered on Tuesday March 19, 2013 to an audience of 8.8 million and earned a 2.6 rating. It’s ABC’s highest-rated reality TV premiere in two years and the highest-rated reality TV premiere since The X Factor’s Fall 2011 premiere. [11]

Cast of “Splash”. Source: zap2it

How to Live With Your Parents (For the Rest of Your Life): The comedy premiered on Wednesday April 3, 2013. It stars Sarah Chalke as a divorced mother who moves back in with her hippie parents. The show premiered with a 2.9 rating. It airs after ABC’s #1 show, Modern Family. [12]

Source: Slant Magazine

(See the “How to Live with your parents…” trailer)

Family Tools: The comedy will premiere on Wednesday May 1, 2013 as a part of ABC’s Wednesday comedy line-up. The series is centered on a man who returns home from the army and has to take over his father’s hardware business. [13]

The only new shows from fall 2012 to escape cancellation (so far) have been Nashville, Malibu Country, and The Neighbors.

ABC Daytime

Daytime television as a whole is not what it once was. The soap opera era is over and only four traditional American soap operas remain on the air across all of the networks. Due to declining ratings, ABC canceled the long-running dramas All My Children in 2011 and One Life to Live in 2012. The sole survivor is General Hospital, which airs at 2pm.

Source: webpronews

The only other daytime programming the network offers is The View at 11am and The Chew at 1pm.

ABC News

ABC’s news programming includes World News with Diane Sawyer, Good Morning America, Nightline, Primetime, 20/20, and This Week with George Stephanopoulos.

Good Morning America was the number 1 morning program in total viewers and in the Adult 25-54 demographic during the fourth quarter of 2012. In fact, it marked the first time the program has won the Adult 25-54 demographic since 1994.

Source: Facebook

Nightline was the number 1 late-night program in total viewers and in the Adult 25-54 demo.

World News with Diane Sawyer beat CBS Evening News in fourth quarter ratings and saw its strongest fourth quarter performance since 2009.

Diane Sawyer has been with ABC News since 1989 and serves as the leading face of ABC’s News Department. Source: ABC News

Online and Mobile

Election Night 2012 was the most streamed live event in the history of ABC News. [14] Source: Sun Times

ABC.com has a comedy web series that infuses recaps from the network’s programs with comedic situations. The latest is called “Taye Diggs Destroys Hip Hop.” Actor Taye Diggs leaves Private Practice and starts a career in the world of Hip Hop music. [15]

ABC was the first network to offer a mobile app (released in april 2010). As of April 5^th, the app had been downloaded 10 million times, there have been 200 million episode views and more than 1.3 billion ads run. [16]

ABC’s video player is the sixth most downloaded free iPad app of all time. Source: ABC

The Future

ABC still claims the number 1 scripted show, Modern Family, and has a large online presence. But overall, in the era of “blinkandyoumissit,” the major networks have no time to rest before they plot their next moves.

Sources

[1] “Robert A. Iger” http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/about-disney/leadership/ceo/robert-iger

[2] “The Walt Disney Company Reports First Quarter Earnings For Fiscal 2013” http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/sites/default/files/press-releases/pdfs/q1-fy13-earnings.pdf

[3] “2012-2013 Season: CBS Leads Among Adults 18-49 & With Total Viewers Through Week 26 Ending March 24, 2013” http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/03/26/2012-2013-season-cbs-leads-among-adults-18-49-with-total-viewers-through-week-26-ending-march-24-2013/174970/

[4] “Seth MacFarlane-Hosted Oscars Watched By 40.3M, Up From 2012” http://www.deadline.com/2013/02/oscars-2013-tv-ratings-up-from-2012-abc-seth-macfarlane/

[5] “ABC The Only Major Net to Grow Year to Year” http://tvafterdarkonline.com/2013/01/abc-the-only-major-net-to-grow-year-to-year/

[6] “ABC Delivers Its Most-Watched Non-“Oscar” Week Since November” http://www.thefutoncritic.com/ratings/2013/03/26/abc-delivers-its-most-watched-non-oscar-week-since-november-209415/20130326abc02/

[7] “The Taste’s Two-Hour Premiere Earned Solid Ratings” http://eater.com/archives/2013/01/23/the-taste-wire.php

[8] “’The Taste’ Ends First Season With A Sad Whimper” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/14/the-taste_n_2876049.html

[9]” ‘Zero Hour’ Canceled: ABC Pulls Anthony Edwards Drama After Three Episodes” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/03/01/zero-hour-canceled_n_2794162.html

[10] “Red Widow: New ABC TV Series; Cancel or Keep It?” http://tvseriesfinale.com/tv-show/red-widow-new-abc-tv-series-cancel-or-keep-it-27528/

[11] “Ratings: ABC Makes a Big Splash, Body of Proof Rises, Smash Dips, New Normal Drops” http://tvline.com/2013/03/20/ratings-abc-splash-premiere-ncis-la-spinoff/

[12] “’How to Live with Your Parents’ Opens Strong, ‘Modern Family’ is Wednesday’s Number 1 TV Show” http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/04/04/how-to-live-with-your-parents-opens-strong-modern-family-is-wednesdays-number-1-tv-show/176484/

[13] “’Family Tools’ Cut Down To 10 Episodes: ABC’s Midseason Comedy Affected By ‘Dancing With The Stars’ Schedule” http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/10/family-tools-cut-down-to-10-episodes-abcs-midseason-comedy_n_2109980.html

[14] “ABC News surges into 2013 propelled by strong 4th quarter 2012 ratings.” http://www.cynopsis.com/files/8013/5759/7642/ABC_NEWS_SURGES_INTO_2013_PROPELLED_BY_STRONG_4TH_QUARTER_2012_RATINGS.pdf

[15] “It’s No April Fools Joke: ‘Taye Diggs Destroys Hip Hop’ on ABC.com/ABCdotcomedy – Video” http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/04/01/its-no-april-fools-joke-taye-diggs-destroys-hip-hop-on-abc-comabcdotcomedy-video/175843/

[16] “Disney/ABC App Downloaded 10 Million Times.” http://www.mediapost.com/publications/article/197432/disneyabc-app-downloaded-10-million-times.html#axzz2PslnXpZl

Programming and Program Development

Posted on April 8, 2013 by jzimmerman

Programming has traditionally been made up of two dominant genres, the drama and the situational comedy (or sitcom). In a typical week’s prime time schedule, the major five broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, CW, Fox, and NBC) air a combined 43 hours of dramas and 18 hours of comedy. Another notable genre in the current schedule is reality and competition shows which currently make up 14 hours of the broadcast schedule. When looking into the broader scope of television, more and more genres begin to emerge. Currently on cable and premium networks, dramas and sitcoms also dominate the schedule but they are accompanied by more diverse programming such as mini-series, more reality, and developing genres such as mock reality. Schedules are constantly changing and adapting as new programs are developed and programs begin to come off the air. The development process is unique for each genre and the current season has already showed some success and failures.

Drama

The beginning of any drama series typically happens in one of three ways. Either a writer-producer meets with the network and a concept emerges which then turns into a script or a writer-producer already has a script and pitches it to the network. The third common way for a show to develop is for a highly regarded star to decide they want to do a television program and a team is assigned to develop something which fits their needs. Once a script is written and the network approves along with a cast and crew, a pilot is produced and shown to the network. How many pilots are commissioned is dependent upon the networks overall tone, for example The CW is unlikely to produce a large amount of comedy pilots since their schedule is dominated by dramas, along with their current needs. If not many dramas survive the season, more are likely to be commissioned for the next season.

In the current pilot season, Vulture magazine has already spotted several programming trends. One of which is franchise programming. Shows such as NCIS, The Vampire Diaries, and Chicago Fire all have related pilots being worked on. Going off of the success of Once Upon a Time, there is also a tendency towards magical or supernatural themed programs. Vulture predicts a rise in “House” type characters as well as many bigger name stars following Kevin Bacon back to the smaller screen. Much of this is based off of the successes of this past season and an effort to keep promising trends rolling.

One of the more successful launches this Spring was Fox’s The Following starring Kevin Bacon. The show has already been picked up for a second season and has been consistently winning it’s time slot.

A significant drama which went off the air this spring was The CW’s Gossip Girl. While not a major player in the ratings, Gossip Girl was still influential in it’s run on the CW as a trend setter for other programming. The network saw an uptick in the amount of programs focusing on the glamorous and elite such as 90210 and this season’s The Carrie Diaries.

Cable networks typically are more adventurous in their programming and have been seeing a lot of success lately.

Among the biggest successes is AMC’s The Walking Dead. It is a slightly nontraditional show that has garnered huge ratings for the cable network. It was a major Sunday night competitor this season despite not being on a major broadcast network.

Another major program this spring was The History Channel’s mini series The Bible. It received a lot of attention for it’s content and created a viewing war with The Walking Dead.

Comedies

Comedies are developed in a very similar way to dramas. Typically more comedy pilots are produced each year because they are shorter and quicker to make. However, more concepts are abandoned and there are different standards for determining what shows get picked up. A comedy will rarely be picked up just because it’s funny. Comedies are evaluated more based on the current schedule and where there are holes. If a current show is going off the air or needs a stronger lead in, then a comedy has a stronger chance of making it to air. There is also a different target demographic for comedies. They are intended to appeal to younger, typically less educated, and lower income than other types of programming.

NBC had a much hyped new series in 1600 Penn which was given an early release of the pilot. The show did not hold an audience well and saw continually declining ratings. NBC chose to end the season early by airing multiple episodes in a night. The scheduling change combined with declining ratings led to cancellation rumors.

A more successful show this spring has been ABC’s How to Live With Your Parents For The Rest of Your Life. It had a late premiere date but has still seen favorable ratings. It focuses on a single mom having to move back in with her parents and the struggles that ensue from her eccentric family.

This season will see the end of the long running NBC comedy The Office. The show was a hit for the network for many years and led to similar programs such as Parks and Recreation which is still on air. Show Runner Greg Daniels promises a heartfelt goodbye to match the series all around tone and characters.

Reality

There are four general rules that define reality television. The first is that they do not involve actors, at least in the traditional sense. Second, while they may be planned, they are not written in the way that comedies and dramas are. They are always produced on location, and finally they have some sort of special gimmick. When in development, these programs are judged more on the potential of the idea than the reputations of the writers or performers. Reality television has created a place for itself in the schedule over the past few decades. It is especially prominent on cable networks with networks such as E! and Bravo airing almost exclusively reality in their prime time slots. Bravo recently announced they have 17 new series being planned, nearly all of which are reality.

On broadcast networks, it is most common to see reality programming in the form of competition. The Voice saw a cast change this spring with Shakira and Usher replacing Christina Aguilera and Cee Lo Green as judges. The show has been seeing decent numbers with the new judges.

Emerging Trends

Mock Reality

Reality is clearly a genre which is here to stay. Over the years, reality programming has reached to some pretty extreme levels as far as the types of stories and characters that are put on the air. This has led to a new trend of mock realities, shows which are meant to look like reality shows but are scripted or improv and actually make fun of reality programming.

E! has an hour every week titled “Mock Block Monday” which features two of these Mock Reality Shows. The first is Burning Love which is an imitation of dating shows such as The Bachelor. The second is After Lately which is a supposed documentary of the office of Chelsea Lately, another popular program of theirs.

Other networks are picking up on this trend as well. MTV recently announced a new show, appropriately called Reality Stars, which will be about four friends who get involved in reality television. BET has committed to a second season of The Real Husbands of Hollywood. The show follows men of Hollywood in their “natural environment”.

Social Media

Nielsen announced earlier this winter that it plans to begin using Twitter to measure program popularity. This focus on the “second screen” could give more insight into what viewers are responding too and begin to dictate programming decisions. It can help programmers adapt to the growing social engagement of viewers and use social media trends to their advantage.

Sources

1.http://www.fox.com/the-following/
2.http://epguides.com/grid/
3.http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/04/07/bubble-watch-vegas-craps-out-on-friday-go-on-still-on-the-bubble-how-to-live-with-your-parents-and-hannibal/176840/
4. http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2013/04/07/bubble-watch-vegas-craps-out-on-friday-go-on-still-on-the-bubble-how-to-live-with-your-parents-and-hannibal/176840/
5. http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/03/05/the-following-monday-ratings/
6. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fFq-w5CxN8
7. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/01/the-walking-dead-ratings_n_2993622.html
8. http://insidetv.ew.com/2012/12/18/gossip-girl-finale-ratings/
9. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ufkXlmtHJnw
10. http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/12/fall-season-brings-shift-in-tv-ratings-race/
11. http://www.digitaltrends.com/home-theater/nielsen-using-twitter-data-to-gauge-tv-programming-popularity/
12. http://www.bibleseries.tv/

13. http://www.mid-day.com/entertainment/2013/apr/060413-mtv-is-launching-a-new-tv-series-called-reality-stars.htm

14. http://www.bravotv.com/blogs/the-dish/bravo-announces-17-new-18-returning-series?page=0,1

15. http://insidetv.ew.com/2013/03/17/the-office-tease-series-finale/

16. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzzerIyOI9s

17. http://www.vulture.com/2013/04/comedy-pilots-2013-everything-you-need-to-know.html

18. http://www.vulture.com/2013/04/pilots-2013-dramas.html

19. The Business of Television, Bleumenthol & Goodenough

ABC Network, O&Os and Affiliates

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Baindu Saidu

by Baindu N. Saidu

via: http://www.geek4tv.com/tv-news/tv-news-abc-update-%E2%80%93-abc-cancels-brothers-and-sisters-v-plus-4-more-picks-up-charlie%E2%80%99s-angels-tim-allen-comedy-good-christian-belles-renews-body-of-proof

The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) is one of the oldest American broadcasting networks. Originally created in the 1940’s from the NBC Blue rradio network, ABC is now owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group[1]. The group is composed of Disney’s global entertainment and news television properties, owned television stations group, as well as radio and publishing businesses. This includes ABC Television Network, ABC Owned Television Station Group, ABC Studios, Disney Channels Worldwide, ABC Family, and SOAPnet, as well as Disney/abc Domestic Television and Disney Media Distribution[2].

The parent company, The Walt Disney Company (NYSE:DIS), together with its subsidiaries, is a diversified worldwide entertainment company with operations in media Networks, Parks and Resorts, Studio Entertainment, Consumer Products, and Interactive Media.

image via: http://clipandfollow.com/amazon-various-disney-hardcover-storybooks-for-5-00-reg-15-99/

Key Disney Executives:

John Pepper – Chairman

Robert Iger – President, CEO

James Rasulo – Senior Executive Vice President, CFO

Alan Braverman – Senior Executive Vice President, Secretary, General Counsel

Kevin Mayer – Executive Vice President

Key Disney Financials (in USD as of 09/29/2012):

Revenue:42, 278m

Net income:5,682m

Revenue per share: 23.57 [4]

Graph from Bloomberg.com (http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/DIS:US/chart)

Walt Disney Co. News (Fall 2012)

October 30, 2012: Disney Buys Lucasfilm for $4 Billion in cash and stock and will debut a new Star Wars movie, Episode VII,in 2015. George Lucas, the creator of the Star Wars franchise and CEO of Lucasfilm, owned 100% of the company[5]. Kathleen Kennedy, current co-chair of Lucasfilm, will become its president, reporting to Walt Disney Studios chair Alan Horn. Kennedy will serve as executive producer on new Star Wars features, with Lucas serving as creative consultant [6].
November 28, 2012: Walt Disney said that it would boost its annual dividend to shareholders by 25% to 75¢ a share. It was the latest company to do so on jitters over the looming “fiscal cliff.” The dividend announcement came a day after Disney raised $3 billion in a bond offering, part of which would likely go toward funding the bigger shareholder payout [7].
December 4, 2012: Disney signed an unprecedented movie deal with Netflix, allowing Netflix subscribers to stream films from Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar Animation, Marvel and Disneynature, starting in 2016. When the deal kicks in, Netflix will become the exclusive U.S. subscription television service for first-run, live-action and animated feature films from the Walt Disney Studios, receiving access to the movies after they’re made available for sale and rental. Netflix managers also cut a separate multi-year deal with Disney to bring some older catalog titles to Netflix streaming immediately[8].

ABC Network

ABC Television network provides broadcast programming to more than 220 affiliated stations across the country. the network encompasses ABC News, respoinsible for news programming on television and other digital platforms, ABC Entertainement Group, responsible for the network’s primetime and late-night fair, ABC Daytime,producers of the network’s daytime programming, and ABC Kids, responsible for children’s programming [9].

ABC Daytime

-September 10, 2012: Katie Couric’s new daytime talk show premiered to an estimated 1.535-million viewers from the top 56 U.S. markets. put Couric comfortably ahead of the freshman talk-show pack. “Katie” outdrew “Steve Harvey” by 87%, “Jeff Probst” by 150% and “Ricki Lake” by 250%[10]. For entire article.

-November 26, 2012: As sweeps month comes to a close, Good Morning America is poised to beat out Today to win November sweeps in total viewers and the key adults 25-54 demo, according to Nielsen. It would be GMA‘s first November sweep win in total viewers since 1995, and its first sweeps victory in the key demo in more than 18 years. [11]. For entire article.

-December 06, 2012: ABC was Daytime’s number 1 network for the 12th consecutive week in Women 18-34 (0.6 rating / 214,000 – tied), and was #1 for the 8th straight week in Women 18-49 (0.9 rating / 569,000 – tied) [12]. For entire press release.

Primetime Programming

ABC Entertainment Group develops and produces compelling programming for broadcast on ABC in addition to other television and digital platforms. The group includes ABC Entertainment, which is responsible for all network primetime and late-night entertainment programming. ABC Studios is responsible for the development and production of primetime and late-night entertainment content for ABC, among other platforms. Disney-ABC Domestic Television is responsible for the content distribution within the United States and Canada [13].

New Programs Fall 2012

New ABC Series Premiering in Fall 2012:

-666 Park Avenue

-Last Resort

-Malibu Country

-Nashville

-The Neighbors

For in-depth information about any of ABC’s Fall premiere shows go here.

Fall Ratings

October 09, 2012: After two weeks of the 2012-2013 broadcast television season (through Sunday, October 7 2012), NBC is in first place among adults 18-49, with a 2.8 rating average. Runners-up FOX and CBS tied for second, each earning a 2.4 rating average. ABC came in fourth with a 2.1 rating average and Univision was fifth with a 1.4 18-49 rating. The CW finished last with a 0.3 adults 18-49 rating average [14].

November 13, 2012: After seven weeks of the 2012-2013 broadcast television season (through Sunday, November 11, 2012), NBC is in first place among adults 18-49, with a 3.2 rating average, up 23% from last season. CBS was second, with a 2.8 rating average, down 18% from a year ago. ABC was third with a 2.6, down 7% from a year ago. FOX was fourth with a 2.5, down 29% from last season. The CW finished last with a 0.7 adults 18-49 rating average [15].

November 27, 2012: ABC Draws its 2nd-Largest Audience Since Season Premiere Week and Claims 4 of the Top 15 Most-Watched TV Shows Overall [16]. For specifics on the individual ratings go here.

December 04, 2012: After eight weeks of the 2012-2013 broadcast television season (through Sunday, November 25, 2012), NBC is in first place among adults 18-49, with a 3.2 rating average, up 23% from last season. CBS was second, with a 2.8 rating average, down 18% from the prior season. ABC was third with a 2.6, down 7% from the previous season FOX was fourth with a 2.4, down 31% from last season. The CW finished last with a 0.8 adults 18-49 rating average, down 20% from the previous season. Among total viewers, CBS is ahead for the season averaging 11.718 million viewers. ABC is second with 9.168m, followed by NBC with 8.913 m, FOX with 6.853m, and CW with 1.888 million [17].

December 04, 2012: During the week of November 26, 2012, ABC qualified as the 2nd-most-watched network to CBS, outdrawing an NFL-fueled NBC (8.03 million vs. 7.97 million). And excluding sports, ABC beat out NBC for the week by 10% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 2.0/6). Season-to-Date C3 Ratings (9/24-11/11/12): ABC is the No. 1 network this season in the sales currency of C3 non-sports Adult 18-49 ratings (Commercial Ratings + 3 Days of Playback), out-delivering CBS by 5%, Fox by 10% and NBC by 10%: ABC = 2.3 rating, CBS = 2.2 rating, Fox = 2.1 rating and NBC = 2.1 rating [18].

Coming up

So far in the season, 3 shows have been cancelled, two of which are new series. Private Practice, 666 Park Avenue and The Last Resort will not be seeing anymore seasons. To check the cancellation/renewal index for ABC shows, go here. For information on midseason premieres go here.

Owned and Operated Stations

The ABC Owned Television Stations Group includes WABC-TV New York, KABC-TV Los Angeles, WLS-TV Chicago, WPVI-TV Philadelphia, KGO-TV San Francisco, KTRK-TV Houston, WTVD-TV Raleigh-Durham and KFSN-TV Fresno. The eight owned stations reach 23.3% of all U.S. television households. All are strong performers in their local markets, with most ranking #1 sign-on to sign-off in key A.C. Nielsen ratings for adults 18-49 and 25-54 [20 ].

O & O News:

September 4, 2012: Owned and operated station, WABC-TV, home to the popular syndicated series “Live! with Regis and Kelly, ” welcomed new co-host Michael Strahan, to thew show, now titled “Live! with Kelly and Michael.” For more on the story click here.
For more ABC O&O news check out this website.

Affilate Stations

There are over 220 ABC affiliated stations across the U.S.

November, 21, 2012: KABC remains dominant in L.A. local news. Story here.
December 07, 2012: Sinclair Broadcast Finalizes TV Station Acquisitions, among them ABC Affiliate stations. story here.
For information on their activities go here.

References

[1] http://broadcasting.wikia.com/wiki/American_Broadcasting_Company

[2] http://www.disneyabctv.com/division/index_facts.shtml

[3] http://www.mergentonline.com/companydetail.php?compnumber=2488&pagetype=synopsis

[4] same as [3]

[5] http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/disney-buy-lucasfilm-405-billion-384448

[6] http://www.businessinsider.com/disney-buys-lucasfilm-for-4-billion-2012-10

[7] http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118062809

[8] http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-57557110-93/netflix-signs-unprecedented-movie-deal-with-disney/?ttag=gpwl

[9] http://www.disneyabctv.com/division/index_facts.shtml

[10] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/tv-column/post/first-week-of-katie-courics-talk-show-gets-big-ratings-early-stats-say/2012/09/17/75449882-0119-11e2-b260-32f4a8db9b7e_blog.html

[11] http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/490529-Morning_Show_Ratings_GMA_Set_to_Win_November_Sweep.php

[12] http://www.disneyabctv.com/division/index_facts.shtml

[13] http://www.disneyabctv.com/division/index_facts.shtml

[14] http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/10/09/2012-2013-season-nbc-leads-among-adults-18-49-while-cbs-is-number-1-with-total-viewers-through-week-2-ending-october-7-2012/152137/

[15] http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/11/13/2012-2013-season-nbc-leads-among-adults-18-49-while-cbs-is-number-1-with-total-viewers-through-week-7-ending-november-11-2012/157091/

[16] http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/11/27/abc-draws-its-2nd-largest-audience-since-season-premiere-week/159310/

[17] http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/12/04/2012-2013-season-nbc-leads-among-adults-18-49-while-cbs-is-number-1-with-total-viewers-through-week-10-ending-december-2-2012/160184/

[18] http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2012/12/04/abc-surges-over-the-same-week-last-year-in-viewers-and-adults-18-49/160267/

[19]http://www.disneyabctv.com/division/index_facts.shtml

[20] http://www.disneyabctv.com/division/index_stations.shtml

Production

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Jennifer Pittz

by Jennifer Pittz

In the beginning stages of television production, programs were produced by television stations, by one of the three big networks, or by motion picture studios. By the 1970s, a portable video camera and other production equipment were made available and television production has continued to evolve since [1]. Technological advancements in television production have helped to reduce costs, create time efficiency, and keep up with the demand for exciting television.

Recent Changes in Production

Television production continues to go through constant changes as technology progresses. Production equipment is now mobile, lighter, digital, and offers more creative features. Production locations are primarily in big metropolitan cities like New York City, Los Angeles, Washington, DC, and Chicago. Production is an aspect of the television business that must stay up-to-date with technological developments and current economic activity to stay competitive and maintain cost efficiency.

Production Houses Migrating out of L.A.

Practically all production companies and broadcasting stations own at least one on site studio or a production house. Studios can be used for several purposes including news production, creating local commercials, public affairs programming, and talk shows. The majority of production houses are located on the West Coast, typically in Los Angeles. Since the 1980s, when Twentieth Century FOX established the FOX Network, L.A. quickly transformed into the production capital of the world [5]. A couple years later Paramount, Warner Brothers, and Disney followed. The talent of the cast and crews, the industry resources, diverse locations, and constant weather help to keep L.A. the primary area for production [2].

However, the television industry is constantly changing to stay cost effective and many production companies are migrating to other locations. Production in Los Angeles County has lost over 16,000 jobs sine 2004 because of work migrating out of the state [3]. California was not competitive with other states despite the favorable environment it offers.The state’s lack of offering competing tax incentives as well as the current program on its way to an end has driven production out of the hub. During this same time frame New York, North Carolina, New Mexico, Georgia, and Louisiana have added thousands of jobs because of new film tax credits. Production of pilot programs for broadcast and cable networks have been mounting outside the state, making L.A. take only half of the pie in 2011 [6].

However, September 30, 2012 Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. signed the Assembly Bill 2026 and Senate Bill 1197 to extend government funding for California’s Film and Television Tax Credit Program. Governor Brown signed the state on for a new two-year, $200 million extension to the existing bill that was due to expire at the end of next year. The new bill will be offered through the 2016-2017 fiscal years [4]. The new bill is positive for productions that are currently in the works or productions that will end by 2016-2017. The bill was overwhelmingly supported by the state Assembly and the Senate. California offers a 20 percent to 25 percent tax credit towards production costs to offset business tax liabilities but compared to what other states offer the bill appears to be limited and not competitive [7]. But for upcoming and long-term productions, the bill does not encourage the film and television industry to stay.

Hurricane Sandy’s Impact on Production

Since production crews have recently relocated to new locations, the East Coast became a popular place to set up equipment. New York City has always been known as a television hub, but has lately flourished in the absence of L.A. production. In May of 2012, the Boston Consulting Group released a study recognizing New York City’s film sector is the strongest in its history. In 2011 it generated $7.1 billion and increase in over $2 billion since 2002 [9].

After Hurricane Sandy touched down and made land fall October 30 of this year, production throughout the North East came to a halt and was postponed. New York City officials announced that all film permits were to be revoked October 29 and October 30 for Hurricane Sandy precautions [10]. At least nine television shows were hurt by the shutdown including “Blue Bloods” (CBS), “Elementary” (CBS), “Gossip Girl” (CW), “Person of Interest” (CBS), “666 Park Avenue” (ABC) and “The Following” (Fox). Without the production of these new television shows, networks were forced to preempt other shows and shuffle around television programming for the week.

Late night talk shows, morning shows, and news stations were forced to figure out ways to get their shows on the air despite the natural disaster. Several talk shows also cancelled television production during the disaster and its aftermath including “Katie,” “The Colbert Report,” and “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” [10]. “Jimmy Kimmel Live,” which normally is filmed in L.A., was set for production for a special “Jimmy Kimmel Live from Brooklyn” in New York [10]. “The Colbert Report” and “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart” filmed their shows despite missing the studio audience [8]. “Jimmy Kimmel Live from Brooklyn,” was not filmed according to plan. Morning news shows were able to go on for air but were forced to remain inside. ABC’s “Good Morning America,” NBC’s “Today Show” and “CBS This Morning” aired live Tuesday with extensive storm coverage [13].

Other production problems that came with Hurricane Sandy include getting enough news station crews out safely to shoot video and report for air. Stations were forced to be innovative and use the most of technology and social media with limited resources. In order to keep up with breaking news and current updates, CBS sent out its own mobile SUV weather lab to measure wind and rain [15]. Reporters also turned to citizen journalism by means of social media to get video and pictures on the scene. More equipment and labor are needed in order to cover a massive event at different locations and different news angles. CBS sent reporters and equipment from as far as Minneapolis and Dallas to help stations hit by the super storm on the East Coast [15].

Sources

1. Howard J. Blumenthal and Oliver R. Goodenough, The Business of Television, 2006.

2. http://www.resource411.com/content/?pageID=1013

3. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-laedc-report-20121116,0,3320485.story

4. http://www.film.ca.gov/Incentives.htm

5. Dominick, Joseph R., Sherman, Barry L., & Messere, Fritz. (2000). Broadcasting, Cable, The Internet, and Beyond, 4th Edition. Boston: McGraw Hill.

6. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/California-runaway-production-tax-incentive-337952

7. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/30/entertainment/la-et-ct-state-film-tax-credit-20120930

8. http://thecomicscomic.com/2012/10/30/late-night-with-jimmy-fallon-the-no-audience-hurricane-sandy-edition/

9. http://www.nyc.gov/html/film/html/statistics/stats.shtml

10. http://articles.latimes.com/2012/oct/29/entertainment/la-et-ct-storm-production-20121029

11. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/jimmy-kimmel-cancels-monday-brooklyn-384033

12. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/29/jimmy-kimmel-brooklyn-show-canceled-hurricane-sandy_n_2038338.html

13. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/31/superstorm-sandy-aftermath-nyc-entrtainmen_n_2048791.html

14. http://www.deadline.com/2012/07/tv-production-takes-another-big-hit-says-filml-a/

15. http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/490148/Stations_Improvise_to_Cover_Massive_Sandy.php