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The CW zigs where others only dare to zag
Like any adolescent, The CW is still trying to discover its identity, experiment with innovative ideas and occasionally make some bold, if borderline wackily uncertain moves. Hey, they may even offend people (read: critics) along the way. Welcome to the first green network, the one that has less to do with living green than spending greenbacks.
"Looking towards the future, we are very focused on women 18-34. We know that's our sweet spot and we know that's where we can make the most noise," says Dawn Ostroff, C-Dub's President during Saturday's Television Critics Association executive conference.
Among the most surprising announcements she made was the network is considering starting its upcoming 2009-2010 season in the summer instead of the fall. You see? Wacky.
"We're all talking about how we can have programming on throughout the year, at different times of the year," explains Ostroff. "We really feel we need to zig when everybody else is zagging. In fact, we're looking at putting on our '09-'10 season ... during the summer next year. To that end, we're even looking at shooting pilots much, much earlier this year, in October/November."
It's apparently a strategy of the early bird getting the viewers because this year the CW's 2008-'09 season will also start slightly early, on Sept. 1, about three or four weeks ahead of the other networks.
"We also have some shows we shall be plugging in throughout, some that we have not announced yet," adds Ostroff when confronted with a timeslot of eight weeks on the schedule that hasn't been accounted for. Check out The CW's Fall Premiere Dates.
Farming It Out, Branding the Livestock
The CW does, however, account for its Sunday nights, which consists of four shows produced by Media Rights Capital. It's a curious mix: In Harm's Way, a documentary show about dangerous jobs; Surviving Suburbia, a sitcom starring Bob Saget; Valentine, about a family of Greek gods who try to foster love around them; and Easy Money, a drama starring Laurie Metcalf about a family that runs a high interest loan business.
The big question is why The CW felt the need to hand over its Sunday programming block to this other company.
"The Sunday night formatting was a great opportunity for us to not have WWE [Smackdown] on Friday night, where it was really all men," says Ostroff. "There was no duplication in our audience at all for any of our other shows. When we look at the shows we're putting on Sunday night, we have real opportunity for flow. For viewers, it will be seamless ... in fact, much more seamless than WWE has been for the network."
As a strong performer, WWE, or rather its absence, may affect the network's overall ratings.
"It was a really tough decision and a bold decision to decide to take WWE off. It was not easy," acknowledge Ostroff. "The strategy of being able to brand this network was what we were thinking about."
Okay, gotcha. Forget men, bring on the women.
But with such branding, it's still unclear who has final say over the MRC shows, in which the CW insists they have creative control. Apparently the deal with MRC is so labyrinthine, Ostroff evades the critics' attempts to have her explain the deal three times. On the final round, she merely responds, "Let's leave it at it's a very complicated deal and we'll leave it at that. It is. Next question."
Our Fear Is Real
Another one of the new shows discussed that was not on the agenda is 13 - Fear Is Real (a CW not MRC show). As a surprise, Ostroff introduces a clip of the reality show brought to us by executive producer Sam Raimi and Jay Bienstock.
On this "The Blair Witch Project as a reality show," 13 people will arrive by bus to a remote area in the Louisiana bayou, one of the "most haunted areas on earth."
"What they don't know is that I'll be watching their every move," the clip's creepy announcer voice reveals. "They'll be dropped off deep in the woods where I'll play on their darkest fears. One by one they will be killed off. The last one alive will be awarded $66,666."
Uh, wait. We heard "killed." People will be killed?
"We'll do anything for attention here at the CW," Ostroff quips. "Well, what we say is that they are killed off or they disappear because once they're eliminated from the show, they're never seen again by the group of survivors.
"There's an environment that they created in the bayou of Louisiana where of course they know it's a reality show, but the intensity of the situation that they're living in and the kind of challenges that they're faced with really feel real to them while they're in it. We just finished the show. It's hot off the editing bay this week as a matter of fact. It was shocking to see how invested these contestants were. They really felt the horror."
Summary
Forget established schedules. Don't discuss certain upcoming shows at press tour. Get rid of a show that scored well. Have an outside company create your branding Sundays. Kill your contestants.
Well, that's different.
For more, check Zap2it's Fall TV Preview and live coverage of Zap2it's Press Tour Twitters.
As a male viewer of The CW, I can't help but feel appalled and slightly offended at the network being only catered to women. I didn't watch WWE when it was The CW, but I do watch Gossip Girl, Reaper, Supernatural, One Tree Hill, and I did watch Veronica Mars and Girlfriends when they were on. I also tune into Everybody Hates Chris and The Game every now and then. I will be watching 90210 when it premieres this fall as well. Why am I saying this? Because there are actually guys out there that watch shows on the CW BESIDE WWE. It's like Ostroff is trying to castrate the male audience and it doesn't make sense... And the other flagship show, Smallville, isn't catered to just women, but to men as well. There are just as more male fans of Smallville than there are women. It just makes me wonder how The CW is going to shape the final season to fit this women's demographic they are so interested with. Same goes for Reaper and Supernatural.
Mark O. Estes | Jul 20, 2008 4:05:34 AM | #Sorry for the double post, I am sleepy at work. What I m trying to say is that The CW's goal should be to get the coveted 18-34 year old demographics for both women AND men. WWE was not the only thing that guys watched on the network. I know half of my male friends and family who tuned into Gossip Girl, One Tree Hill, Reaper, etc. Especially Smallville. I think that trying to alienate the male audience could lead to disaster for the network. I think getting rid of the WWE was a good move to try to fit the network's new image.
Mark O. Estes | Jul 20, 2008 4:13:05 AM | #Good riddance CW. Smackdown is going to your competitor MyNetworkTV which will eclipse your ratings.
Ryan Rider | Jul 20, 2008 10:26:47 AM | #Dawn Ostroff has got to be one of the dummest people behind the scenes of media. All men watch Smackdown? Females watch Smackdown too! What's the point of having another channel geared towards women? We already have Lifetime, WE TV, Oxygen Network, and Lifetime Movie Network. Those are actually good channels that show quality programs geared towards the female demographic. Hell, the new shows she announced for the fall season sound like they won't last after one or two seasons. A family of Greek Gods who love each other? Sounds corny to me. CW's gonna regret booting Smackdown because of this stupid idea to have a basic network channel geared towards females. The idea won't stick long.
Also, starting the fall season in the summer. Dawn Ostroff, PEOPLE ARE OUT AND ABOUT DURING THE SUMMERTIME FROM SCHOOL AND WHAT NOT!!! She just doesn't see the big picture.
Angela | Jul 20, 2008 11:18:11 AM | #The addition of "Smackdown" to MyNetworkTV may help improve the ratings for that network, but they will hardly eclipse the CW.
Currently, the CW has (on average) twice as many viewers as MyNetworkTV. The highest rated shows on the network are usually movies and not the network's regularly scheduled series. Topping one million viewers is considered hitting a home run on MyNetworkTV. The CW's sadsack Sunday line-up averages just a shade under that figure now.
Jay | Jul 20, 2008 11:18:15 AM | #If Ms. Ostroff by her comments ignores the fact this male also watches Legion of Super Heroes, The Batman as well as Spectacular Spider Man, then yes, she's right.
I only watched Smackdown. How sadly clueless.
SpiderBat | Jul 20, 2008 11:57:17 AM | #Being a WWE fan, I feel completely alienated by Ms. Ostroff's comments. She also said I don't watch anything else on the network. That's weird. I think Reaper and Everybody Hates Chris are on The CW. Perhaps I'm wrong. Whatever, at least the WWE will be respected by MyNetwork. With their ratings, it'll be their crown jewel.
Samir Kemeny | Jul 20, 2008 8:11:30 PM | #The CW made another bold move by allowing the views to comment, ask questions, and other feedback on the site instead of just sending an email.
I agree with all the comments thus far and I've been sending them plenty of complaints, so go there and send your complaints directly to them.
Q. | Jul 21, 2008 5:51:07 AM | #cwtv.com/feedback/comment
feedback@cwtv.com
Here's the CW complaint info | Jul 21, 2008 5:52:01 AM | #I watch Supernatural, Smallville, Reaper and Smackdown, I am in the 18-34 male demo. This seems like a move to get rid of the "stigma" of airing wrestling. Its the only logical explanation as to why a publicly traded company like Viacom would willingly dump its highest rated show
Matt2517 | Jul 21, 2008 6:46:33 AM | #It is dumb stuff like this that is going to kill the network. This is the second time they have done this. Their two highest rated shows were Smackdown and Reba. They cancelled Reba for no good reason just like they are doing to Smackdown.
Jeff | Jul 21, 2008 10:27:32 AM | #The CW is doing the stupid is thing yet again. went will that bitch learn that she is doing a mistake. First was Reba, then the Gilmore Girls, then Girlfriends and now Smackdown. CW will crash and burn, because of Mrs. Ostroff
jose ramirez | Jul 21, 2008 10:52:34 AM | #Dawn Ostroff is a c***, there, i said it. she just threw all of the CW's men viewers under the bus. enjoy your network going belly up you stupid b****. MyNetworkTV is now the true winner now that they got the show that was CW's bread and butter, WWE SmackDown!. if SmackDown! does well while the rest of MyNetworkTV fails, then SmackDown! may move to Fox or FX to finish the contract with News Corp for SmackDown.
Will Henderson | Jul 21, 2008 11:48:37 AM | #Wow. Harshness. But it is directed towards the woman who cancelled Veronica Mars and kelt One Tree Hill, so I can hardly complain.
Mandy | Jul 21, 2008 12:47:28 PM | #Dawn, in what "business model," exactly is it profitable to alienate/eliminate 50% of your potential audience (men)? Then, you narrow it down even further, to (wishful thinking) 18-34s, when in reality it's probably 12 to 14 year olds?
This thinking killed two other networks, WB and UPN. You need shows that cross sex and age boundaries, and are inclusive and interesting to ANYONE. A show like Reba was like that (and even had good ratings), but you killed it. Buffy and Angel were like that; as was Gilmore Girls, Felicity, Everwood...
Are you SO clueless that you'll stick with this idiotic 18-34 women "dream" of yours until the network goes right down the tubes?? WAKE UP!!!!
Jeff | Jul 21, 2008 3:01:25 PM | #This is the most stupidest lady i have ever heard of. Because of her the cw network is going down little by little and when they realise
the big mistake that she is doing it's going to take a ton of effort to restore what she has
done.
I am a 30 year old grown man and i watched
girlfriends / the game / smallville / americas next top model / american idol / and especially my favorite top three shows ( one tree hill / gossip girls / WWE smackdown )
WOW! that's her laying the smacked down on
her candy ass herself.
another thing is what she needs to do is take that stupid show of the wannabe cops (RENO 911 ) and take that off the air and replace it
with the classic shows like ( THE HONEYMOONERS / THREES COMPANY ) FULL TIME ON WEEK DAYS
I'm really disappointed that old CW president is real b*** just want to get rid of WWE for good. I got news for you,Dawn Ostroff, if u take that WWE Smackdown off, then we can get rid of ur CW network for good and end of this line,Ms. Ostroff. Go make your own cable program like Lifetime 2 Channel.
Gopher | Jul 21, 2008 4:07:24 PM | #I agree that she is making a big mistake by letting go of WWE SmackDown! Not just because I am a fan, but also because it was one if not their higest ratest show. I am not sure what ratings Smallville brings in, but after next year, that show is probably going to be finished. The CW will lose me as a few when it does.
Jeremy | Jul 21, 2008 4:09:37 PM | #Opps, I meant fan. haha
Jeremy | Jul 21, 2008 4:10:29 PM | #I've gotta agree with all the posts so far. Obviously, the CW has never actually been to a wrestling event. If they have, they would know there's almost 50/50 men and women who attend. The fact that Smackdown viewers don't translate to other programming may have more to do with those other shows than the wrestling audience. I'll still be watching Smallville and Reaper, but I think WWE will do better with a network that actually wants them.
Aaron | Jul 21, 2008 8:36:20 PM | #It wont take long for her to relize that taking Smackdown! off the air was a bad idea. Im a male and i watched shows like Angel Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, Smackdown!, Charmed, and Reba. But now that most of these shows are gone, other than Smallville, I have no reason to watch your network. So have fun while your network goes belly up you dummy.
DR | Jul 21, 2008 8:44:31 PM | #Regarding the idea of starting early, the original 90210 got a major ratings boost when doing summer episodes instead of repeats or sporting events.
Fox started earlier when they had the World Series and survived.
At this point, networks are adding reality shows and audiences for dramas and comedies are instead tuning into cable networks because they start early.
The only benefit to starting at the end of September is the Emmys, and CW's constant snubbing at this point makes it perfectly fine in my books to start even earlier than before.
Brian from Canada | Jul 23, 2008 1:55:44 PM | #I only know people who watch SHOWS. I don't know anyone who watches NETWORKS. But I guess I don't matter since I'm a 44 year old woman. Unless 18 to 34 year old women watch Supernatural, my favorite show is in trouble!
Kathy B | Jul 24, 2008 1:04:43 PM | #I am now officially 'very' concerned about the future of my favorite little CW show called Reaper.
They've already reduced Reaper's next season down to only 13 episodes and scheduled it as a midseason replacement. Now, with this 18-34 women-centric target they are after, I fear Reaper (pun intended) will be history after it runs its 13-ep course.
Since Reaper is actually produced by ABC, perhaps it'll be picked up by ABC Family. It would be a nice companion show to The Middleman... that is if that show gets picked up for a second season. The Middleman at 8 with Reaper at 9. Pure gold!
Why on earth is this woman allowed to run a network? Really. 18 to 34 year olds is their sweet spot? More like their dead spot. They have the lowest ratings in that demo of any broadcast network, and most cable networks, too. Their demo is more like dumb teenagers 13-17. For every great show they have ruined (Supernatural) or canceled (Everwood), I will be thrilled when they go down in flames.
Allie | Jul 24, 2008 8:00:36 PM | #
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