TV ratings: CBS, 'Ghost Whisperer' lead a quiet Friday

So does this mean that FOX should run movies on Friday and not even bother to schedule it? This is their best friday in quite some time no?

Ugly betty is doomed. It came in 4th behind three reruns. I think that spells CANCEL in ABC's minds.

I feel so sorry for the Ugly Betty ratings. It's really doomed. I was hoping for a spike in ratings but now that ABC tried even against repeats it still disappointed. Wah wah. I love the show.

Leno needs to go and this could be the final season for Ugly betty as those numbers against movies and reruns are sure ugly to look at for ABC.

Friday night network television ... last one out please turn off the lights

Move Ugly Betty to Wednesday 10pm, in place of (also) canceled Eastwick.
Ugly Betty gets repeated the following Thursday on TVGuide channel. What is the rating for that time slot?

When I see ratings like this, I think of shows that would never have made it on the air in today's market, like Sanford and Son, The Rockford Files, Dallas, or Chico and The Man, all hits on Fridays years ago, but because they probably wouldn't hit the right demo, would never make it on TV today. Such a pity. Maybe the networks should adopt the cheaper, better attitude. Do shows really need 12 producers and executive producers? How about one producer who does the job? I'll lament the passing of network TV. I'm in my mid 40's, outside of the desired demo, but my teenage children don't watch broadcast TV because they've lost me and I haven't brought them on board. I figure by the time I have grandchildren, sometime in the next 10-20 years, the broadcast networks will be a footnote in television history.

JDK

I hate to agree with the point of your post, JDK, because it's pretty damn sad, but you're right on the money. I'm still barely in the "all-important" demo, but most of what passes for entertainment on TV these days has me grateful for both external media sources (such as shows on DVD) and other distractions (internet gaming, sports bars, dating). Network television used to be worth staying home for, even on Friday nights. Now it isn't. I blame most of it on networks now being run by business folks with no concept on how to run things in general, let alone in an entertainment venue. It used to be that those in power had at least a modicum of interest in and knowledge of broadcast media. These days, viewers are lucky if the people running a network passed Business 101 courses with more than a C- average.

I agree that network television as it used to be is on its way out. What is replacing it, however, is not better, especially in terms of long-range profit. Until the ones who make decisions in broadcast television start hiring people with know-how (and who are willing to take chances), the horrid state of network TV will continue.

As a complete non sequitur, but still going with your post, I thought there was going to be a remake of The Rockford Files. I hope I was just dreaming that.

@JDK: Very good post. It is amazing how network programmers were able to find hits for Saturday and Sunday in years past and now just throw up their hands and call those two days "death slots"... :(

Dallas in particular was one of the most successful (and profitable) shows of all time.

While there is no denying the increased competition to network TV overall, it is incredible that a day where one of the most profitable shows of all time thrived is now considered barely worth programming at all.

To echo AaronR, I do think that the prevalence of MBA types who know nothing about the film and TV business in executive suites is largely to blame.

The Jeff Zucker approach of managing for profitability by shrinking the company to its death only makes sense if you know nothing of the business, where it was and what its potentialities and drawbacks are.

Mr. Zucker, famously, declared 8-9pm not worthy of programming with real shows and now has followed up on this by de-programming 10-11pm by moving a talk show there...

Clearly, he thinks that there is no way he could find a new Dallas to put in those slots. Now, as long as he picks the shows, that's probably true, but if he hired someone from USA to pick for him, NBC would magically start to do better.

@aaronR: you are right, there is a Rockford Files remake in the works.

Apparently, the MBA types that dominate the networks and studios are not smart enough to see that remakes almost never work and should be used sparingly. :(

As for profitability, one has only to look at the amazing profits generated by CSI and NCIS to understand why the Zucker approach is flawed on its face.