Teens Tuning Out Network TV
Posted by anastasia on 10-26-2005
In yesterday’s Essentials I mentioned that the average age of the “Veronica Mars” viewer is 31. When I was in Atlanta, I interviewed a teen named Robert for the book who was taking me through his entire day and where technology fits into it. When we got around to the evening, I asked, “What about TV? What shows do you watch?” He basically said he doesn’t really watch much TV anymore. Now it’s all about games on his PC (in his room). Robert doesn’t represent all teens, but according to Media Life magazine, teen viewership is down for the major braodcast networks (it’s allegedly up overall 2 percent, with much of that happening on cable).
Here’s the research:
“The teenage audience is now vanishing at a far faster rate than the decline in young adults 18-34 that was of such concern to broadcasters and advertisers over the last couple of seasons.
The average teenage rating is down 15 percent from the same time last season, from an average 9.2 rating to a 7.8.”
Reasons cited are increase in gaming and not enough programming directed at teens specifically (everyone still focused on 18-34s).
Categorized under: TV