Subject: Re: Debating Ratings
From: giovin@risky.ecs.umass.edu (Rocky J Giovinazzo)
Date: 1991-09-01, 00:17
Newsgroups: alt.tv.twin-peaks

In article <1991Aug31.203653.1117@ulkyvx.bitnet> cksvih01@ulkyvx.bitnet writes:
> >They should have ended the
> >series after Leland's death, the quality of the late episodes wasn't up to
> >the earlier snuff.  
That's your opinion and it's wrong! :)  You forgot to write "IMHO"-- 
the idea that TP should have ended here is probably not the consensus
of this group.

> >3.  I don't think the proliferation of "real drama" shows is signalling the 
> >demise of intelligent viewing alternatives.  I'm actually far more alarmed by:

> >1. Info-mercials
> >2. Local news broadcats
> >3. Pro wrestling

Of course, #1 and #3 are only on during weekend afternoons and at insane
hours of the day (for the most part) when they can corrupt the fewest 
number of people. 

I think you should look at the fall line-up
of dramas and then get an old tv guide to compare it to.  Drama shows
(i.e. 30 something, china beach, tp, dallas, et al) have been cancelled
in large numbers and are not being replaced by new ones.  In fact,
this shrinking of the number of dramas is so out of the ordinary
that I've seen reports about it over the last 3 months on several
shows (Entertainment Tonight for one-- I think there were 2 other similar
shows).  There was even sort of a reference to it during the Emmy's.

Anyway, my point was that shows that require creative talent to 
produce (i.e. drama) are being replaced by ones that require very _little_
creative talent, namely "real drama" (Emergency 911-like), making
tv even less worthwhile.  I might as well remove the tuner from mine
and use it strictly as a monitor.  I'm starting to believe Star
Trek's prediction that television will be no more than history by
the early 21st century.

> >It made perfect economic
> >sense for ABC to cancel Twin Peaks, although you could argue against the 
> >aesthetics of the decision. 
There are really 2 cases to consider here though.  1 is that
with the advertising rates TP was getting, ABC was losing money and
couldn't convince advertisers to pay more by showing them 10,000
letters from fans.  In that case, it does make sense to cancel the
show.  If, however, ABC had just a small profit from TP,
then they would also have to consider possible long term benefits
of having the image of carrying such a show (and also how significant
those benefits would be).  Bob Iger himself has admitted that 
moving TP to Sat. and having a long hiatus in Dec. were mistakes--
(and even apologized) making it evident that the low ratings weren't 
simply due to a lack potential.
 
Rocky Giovinazzo