Thursday Primetime Lineup

Thursday Night

1.
ABC- Drama & Reality
CBS- Reality & Drama
CW- Teen Dramas & local Programming
FOX- Reality Competitions & Local Programming
NBC- Reality Competition & Horror Drama

2.
Block Programming: On FOX Don’t Forget the Lyrics, a reality competition show, comes on from 8-9pm, and it is followed by So You Think You Can Dance, also a reality competition, that shows from 9-10pm. The CW also has block programming from 8-10pm with Smallville followed directly by Supernatural. Both of these shows are teen dramas.
Counter Programming: Counter programming occurs on ABC, CBS, and the CW from 8-9pm. ABC shows a comedy drama, Ugly Betty, CBS shows a reality show called Big Brother, and the CW shows Smallville which is a teen drama. Another example of counter programming occurs from 10-11pm between ABC and CBS. ABC shows Hopkins which is a reality real-life hospital show, and CBS shows a drama called Flashpoint. These shows are very different and obviously trying to appeal to different audiences.

3.
CBS seems to be targeting crime drama groups with the programs aimed at a more mature audience. FOX’s programs are more lighthearted shows that the family can watch together, and they have an emphasis on reality programming. The CW shows are targeting a younger demographic. They seem to want to be known as the station for the younger crowd. ABC’s programming is targeting people in their 20s-30s, a younger professional audience with a slightly edgier take.

4.
CSI on CBS was rated #9 and Grey’s Anatomy on ABC was rated #10 for the 2007-2008 season. They are both top rated drama programs but CSI is a crime drama and Grey’s Anatomy is a hospital drama. Both shows are on from 9-10pm so the networks obviously were trying to appeal to different audiences while putting their best shows against each other. So You Think You Can Dance on FOX was the #8 rated show last week. It also comes on at the same time as CSI and Grey’s Anatomy, but it differs from the other two because it is a reality show. FOX tried to go in an entirely different direction using reality instead of drama.

Kim McComas, Ashley Bridges, Becky Sanchez, Bianca Morin