Arcs, But Not Necessarily of Triumph

Fred Grandy, ex-Love Boat Gopher, ex-Congressman, and current radio talk show host, made a good point this morning about the doldrums NBC finds itself in.

The network has none of the top 10 shows and its average audience last week–a smidge over 6 million–was its lowest in 20 years.

Talking about how far in the rearview mirror NBC's must-see glory days were receding, he pointed out that even its hit, Heroes, though strong, was slipping and said that drop-off might have to do with the shorter story arcs and hiatuses that that show and others–Lost being another example–are put on between those arcs.

Those shorter arcs allow networks to commit to fewer shows initially and to try out other shows in time periods that have built some viewership, but the networks also risk losing some of that audience during those hiatuses.

Maybe its just that all of our attention spans are getting shorter as out attention is being vivisected by so many media choices.

By John Eggerton