Network Series

Annual Reviews of each network’s current and upcoming slates, as well as ratings analysis and comparisons.

Shari Redstone ExcerptIt’s tough to target just how Viacom can turn things around, but even if there was a concrete method to do so, it’s not going to be easy, simply because of the nature of the cable business. It has to hope that Shari Redstone and her new board of directors can make changes that will help matters, and that both MTV and Nickelodeon can once again draw the viewership numbers it used to.

hulu excerptAs we discussed last week, it’s tough for anyone to compete with Netflix at the moment, but it becomes even tougher when the operation interested in doing so, Hulu, can’t really decide what it wants to be or how it wants to become it. However, Hulu’s upcoming fare sounds like it’s all smarter, more upscale forms of entertainment, which could be a good thing.

casey hbo excerptYou all know the slogan, as it’s one of the best known of any in the world of television. “It’s not TV, it’s HBO.” Home Box Office started out as a second-run movie network, and slowly became the most respected broadcaster of original content on television. While it has some challenges, it’s hard to argue that it doesn’t continue to hold that spot.

Channing Dungey ExcerptSince the start of the century, ABC has been the top-rated network only once (all the way back in the 2000-01 season) and since then, they’ve been losing millions of viewers as their shows and ratings have stagnated or dropped. Channing Dungey and her team have their work cut out for them, and a fairly difficult road to maneuver to get back on top.