TVSquad

"(Though I wonder how advertisers think about this - after all, they know the ratings and how many viewers are watching the show.)"

I believe the advertising is sold with some kind of minimum guaranteed rating, and if the show fails to meet that, the network gives the advertiser extra time at no cost to make up for it.

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Don't advertisers buy advertising based on certain viewership numbers? A show with great ratings costs more to advertise during than a show with crappy ratings. If a show gets crappy ratings, don't the commercials cost less? I'd imagine the networks would have to give a refund if the ratings change substantially downwards.

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This doesn't apply to every single contract a network has, but a lot of times contracts are based on the actual show that's airing. So whenever a network drops a show they have to go back to the advertiser and say, "Sorry we dropped Sarah Connor Chronicles. Do you want to air in our House reruns instead?" In this economy most advertisers will probably just take their money back. Most advertising rates are based on a cost per point formula that uses the shows projected rating for that quarter and the overall amount that network is charging per viewer. If the original show doesn't get the ratings that the network projected then the network will take the actual CPP (based on the real ratings) and subtract it from the original charge. Then the network will either keep that money and simply put it as "credit" (some call it "make up weight") on the next buy the advertiser puts in or, less likely, they will give the advertiser the money. It's just like when you return something to a store and they try to make you take store credit instead of cash, they don't want you walking out of that store with your cash. They would rather keep your money and let you walk out with a different item. Even if the networks have to give that client extra spots later, its better than losing that money for good because right now everyone is cutting their advertising.

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It's a good show. What's up with the schadenfreude tvsquad?

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There were other reasons why T:SCC received a back nine pickup. I'm getting the feeling that Fox isn't that confident about the new shows they were prepping for mid-season. Dollhouse had to ditch their original pilot (not the most promising sign), and I'm not sure it's going to be the kind of cult hit that Fox wants, despite Joss Whedon's rabid fan base. Lie to Me looks good on the surface, but procedurals are a hit-or-miss thing. You just don't know if audiences will go for a human lie-detector. Then there's still the possibility of a SAG strike, which could completely screw up the winter tv schedule.

I also have a hunch that Fox wants to give T:SCC one last chance-by pairing it with 24. It was originally supposed to precede 24 last season (giving it a boost), but the writers' strike killed that plan. Fox could make up for it by putting them in the 8:00 Monday slot this winter.

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Well, the theory doesn't make sense.
Fox canceled Do Not Disturb for its awfulness and bad rating.
ABC canceled Opportunity Knocks even though it was a cheaply produced reality show.
CBS canceled The Ex List even though its rating isn't that much different from T:TSCC or Knight Rider.

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