LOL, you got it the other way around. In the past the top 10 shows used to average close to, or even more than 20 million viewers/episode. Nowadays a show is considered a hit if it manages to get 9-10 million viewers. A show that made just 3 million viewers would've been canceled after 1 episode in the past (granted, 3 million is just too low even for today's standards, unless we're talking about The CW).

Your right in the past some big shows did draw in larger amounts of viewers. But shows like say 7th Heaven was averaging 3-million views an episode after a few seasons. Touched by and Angel another show that saw several seasons averaged similar numbers in fact the show's highest numbers if I recall were around 11-million.

Looking at data from 2006 premier episodes did draw in numbers of about 20-million viewers. However I never stated that numbers have improved over the years, just that many shows failed to deliver the number of viewers shows this season did and weren't canned.

I'm not going to go further in this discussion as I am having a hard time finding actual viewer results that are global in comparison to national. Finding different results for the same shows on different sites so I'm guessing they are reporting national numbers and so fourth. Seece do you know a good source for global television viewership numbers?

If a show gets 5-million views in US alone and more globally then it should definitely remain on the air. I found numbers for American Dad that said the show gets around 3-million viewers and remains on the air, Family Guy only has 6.6-million so I am assuming these are national figures because programs are getting canned at the 5-million mark as they are considered a failure. But Family Guy barely did better and is called a success.

7th Heaven was on the WB, a channel that has lower tsandards when it comes to raitings. It was actually that channels no. 1 show for most of it's run. Touched by an Angel was a massive success for 4 of it's seasons (it was in the top 5 in the US at one point). It's no surprise that they weren't canceled.

Global TV numbers aren't very important for US companies. A lot of shows who aren't very popular in the US are very watched worldwide (for example Lost was in the top 5 worldwide for its entire run, while it was barely in the top 20 in US). One of the most watched shows worldwide ever, Baywatch (about 100 million viewers/episode), was actually canceled in the US, and then returned to syndication. It never got good ratings there.

In the US nowadays what's most important is the rating in the key demo group (18-49 year olds). The Simpsons and Family Guy actually get the highest ratings Sunday nights in the key demo amongst scripted shows, and that's all that matters.

Thank you for your explanations, being Canadian I see different channels then Americans do. 7th Heaven was on a prime time channel and so was Touched By an Angel. I never thought of the fact that WB was struggling so much in the US to get large amounts of viewers.

I must say the whole US dependance thing is very foolish for television companies to do. One of the biggest television shows to come out of Canada "Little Mosque on the prarie" actually didn't perform amazing so to speak in Canada. But gained global celebrity status so popular that almost every major network in the Middle East wanted to run it. It ended up being viewed across the EU and ME. The show remains on the air due to its global success.

If a television show is bringing in that many viewers around the globe then those views should be profitting the creators. Royalties and income come in every time an episode is aired around the globe. So if a show does amazing globally but doesn't do amazing in the US it should most definatly not be cancelled.

Are American companies the only ones who care soully about the US market? It seems Canadian firms care more about the global market then domestic. I know other countries care a lot about global market capabilities as well. Its extremely dangerous to only care about your home market if your product is wildly successful in other regions.

What do I think the networks should do? If a show isn't successful much in the US but huge globally change the air time and dates the program airs in the US to a time when it has the least competition. If the series is bleeding money and foreign numbers while amazing aren't enough to justify keeping the series on the air in the US, out source it to another company. I'm sure another company would see potential in the series. Maybe even consider partnering up with a network from another country to finance the show, if it is successful else where around the globe the series is probably very valuable to a foreign partner.

Cancelling a show that has millions of viewers should be a last resort. If the show flops and by that I mean under 3 million viewers in the US and has no success globally then it should be terminated. But their is money to be made and investments have been made. What harm can come out of selling or liscensing a program out to a smaller firm or even competitor? If your going to cancel the program anyways you might as well make money on royalties or the sale of the series to a competitor.

Thank you for your explanations, being Canadian I see different channels then Americans do. 7th Heaven was on a prime time channel and so was Touched By an Angel. I never thought of the fact that WB was struggling so much in the US to get large amounts of viewers.

I must say the whole US dependance thing is very foolish for television companies to do. One of the biggest television shows to come out of Canada "Little Mosque on the prarie" actually didn't perform amazing so to speak in Canada. But gained global celebrity status so popular that almost every major network in the Middle East wanted to run it. It ended up being viewed across the EU and ME. The show remains on the air due to its global success.

If a television show is bringing in that many viewers around the globe then those views should be profitting the creators. Royalties and income come in every time an episode is aired around the globe. So if a show does amazing globally but doesn't do amazing in the US it should most definatly not be cancelled.

Are American companies the only ones who care soully about the US market? It seems Canadian firms care more about the global market then domestic. I know other countries care a lot about global market capabilities as well. Its extremely dangerous to only care about your home market if your product is wildly successful in other regions.

What do I think the networks should do? If a show isn't successful much in the US but huge globally change the air time and dates the program airs in the US to a time when it has the least competition. If the series is bleeding money and foreign numbers while amazing aren't enough to justify keeping the series on the air in the US, out source it to another company. I'm sure another company would see potential in the series. Maybe even consider partnering up with a network from another country to finance the show, if it is successful else where around the globe the series is probably very valuable to a foreign partner.

Cancelling a show that has millions of viewers should be a last resort. If the show flops and by that I mean under 3 million viewers in the US and has no success globally then it should be terminated. But their is money to be made and investments have been made. What harm can come out of selling or liscensing a program out to a smaller firm or even competitor? If your going to cancel the program anyways you might as well make money on royalties or the sale of the series to a competitor.

I actually think you're forgetting the fact that your country is quite small compared to the US (in terms of population of course). 3 million viewers in Canada is the equivalent of 30 million viewers in the US. That show you mentioned is considered a huge ratings hit in your country.

In the US networks get their money from sponsors. If a show isn't doing well the sponsors pull out, and there will be no more money to make the show. Selling the show to another network usually doesn't work because most networks hesitate to buy shows that failed.

BTW, what kind of nale is Little Mosque on the Prarie? Sounds so funny. It's the funniest one I've heard since Good Christian Bitches (can't wait 'till that show starts next year).