Family Guy, or, how I hate TV's logic

[MikeVic]

Ever since "Animation Domination" started, and the big return of Family Guy... I've seen 2 new episodes in.. a month? Over a month?

Is it just me that's bothered by something like this? It's happened to other shows that I have watched, and it caused me not to watch certain shows anymore. What's the logic behind not showing a new episode if it's available? I can see how it "extends" a season's life... but what I want to know is if this kind of thing has made other people here lose interest in a series, no matter how good it is?

[/end rant]

[kingnebwsu]

It's like...SWEET! Family Guy is back on TV!!! /cheer

But then, a handful of new episodes and now it's gone again...argh. WTF? 2-3 weeks without a new episode=kill everyone. Stupid the man and his tactics to control my TV viewing. New episode next week...hot dog.

[Recoil]

Words cannot describe the anger I felt when I was looking at TV Guide earlier to make sure Family Guy was coming on at 9pm, and their it was. NASCAR. I'm still furious.

[Galaxy]

Nascar is racing tonight. Last weekend they had the Stars Wars movie on?

[Joe Canadian]

Family Guy or cars driving around in circles for hours at a time? The sad thing is Nascar probably gets better ratings...

[BigJohn&TheLions]

The best thing about Nascar is that whenever there is a large crash that kills several spectators the average I.Q. of the USA goes up a point.

[Sharpieman]

The best thing about Nascar is that whenever there is a large crash that kills several spectators the average I.Q. of the USA goes up a point.
:D :D :D :D :D

[Crapshoot]

Family Guy or cars driving around in circles for hours at a time? The sad thing is Nascar probably gets better ratings...

Seriously- Family Guy overrided by NAS-fucking-CAR - that's just sad. And lets Big John's comments.. :D

[Peregrine]

TV has logic?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Family Guy or cars driving around in circles for hours at a time? The sad thing is Nascar probably gets better ratings...

And has better demographics.

[MikeVic]

And then when Fox pulls this shit for another month, and Family Guy's ratings go down when they do start showing it again, they'll pull the plug and point to the ratings. :P

[RendeR]

Fans of the Family guy making smart ass comments about the IQ of the nation?





Fucking PRICELESS.

[Joe Canadian]

Fans of the Family guy making smart ass comments about the IQ of the nation?





Fucking PRICELESS.

Nascar fan? :D

[sterlingice]

Fans of the Family guy making smart ass comments about the IQ of the nation?





Fucking PRICELESS.
*snicker*

SI

[larrymcg421]

Well the networks order a certain amount of episodes. They can either show them all in a row and have a long gap until the next one (a la Alias and 24 this season or most cable shows) or they can spread them out. They prefer spreading them out to have new episodes ready for the sweeps months when the ad rates are set. Since the regular TV season is over right now, you're lucky to get any episodes at all.

My guess is FOX had already bought the rights to this NASCAR race, probably before they decided to bring Family Guy back. They were probably contractually obligated to air it.

[TroyF]

Well the networks order a certain amount of episodes. They can either show them all in a row and have a long gap until the next one (a la Alias and 24 this season or most cable shows) or they can spread them out. They prefer spreading them out to have new episodes ready for the sweeps months when the ad rates are set. Since the regular TV season is over right now, you're lucky to get any episodes at all.

My guess is FOX had already bought the rights to this NASCAR race, probably before they decided to bring Family Guy back. They were probably contractually obligated to air it.

Yes, they were obligated to. But it doesn't matter. Given the choice, they'd have aired NASCAR anyway.

While people like to yuk it up like NASCAR is only a sport of the rednecks down South, it has a very large demographic. Even if the viewership was the exact same (which it isn't, NASCAR will draw more viewers), it still wouldn't even be a decision by the network.

Advertising is how they get their cash. NASCAR is one great big advertisement, with sponsors spending a ton on ads during a 3-5 hour race. Fox is going to lose that over 1/2 hour of the Family Guy? When all of their other shows would be reruns? Please. . .

Fox wanted to get the few new Family Guy episodes on in the spring to create a buzz for the fall. They placed it around The Simpsons and publicized the hell out of it.

It should be set for next fall now. It's now up to the people who complain about it to watch the show, which I fully expect they will.

Either way, I'm of the understanding that there will be at least 24 new Family Guy episodes, no matter what Fox does. If they decide to cancel, the rest go to The Cartoon Network.

[Ksyrup]

And then onto DVD, so we'll have them on-demand at some point.

I t hink June 9 is when TCN starts showing this year's reruns, although this year's American Dad is already being rerun.

[Hammer755]

I think the reason that FG ended is because it was the end of the spring season. Right now, there are virtually no new episodes of any show being broadcast. Like Troy said, they wanted to air a few new episodes to get the buzz going, and then it will likely be back in the Fall.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Advertising is how they get their cash. NASCAR is one great big advertisement, with sponsors spending a ton on ads during a 3-5 hour race.

And the difference in the rate for spots in NASCAR vs most other programming is downright staggering. Trust me, I spent a lot of time being staggered last year by just how expensive getting spots in NASCAR can be.

Between the audience size, the audience loyalty to the programming, and the highest viewer loyalty to sponsors of any sport, if you've got the cash for it, there's not many things that can deliver like it.

[TroyF]

And the difference in the rate for spots in NASCAR vs most other programming is downright staggering. Trust me, I spent a lot of time being staggered last year by just how expensive getting spots in NASCAR can be.

Between the audience size, the audience loyalty to the programming, and the highest viewer loyalty to sponsors of any sport, if you've got the cash for it, there's not many things that can deliver like it.


Exactly. Fox would gladly have a NASCAR race every Sunday night and move The Simpsons to another night were it feasable. The fact people are making it seem like there is a choice to be made between The Family Guy (a show I REALLY like) vs. NASCAR (ahh, not so much) is amusing.

[Subby]

Really, if you would just get TiVo, stuff like this wouldn't cease to matter to you and you could move on to getting a life.

A new episode of Family Guy airs whenever it gets auto-recorded via Season's Pass. Then I watch it. I couldn't even tell you when it is normally "on".

Stop letting television control you.

[Galaxy]

NASCAR is the best form of advertising. As for this past weekend races, the Coke-Cola 600 is always a Sunday evening into night race on Memorial weekend. So it wasn't exactly a "scheduling" push by Fox.

[ISiddiqui]

Jeez, I haven't seen this sort of ridiculous outrage since BigSoccer's US fans were made that the 3rd round of the NFL draft was shown instead of the LA-Chivas USA MLS soccer match! Networks will show what will get them higher ratings. No contest NASCAR wins. I'm not a NASCAR fan at all, but it pulls in a ton of viewers. Any network would show NASCAR over just about anything else on TV.

[MikeVic]

This wasn't just a mini-rant about this one particular instance of a show being pre-empted, moved, etc... it's a rant in general, using Family Guy as an example.

And I don't let TV control me... if a show isn't on when I watch TV, I don't watch it. There hasn't been a show in years that I have gone out of my way to watch.

TiVo is a no-go for me...

[larrymcg421]

Nielsen Ratings

NASCAR: 6.3/12
Last Family Guy episode: 5.5/8

[sterlingice]

Nielsen Ratings

NASCAR: 6.3/12
Last Family Guy episode: 5.5/8
Still, not all Nielsen ratings are created equal. How were the 18-49 demo numbers for each? Like Jon said, it depends on the type of audience, too.

SI

[larrymcg421]

Of course, but NASCAR isn't exactly Murder, She Wrote. I bet it charges higher ad rates than Family Guy does. I was just making the point that it's certainly not unreasonable to pre-empt Family Guy with NASCAR. It's not like they pre-empted it with Bowling.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Of course, but NASCAR isn't exactly Murder, She Wrote. I bet it charges higher ad rates than Family Guy does. I was just making the point that it's certainly not unreasonable to pre-empt Family Guy with NASCAR. It's not like they pre-empted it with Bowling.

IIRC, NASCAR on FOX is the highest rate the network has other than football (and I'm not sure it isn't in at least the same neighborhood with it). And the majority of Fox primetime programs can often be had, at the local affliate level for something like 1/3rd the cost of a NASCAR spot or less (depending upon the market).

[sterlingice]

IIRC, NASCAR on FOX is the highest rate the network has other than football (and I'm not sure it isn't in at least the same neighborhood with it). And the majority of Fox primetime programs can often be had, at the local affliate level for something like 1/3rd the cost of a NASCAR spot or less (depending upon the market).
Just speculation but I bet American Idol would be the one exception.

SI

[JonInMiddleGA]

Just speculation but I bet American Idol would be the one exception.

SI

You would be correct sir :)

[Galaxy]

Well, NASCAR is run on "two stations" during the spring/summer, FOX and FX. It's not as if it was "pre-emept", the race has race this day every Memorial weekend at this time.