Ratings Reflections: 30 Rock (Series 2)

The show was moved to Five USA for its’ second series. This has proven to be a double edged sword.

On the one hand, 30 Rock’s ratings have creeped up since its’ second series as you can see from the table I mocked up below:

Show	Series	Episode	Ratings	+/- Difference
30 Rock	2	1	63,000	n/a
30 Rock	2	3	115,000	+52,000

(Ratings Source: The Guardian TV Ratings)

The show is steadily improving, packing 52K in its’ third episode. However, it is still nothing like the 200K it was pulling on the normal channel (which is supposedly ‘poor’). I do not think it helps the show to be on Five USA at all. Firstly, it is not a terrestrial channel so you have to pay extra so this immediately shuts out a younger demographic, to whom 30 Rock would appeal to.

I don’t think prospective watchers of the show should think that the ‘low’ ratings are a sign that the show is of low quality. On the contrary, it is on its’ way to be a cult favourite. I’m just shocked that Five do not know how to market the show so that it receives higher ratings.

Case in point: Damages on BBC1. Before the second series started, Glenn Close came on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross to promote her show. Granted, the Beeb owns the UK rights to the US programme so it was not difficult to have Close on the show. However, that was the whole point. She flew in to talk about the show, to have her face seen to a demographic (millions of people in this case) who may have forgotten that the series is starting again. This promotion works because visibility creates bums in seats. Why can’t Five promote 30 Rock like this? And Close’s appearance on the show must have helped. Damages opened with more than 1m viewers on Sunday night at 22.20. Five does not have sexy, glossy shows like Jonathan Ross’ or cheery ones like This Morning to promote their shows. Yet, it does have The Wright Stuff with Matthew Wright, why can’t Tina Fey go on that show to promote her work? (No excuses for Five in that realm, because she is by nature a comedienne of Saturday Night Live fame – I refuse to believe she won’t be able to banter with Matthew Wright).

Five are treating 30 Rock like the baby in the corner that no one wants to pick up. When they should be clothing it (promoting it), they are busy creating ads and idents for CSI. As an avid TV viewer, I know that visibility also creates exposure. Five need to realise this. All things need that extra push to sell them to an audience. Television is no different.

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