How Broadcast Networks Can Save Themselves

I am very tired of all the Broadcast Networks complaining about "losing their audience"  Now it is true evey year they keep losing viewers but that is their fault.  If you don't like CSI then that (at 1 time)  is 3 hours a week your not watching CBS.  Now because 2 of those shows were on at 10:00 pm chnaces were you would not but watching the 11:00 news on the CBS affiliate.

NBC same thing with "Law and Order".  At one time they had 4 hours a week of "Law and Order" and if didn't like L&O you would tune out NBC.  

ABC for one year coasted on "Who Wants To Be a Millionaire" .  It propelled  the Network to #1    for one year but the following year the network sank faster then the "Titanic".

Now that us just a few examples however the Netowrks could save themselves from "Death" if they would just do one thing:  "LIMIT THE AMOUNT OF COMMERCIALS"  to just "8 minutes an hour" durring "Prinme time".   

AT one time Television Stattions were limited to the amount of add time that could be broadcast per hour.  When "Cheers" premiered on NBC in 1982 the length was 25 Minutes per episode.  At the time TV stations could only devote 20% of Broadcast time to commercials.  When those restrictions were lifted that is when stations were able to run  "Fake Tv Shows" that were really 30 Minute commercials.   

 Today on NBC if "Cheers" produced a new episode the length would be 21 Minutes.  Sitting through 9 Minutes of commercials per 1/2  hour is maddening which why millions of people now DVR tv shows.  and so they can skip commercials.  

Now Primetime TV runs about 18 minutes an hour of commercials however daytime tv is worse.  I watched "The View" one day and the show had (in 1 hour) 22 minutes of commercials.  Only 38 Minutes was the actual show.  

So I think the Networks should reduce the commercials and charge more for the commercial space that they do have.  Less commercials would actually give advertisers a better opportunity to breakthrough because there would be far less commercial clutter.  

Also if the Networks started promoting "More Show Less Commercials" then more people would  start watching your TV shows again. and not DVR it!    They would also sample more shows knowing there is less commercials.  

Network TV this is the one chance you have to save yourself.  

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