Fox Becomes Most Popular Network

[Newsjock]

Source: Associated Press

It was a typical week in prime-time television — "American Idol" dominated everything — but Fox may have another reason for remembering it fondly: The network moved past CBS into first place for the TV season for average number of viewers, according to Nielsen Media Research.

For years Fox was regarded as fourth behind the Big Three of CBS, NBC and ABC. Now it's America's most popular TV network.

With a full season of "American Idol" to go, it's likely no one will eclipse Fox before the season ends in May.



Read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/02/20/entertainment/e135350S87.DTL&type=entertainment&tsp=1

[islandmkl]

1. American Idle...I guess you can understand the lethargy of those people

who don't understand that the People can actually make this country whatever we want it to be...


Or, maybe they all want to be Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake

[TomInTib]

2. Another reason I am glad I have quit the Box.

I no longer have a television.

And I don't miss it at all.

[pocoloco]

10. I am so glad that there are DU'ers here that are tough enough to

watch, not lose their sanity, and keep us posted!

I should have thanked them long ago so here's a belated Thanks!

[Le Taz Hot]

38. When I was still in college,

my TV died and I couldn't afford to get a new one. Went 2 years without a TV just fine, then my mother bought me one for Xmax (didn't ask for it -- didn't even want it). If I tried giving it up today, my family would lynch me. And like anyone else, if it's on, I get sucked into it.

[eShirl]

3. FOX and PBS are the only 2 channels that come in good here

have to admit I like the Sunday Night Cartoons, and House, M.D.

[dbonds]

4. I imagine the writers strike is a big factor here.

Instead of reruns, people turned to reality shows and game shows, or to see if they were smarter than a 5th grader.

[onehandle]

5. People are stupid.

Very stupid.

[seriousstan]

16. And you are what...a cow? I won't try to talk for all people but I will let you speak for yourself.

[Codeine]

23. Stupid?

And all this time I never realized that being a fan of Simpsons, Family Guy, and House made me an unintelligent person. I would like to give you my heartfelt thanks for helping me realize the error of my ways and pointing out an unknown problem. Whatever would I do without you?

[Chovexani]

35. Au contraire

Your avatar indicates you are indeed very smart (or at least, you've got good taste). :)

If there's one peeve I have about progressives it's the obnoxiousness with which some of us deride TV and TV viewers. When you bash TV, you're not only bashing Fox (which, god help it, does have some great shows amidst all the dreck), you're also bashing PBS and NGC.

People who bash TV might as well bash paper or the DVD. TV is a medium, nothing more.

[Bacchus39]

37. sounds like some of those smart folks are confusing Fox with Fox News

and I wonder how many are here are watching Fox News, contributing to their ratings, and decrying it all the while.

[primavera]

6. And here I thought "Idiocracy" was just a joke

Little did I realize I was watching a documentary.

[Bigmack]

39. Fox's newest winner....

"OW My Balls!"

"Idiocracy" is a pre-documentary of the US in a few years.

[movonne]

7. Well if there was something else to watch maybe we would...tv has

been terrible...

[Name removed]

8. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Roland99]

9. This is Broadcast TV networks...not cable news channels.

[Name removed]

13. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Diogenes2]

17. Interesting theory. Based on zero evidence...

and your own bias against Obama.

[Doctor_J]

19. Nice site you have there

ads for Gingrinch, Coulter. Lots of Obama-bashing. enjoy your brief stay

[Demeter]

11. So What Does Fox Pull--19% of the Total Viewership?

:rofl: Get it? 19%?

[musiclawyer]

12. My daugher did not know what broadcast "over the air" means

[heliarc]

14. I remember when "on the air" it meant that we own it....

As the American Public. And that the networks had to give us something back... in the form of public service for their right to wield the power that they do.

I remember when cable sold us their service by promising that we wouldn't have to watch commercials too.

[Stuart G]

27. I wonder how many people in the U.S. know what a dial phone is.

I have one that is hooked up to a land line, and still works. I use it as an "extension"
Sound is very good, and I need a phone there. I don't have cable, and honestly, all I miss is Olbermann. The box sucks.

[truthisfreedom]

15. I've actually never watched a full episode... I've only seen snippets of it on other shows.

I just don't watch prime-time TV.

[Rage for Order]

18. Their news channel sucks, but...

They have some really good programming on their network. The Simpsons, Family Guy, House, the auditions for American Idol (I don't care for the actual competition, but the auditions are wildly entertaining), NFL football. I'm sure there are others, but I don't watch all that much tv to begin with outside of sports and news.

[DeepModem Mom]

20. Yep. Fox Broadcast and Fox News not the same. "Simpsons" and "Family Guy"...

are on our side, and even allowed to ridicule Murdoch himself in episodes.

[Frank Cannon]

25. I've gotten into the new Terminator: Sarah Conner chronicles series

Brain candy that it is, I can't think of another new dramatic series that's captured my interest at all.

Fox's "news" channel may be evil, twisted, and disconnected from reality, but their regular network has had a reputation since day one for being somewhat experimental and offering the kind of entertainment that you don't get everywhere else, whether it be good ("The Simpsons", "Firefly") or bad ("Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire?").

[politicallore]

31. ELO

[gate of the sun]

21. how can this be?

I don't watch TV but my client does.......I would say this is one sorry example of who the people of the United States are..sadly it will probably get worse as finances tighten..nothing else to do but watch reality shows.

[Codeine]

24. Fox is not all reality programming.

What about The Simpsons, or Family Guy, or House? These are some of the finest shows on broadcast television.

[trthnd4jstc]

22. Not with Me!

I admit, I like watching Family Guy, and the Simpson's, but that is about it. I do listen to Fox Radio. Not because I like it, but it is the same reason I read the Drudge Report, or Free Republic, or the Heritage Foundation website. I need to be informed with what the Republicans are saying and thinking. We have to be educated in order to argue against their lies. And, dang, they come up with nearly a thousand a day!

[KillCapitalism]

26. I wish American Idol would die!!!

Seriously, it's been on for how many years now and people are still eating it up? Lame.

The only halfway decent show Fox had was Prison Break.

[CRK7376]

28. I seldom watch any tv

mainly on the weekends when I'm home. Then it's almost never network, but I do like out Direct TV dish. Watch lots of History Channel, Smash Lab and Myth Busters pllus Miami/LA Ink.....

[TEXASYANKEE]

29. Best FOX show ever.

The X-Files. It's all been downhill since (with the possible exception of House).

[leQ]

30. i have the tv on 18 hours a day, and never ever watch fox.

SCIFI rocks!

[Tektonik]

32. I'm not surprised at all

Fox has better primetime shows than all of the other networks.

[dysfunctional press]

33. i mostly avoid fox whenever possible...

unfortunately, their sunday night animation has me kinda hooked- king of the hill, the simpsons, family guy and american dad...luckily, all of them with the possible exception of family guy are getting pretty long in the tooth anyway, and i'll soon be able to break the stranglehold that fox has on my sunday nights.

and there's absolutely nothing else on fox that even comes close to being of interest to me.

[Blue_Tires]

34. I blame Tim McCarver....

[and-justice-for-all]

36. The only thing I watch that is on Fox is Family Guy...

when I can catch it. Otherwise, I just watch it on Adult Swim.

[roody]

40. Fox plays Seinfeld twice a day. Who can resist?

[Orsino]

41. And obliviously on we sail, enriching Rupert Murdoch.

I'm surprised to see Fox shows promoted so openly on DU.

[Javaman]

42. A very sad statement on our society. nt