The Joke of Demos Re: "Smith"

Looking at the last Fast Nationals for Tuesday 10 p.m.,
these are the results:

Boston Legal - 7.1 [2.9 18-49, or 40%]
Smith - 5.6 [2.8 18-49, or 50%]
Law & Order: SVU - 9.6 [5.3 18-49, or 55%]
Baseball - 5.6 [2.8 18-49, or 50%]

So what we have here is that half the viewers for "Smith"
are in the desirable demo range, just as is Baseball,
while "Boston Legal" only has 40% of its viewers in that
range. While BL skews older than Smith and Baseball,
BL and Baseball still get to play again, but Smith is the
one that gets the boot. I don't get it. Demos are a joke.

William George Ferguson...

Boston Legal pulls more viewers in the 18-49 (not a really significant
amount more, but more) and pulls a significant amount more over-all
viewers.

If a show pulled only 2 million viewers, but they were all in the 18-49
range, and all the shows it was up against pulled over 2 million viewers
in the 18-49 range, plus other viewers, that first show would be toast.

As altec3220@yahoo.com says, the 18-49 range isn't everything. For
certain networks it isn't even the most important thing (CBS looks at
25-54 first and CW looks at 18-34 first) For the CW, a show could pull
3.5 million viewers (above the CW's mean average), pull in 2.1 million
18-49 viewers (near the top of what CW shows do), and not be considered
having the ratings the CW wants in 18-34 viewers, and therefore not what
the CW wants. That show would be called Reba.

seapig...

It's probably because the networks are concerned with the number of
18-49 year old viewers, not the percentages. "Boston Legal" may skew
older than "Smith", but it still drew more 18-49 year olds than "Smith"
did.

altec3220...

Although the networks certainly harp on them enough, demographics are
not everything. Boston Legal simply pulls better ratings than Smith
does, and more viewers. I realize you are hurting, and believe me, if
I could convince CBS to bring back Smith I would, but you are going to
have to come to grips with this one.

Think of it this way: now you know how the fans of all those shows you
rant against and hope are swiftly cancelled feel when, because the
networks obviously hang on every word you say, their favorite shows are
cancelled.