Prime-time Broadcast Ratings Tumble, Even During Premiere Week

Fragmentation—the process of viewers diffusing across cable channels that cater to specific interests, as opposed to being forced to watch All in the Family en masse because it's the only thing on—has been happening for a long time, and the drop-off from DVR happened several years ago. That means there's no real excuse for the continued bleeding on broadcast TV.

But there are a few factors to consider, including a) a big chunk of viewers can't get broadcast without cable subscriptions, and cable subs are falling, and b) content is either targeting people who are aging out of what ad salespeople consider the dollar demo (18- to 49-year-olds), or for young people joining the demo who simply don't like it.

This is not a "There's Nothing Good on Broadcast" article.