Desire/Fashion House: Weekly Ratings Average

[R!ck]

Week of Sept. 4-8

Desire

Total Viewers: 944,000

Households: 0.8/1

18-49: 0.4

25-54: 0.5

Fashion House

Total Viewers: 991,000

Households: 0.9/1

18-49: 0.5

25-54: 0.5

[bellcurve]

OUCH!

I still think if they give this AT LEAST a full two years, MyNetworkTV will begin to see some gains, possibly, IMO, beat CW.

[Drew]

i just dont think people know about these. When I bring up My Network TV at work, people are "whats that??"

[bellcurve]

I agree. I also don't think these were properly marketed for an American audience. An American audience that is SO used to the daytime soaps that will never, ever end.

[vanguard]

Well I think SOMETHING needs to be done to market them better. These shows are fabulous (and I think the telenovelas after these two will be HOT as well) and are a welcome addition to primetime. I'm a daytime soap fan myself but I see something far more intriguing in these shows that daytime doesn't hold a candle to. Again, these need to be marketed better, MUCH BETTER!!!!

[Chris B]

If people tune in for Desire the start the night, I can see why they wouldn't stick around longer. I stand by my opinion that they need to be cut to two or three episodes a week with other programming to help the network build a diverse audience that can help the novellas out.

I also think they should consider extending the novellas for an entire TV season. The constant new shows are going to create a lot of bad ones with a few good ones sneaking in. They need to create two completely original, great novellas and stick with them for a season.

[tina m]

They didn't do good promoting. I had no idea what day/time it came on, so I completely forget about it. I'd love to watch it, I just keep forgetting it.

[Alan]

Considering that this was the first week I think they need time to find an audience. I don't have high expectations for Desire but Fashion House definitely has growth potential. As the fall season begins, I think ratings will actually increase because people will be watching more TV and paying more attention to the schedules. When the main networks cancel their new shows, MNTV can be there to pick up the scraps.

I agree MNTV that could have benefited from a diversified line-up but I doubt the ex-WB/UPN affiliates would have given a network more than two hours of primetime and viewers of traditional telenovela are used to seeing their shows five nights a week. I would have loved to see them try to use the 7pm and/or 10pm slots for alternative programming but it just isn't cost-effective for affiliates.

[Chris B]

Alan, they originally developed several other shows, but canned all of them in favor of the novellas. With the two hours they could do a lot, UPN and the WB generally had 2 hour nights as well. Five hours a week (in primetime) in a country where soap operas aren't respected can't work.

I just hope in the end they just retool the idea instead of completely dropping it. I just wish they had done a Peyton Place and retooled Fashion House into a regular show and give it two nights a week, with a third if the other two are successful.

[Matt]

I still think the 1/2 hour telenovela is the way to go. I think the hour long, 5 day a week is a bit much for prime time.

And I don't get mynetworktv. I can't watch and I want to see Fashion House. Don't give a squat about Desire.

[Drew]

they really should have started the lineup with Fashion House at 8. I agree, watching Desire would be a turnoff for the whole genre.

I'm watching it casually, and its semi interesting, but its not going to draw in the mainstream audience. Fashion House on the other hand is solid gold.