What did the networks use before Focus Groups?

[allmc2008]

I have always heard that Focus Groups helped kill soaps. What did they use before hand to figure out if they were hitting the right Demos and the audience was liking what they were watching?

[beebs]

Common sense.


At least enough of it to let the writers write.

Also, fan letters. They meant so much more back then than they do now.

[quartermainefan]

Their own personal taste? Any show that uses focus groups is pretty much creatively bankrupt. If you have a story to tell, tell it, and then if that is not popular go on to the next story.

[ellabelle]

I was going to say "a writer's imagination," but it seems like that's already been covered.

[allmc2008]

I am not talking about using Focus Groups to come up with story but to see if the audience is accepting them. How did they use to measure audience reaction besides fan mail?

[Susan Hunter]

Fan mail mostly, but I've also read that viewers would call the network switchboard when they were particularly upset about something.

Also they would blatantly copy stories from the more popular shows. For instance if one show received a ratings bump from a murder mystery, all of a sudden there were murder mysteries on several other shows.

[allmc2008]

I have noticed that with names like Carly and Brooke.