Posted by chicagomedia.org on August 31, 2008 at 14:01:23:
Cubs 1, relaunched '90210' 0
Tuesday game knocks CW update of Fox soap from WGN prime time
The Cubs, who have put a hurt on just about everyone coming up against them at home this season, are scheduled to play the Houston Astros Tuesday night at Wrigley Field.
And you know who's likely to lose?
The CW.
That's because Tuesday is the night The Little Network That Hasn't takes the bandages off its high-profile, much-promoted update of the 1990s Fox staple, "Beverly Hills, 90210."
The CW has done everything it can to ratchet up the anticipation, including eliminating the risk of bad reviews by keeping the debut from critics.
But viewers tuning in Chicago's WGN-Ch. 9, one of the nation's most-watched CW affiliates, at 7 p.m. will get the Cubs and Astros instead. "90210" is being pushed back until at least 10:30 p.m., a half-hour after it begins on the West Coast.
If that seems a tad late to maximize the show's reach among its target audience, well, it is.
In all likelihood, however, so is the decision to revive the "90210" soap brand in 2008, 18 years after its Fox debut and eight after its cancellation.
Striking just the right mix of newness and nostalgia to please the young viewers who consider "The Hills" appointment viewing and those old enough to have cared about Brenda and Dylan is no mean feat.
The CW is opening its third season amid questions of when, or if, the CBS and Time Warner joint venture will fulfill its potential.
With the network counting on strong start for "90210" to generate buzz that reverberates beyond the initial tune-in, the Cubs pre-emption threatens an impact beyond Chicago. Lower numbers in the No. 3 market can only diminish the national results.
A CW spokesman remained hopeful, however, pointing out the premiere of "One Tree Hill" seemed to benefit from being bumped out of prime time on WGN.
Frankly, the CW can use any boost it can get. Launched in 2006 after the shutdown of UPN and the WB, it has struggled to outperform its predecessors.
CW viewership nationally dropped more than 20 percent this past year among its target audience of viewers ages 18 to 34, according to Nielsen Media Research. "Gossip Girl," a soap about Manhattan rich kids introduced last fall, is seen as one of the network's success stories, yet has more press and Internet chat than ratings.
The viability of the CW weighs so heavily on Chicago Tribune and Cubs parent Tribune Co., which owns WGN, New York's WPIX-TV, Los Angeles' KTLA-TV and 10 other CW affiliates, that top Tribune execs were asked about the company's relationship with the CW in last week's call with lenders.
Tribune Co. reportedly played a role in getting the CW to outsource its Sunday lineup to an outfit called Media Rights Capital. And Randy Michaels, Tribune Co.'s chief operating officer, said he has received assurances from CBS' Leslie Moonves and Barry Meyer of Warner Bros. that they expect improvement in the coming season and plan to continue committing resources.
"Obviously we hope they're right," Michaels said.
"In the event that they're not and in the event that their minds change, we think we have very solid backup plans, and so there are two ways for us to win.
"CW and '90210' and some of the shows they're launching do better or, if they do worse, we believe that we can put on better programming with other people's money and a more profitable business model. So I think we're covered, and one of the reasons we brought Ed Wilson on board [as head of Tribune Broadcasting] is his deep experience in television programming."
Plus, either way, the Cubs are in first place.
(Phil Rosenthal)