The Impact of CBS Finales on the Television Landscape

CBS Dominates Friday Night Television Finales

The recently concluded season finales on CBS last Friday proved yet again why the network remains a powerhouse in the television landscape. The Eye Network won the night with 5.08 million viewers, marking its 27th win this season. Such a feat only reinforces CBS‘s dominance in the industry.

The Top Three Broadcasts

The season finales of Blue Bloods, Fire Country, and SWAT dominated their respective time periods. SWAT drew an average of 4.50 million viewers, up by 3% from the previous week. Meanwhile, Fire Country’s viewership rose by 4%, with an average of 5.18 million viewers. Finally, Blue Bloods nabbed the top spot with 5.57 million viewers, an increase of 7% from the previous week.

Impressive Season Averages

CBS‘s season finale victory is not an isolated incident. Most Current Nielsen data shows that SWAT averaged 6.76 million viewers this season, a 6% increase from the previous season. Fire Country was also a force to reckon with, averaging 8.37 million viewers. The most impressive, however, was Blue Bloods, averaging 9.39 million viewers this season. Blue Bloods has been declared as the #3 broadcast drama on TV and the #1 10pm series on TV.

Increase in Streaming

The surge of online streaming platforms has allowed viewers to watch their favorite shows at their convenience, without necessarily tuning in during the network’s scheduled airtime. CBS capitalized on this trend with its live streaming feature on Paramount+ and CBS TVE (CBS.com / CBS app) of last Friday’s finales. SWAT (+171%), Fire Country (+51% compared to Magnum), and Blue Bloods (+30%) all increased their average minute audience (AMA) compared to the previous year’s season finales.

Philosophical Discussion: The Changing Television Landscape

The evolution of the television industry is not new. New technology and platforms have fundamentally transformed the way audiences consume media. Network television, however, has found it hard to catch up, with traditional television broadcasts being viewed as “old-school.” The recent surge in streaming platform and video-on-demand services has significant implications for the future of network television.

Editorial: The Future of Network Television

Despite the rapid growth of digital media, network television is not dead yet. However, if network television wants to stay in the game, it must take a different approach. This may mean doing away with traditional time slots, exploring more innovative ways of advertising, and offering digitized versions of their shows on multiple platforms.

Advice

For network television to remain relevant, it must adapt to the changing times. This means investing in technology that improves user experience, offering viewers more flexible viewing options, and remaining competitive with online video streaming services. If the network takes these steps, it’s possible that traditional network television may soon be back on top.