Saturday, July 10, 2010

Not-so-late-night Ratings: Slow start for "Kilborn File"

The furious "Simpsons" watchers who would rather see reruns with Homer, Bart and the gang than fresh episodes of "The Kilborn File" may get their wish. According to Broadcasting & Cable, ratings for Craig Kilborn's comeback vehicle lag behind the numbers Fox stations were getting with the cartoon family.

"At the end of its first week of test broadcasts, Twentieth's 'The Kilborn File' averaged a 0.8 rating/2 share in the weighted metered markets, according to Nielsen Media Research, down 56% from its lead-in and from year-ago time period averages, which were each a 1.8/4," wrote B&C's Paige Albiniak, admitting that "Fox picked a challenging time to debut the show, considering that it was the week before a long holiday weekend in the heat of summer, when levels of households using television are at annual lows."

The biggest drop in ratings was actually suffered by Boston's WFXT, where numbers are down 75% from last summer, when the station was airing "Seinfeld" repeats. Craig only managed to muster a 0.4 rating in Beantown. The show did slightly better in Austin and Phoenix, where the program is airing at 10 PM and 10:30 PM, respectively. The other five stations airing "The Kilborn File" have it on in the early evening, "a first for comedy talk."

6 comments :

  1. Janet A said...

    We are watching it on a LA station. (satelitte) I think it is very slow. Marty likes it, he is a huge Kilborn fan. I always have liked the 5 questions. The rest, I think he is history.

  2. Anonymous said...

    Only 4 more weeks of this failed mess. 4 weeks seems like a looooooong time.

    - Octobrain

  3. Anonymous said...

    So Kilborn is going to be on Leno Friday? To say he's on TV in 6 cities?

  4. Anonymous said...

    Yep. To say he has 3 weeks left...on a Friday night when TV has its fewest viewers, no less.

    Great strategy.

    - Octobrain

  5. Anonymous said...

    Good idea, but I agree it should be on in later (10 or 10:30). Pick up the pace, update the music and get a new sidekick aka
    "Huckleberry Friend" (that chick is not funny or engaging).

  6. Anonymous said...

    I've been watching "The Kilborn File" during it's summer run and as always Kilborn is brilliant. He makes it looks so easy. I remember years ago people referring to him as an 'effortless host'. It comes so naturally to him. He's so much smoother than the other guys. Hope the new show sticks. Go Kilby!