Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2013 December 19

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December 19

Television ratings

Here in Australia right now many people are beginning to take long summer holiday (vacation) breaks. SO it's time for the non-ratings season on TV. TV ratings are only taken for 40 weeks of the year, and that doesn't include now. (I have searched the articles linked from the above dismabiguation page, and can't work out if a similar thing happens elsewhere.)

We get very different programming in the non-ratings period. All the locally produced soaps, drama series and live shows cease. But we still get ads. Seemingly just as many as usual. My question is, why do the advertisers still advertise when they have no idea what the audience numbers are? Or a corollary, how can they agree with the TV networks on how much to pay? HiLo48 (talk) 05:04, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

According to this article in Crikey, the networks offer a substantially-discounted [southern hemisphere] summer rate card, so I guess it would be the substantial discounts with reduced but still potentially reasonable viewers/returns that brings in the advertisers. --Canley (talk) 06:41, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

Thanks. That's a good response. So the networks basically give up on maintaining strong income over summer. Interesting. HiLo48 (talk) 23:24, 20 December 2013 (UTC)

programming

Why is it that you announce each and everyday that 'The Rifleman' will be on at 6:00p.m., yet it never airs at all. My 88 year old father is a very big fan of your station, especially the westerns, but this problem truly upsets him. I really wish you could correct this problem; either put "the Rifleman" back on or stop the announcements. I have to say though, I also enjoy the westerns. Sincerely a (my email} : [redacted] — Preceding unsigned comment added by 69.204.99.95 (talk) 20:13, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

Your complaint would perhaps be better directed at the TV station that isn't showing the series. If you let us know which station that is, we can (almost certainly) provide their contact details, but Wikipedia does not run a TV channel. The Rifleman is our article on the series. Tevildo (talk) 20:31, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

I suspect it's Me-TV. My schedule does indeed say it airs at 6 today.[1] In which case, it may be a shortcoming of the affiliate that actually broadcasts the show (or not) in your area. See List of Me-TV affiliates. I know that I've had a similar problem. They keep announcing new episodes of Pawn Stars, but they're mostly reruns. :( Clarityfiend (talk) 22:51, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

Excellent detective work, if I may say so. Tevildo (talk) 23:17, 19 December 2013 (UTC)

Thanks, but you give me too much credit. I watch the occasional Rifleman on Me-TV. Clarityfiend (talk) 00:30, 21 December 2013 (UTC)

You might also be able to find The Rifleman online for free, using something like Hulu, or maybe you can order it from something like Netflix. StuRat (talk) 12:33, 21 December 2013 (UTC)