Food Network losing viewers!

[Jenise]

Gee, maybe turning it into the Guy and Rachel Network wasn't such a good idea?

In the fourth quarter, Food Network, which helped launch the careers of celebrity chefs Sandra Lee and Rachael Ray, posted a 10.3 percent drop among viewers ages 25 to 54, considered a key category for advertisers.
What's more, the network's quarterly declines worsened throughout the year, falling 3.3 percent in the second quarter and 4.5 percent in the third quarter, according to Nielsen figures

Even worse for the Food Network, their primetime ratings for women 18 to 49 and 25 to 54 -- their key demographic -- fell 9% last month, mainly on their cherished lineup of Diners, Drive-ins and Dives, Chopped, The Best Thing I Ever Ate and Unwrapped.

I'm not surprised. Chopped is the only show they have that I watch anymore, and I only remember to watch that because I have my DVR set to record it.

I'm with Robert. Nothing inspiring anymore.

Unwrapped used to be all right. I enjoy seeing machines that process food. But, really, FN is a pretty sad place now: it's all "engineered" for enjoyment and has very little heart left.

Just goes to show that when a network emphasizes horrible programming, it loses viewers.

Too bad, I wonder if the Cooking Channel is doing any better? Are there any good cooking shows on other channels?

[Robin Garr]

I think we've had quite a few discussions here about the dumbing down of Food Network, and it's a shame.

I do still like Alton Brown's Good Eats, although it seems they have only a few new episodes every year and mostly repeat golden oldies.

I can also watch Iron Chef America, although I don't think they do goofy nearly as well as the original Japanese model did goofy, and I'd rather watch the fortune teller or the starlet judging than Jeffrey Steinberger, but maybe that's just me.

Unwrapped, as Jeff says, can be fun for watching the machines, but I don't like the way they so unskeptically present the manufacturers' PR. Of course, they're not pretending to be journalists.

I can't think of anything else on the network that I like enough to turn it on any more. But I do auto-DVR any new Good Eats episodes that come along.

Don't watch it any more. Can't remember last time I did.

Guy Fieri was over-exposed after fifteen minutes (and I'm being kind and giving him a grace period of ten minutes.)

The place has nothing to say anymore.

...Are there any good cooking shows on other channels?

Our local PBS channel broadcasts some very good cooking shows on Saturdays.

Well for me it was the invasion of Challenge this and the next great that and cupcake wars. I'm really tired of the contests....can we just get down to the cooking?

Drew

Not surprised. It's mostly hype and little content. Most viewers have enough delayed gratification in their lives. They don't want it in their TV.

[David M. Bueker]

If I surf by and see Alton then I stop and watch. Otherwise they have totally lost me.

[Jenise]

Don't watch it any more. Can't remember last time I did.

Guy Fieri was over-exposed after fifteen minutes (and I'm being kind and giving him a grace period of ten minutes.)

The place has nothing to say anymore.

Well, that's where all of us who really cook have gotten to, but the FN hasn't been for real cooks for a long long time. Which is why it's both interesting and delightful that the armchair bubbas they *do* program for are losing interest too.

Well for me it was the invasion of Challenge this and the next great that and cupcake wars. I'm really tired of the contests....can we just get down to the cooking?

Drew

That's exactly why we only watch Cooking Channel or PBS now.

We don't watch anymore either. I wonder what kind of food show or shows would hold the interest of a wide cross section of the public. I guess what I'm asking is food, cooking, etc, have enough going for it to attract a large audience for a long period of time. How commercial is the subject matter? Is longevity possible:?:

[Robin Garr]

We don't watch anymore either. I wonder what kind of food show or shows would hold the interest of a wide cross section of the public. I guess what I'm asking is food, cooking, etc, have enough going for it to attract a large audience for a long period of time. How commercial is the subject matter? Is longevity possible:?:

Lou, I think the key is "large audience." The original idea behind cable television, which the original Food Network satisfied reasonably well, was "narrowcasting." Serve a niche market and serve it well, and enjoy a successful business model based on delivering that loyal, enthusiastic audience to a core of focused advertisers.

But viewed from the outside it appeared that FN wanted to reach for more. Expand their interest base, increase the audience, bring in more advertisers and throw more and more money in the bank. Unfortunately, to reach a wider audience required changing the nature of programming. Shove aside the more knowledgeable but not-so-sexy personalities in favor of personalities chosen more on the basis of appearance than expertise. Once the bean counters got control of the steering wheel, changes started occurring that brought in a wider audience but convinced the "foodies" that they were dumbing it down. They ended up with a larger but less committed audience without much loyalty, a formula that could hold for a while but couldn't last forever.

That's my theory, anyway, and I'm stickin' to it.

I thought it was just me. For the most part, the Food Network has become just so unexciting I hardly ever bother anymore. Though I have to admit I occasionally tune in when Ina Garten is on.

[Jenise]

I thought it was just me. For the most part, the Food Network has become just so unexciting I hardly ever bother anymore. Though I have to admit I occasionally tune in when Ina Garten is on.

You must love the sound of rattling measuring spoons.

I don't know about that. She's just so low key compared to Rachel, Sandra, Guy, et al.

[Jenise]

I don't know about that. She's just so low key compared to Rachel, Sandra, Guy, et al.

Oh she sure is. But she uses metal measuring spoons that are on a ring, and every time she goes to measure something--and she measures everything to a T--they go clankety clankety.

But she uses metal measuring spoons that are on a ring, and every time she goes to measure something--and she measures everything to a T--they go clankety clankety.

So do mine!!!!!!

Oh she sure is. But she uses metal measuring spoons that are on a ring, and every time she goes to measure something--and she measures everything to a T--they go clankety clankety.

Fer goodness sake, she's not Jacob Marley's ghost!

[Jenise]

But she uses metal measuring spoons that are on a ring, and every time she goes to measure something--and she measures everything to a T--they go clankety clankety.

So do mine!!!!!!

I swear she rattles them extra long, though!

Only time recently when I've tuned to the Food Network, I was looking for Anthony Bourdain.

Then I remembered, he's on the Travel Channel!!

Whoever said PBS -- right on! Rick Bayless, Ming Tsai, reruns of Jacques Pepin. Usually something good. I've finally gotten tired of Lydia Bastianich, used to watch her pretty religiously and now it all seems kind of the same. I hope they bring back that sexy Swedish girl who is always doing elaborate cooking outside in the snow...