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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Friday, August 2, 2002

Graying audiences worry TV networks

By Gary Levin
USA Today

CBS' "60 Minutes" continues to attract the oldest prime-time audience on network television, and two canceled shows — Fox's "Family Guy "and UPN's "As If" — had the youngest viewers last season.

A survey from ad firm Magna Global USA, based on Nielsen Media Research data, shows how widely tastes vary by age groups. "60 Minutes," for example, has a median age of 60, meaning half its viewers are older and half younger, while Fox's animated "Family Guy "had a median age of 27.5.

The survey "provides a competitive snapshot with a single number, rather than having to look at every demographic segment," says Magna's research chief, Steve Sternberg.

Despite efforts to reach younger audiences, the median age of network TV viewers continues to increase as older viewers watch more than young ones.

Four of the six networks had older audiences last season compared with 2000-2001. Only ABC got younger (though it also suffered the largest audience loss), while Fox's median age stayed the same at 36. CBS has more young adult viewers than Fox and ABC, but it still has the highest median age overall, because it's even more popular among older folks.

Generally speaking, dramas attract more older viewers than sitcoms, and reality shows attract the youngest viewers. Because they watch less television and therefore are harder to reach, advertisers are willing to pay more to find those young viewers. So networks have emphasized developing more series that appeal to young viewers.

Returning series also age along with their audiences. For example, the median age of "Law & Order" viewers was 44.3 five years ago and 49.2 last season.

News magazines and quiz shows have a much higher proportion of older viewers, so more "Millionaires "and "Datelines "translate to an older audience. In contrast, ABC's "The Bachelor" had a median age of 40.6, NBC's "Fear Factor" was the network's youngest show at 35, and "The Amazing Race" was CBS' most youthful at 39.8.