​When Fox’s initially controversial, then under-performing “Dads” got a full-season pickup last week, many in the TV industry were left befuddled. Why would a show averaging less than 4 million viewers already have that much confidence behind it?

The New York Post today asks the same question, offering up some possibly answers. The main reasoning being that while in the past few years, those ratings would have gotten a show quickly canceled, the TV landscape has changed. And with that change comes lower expectations of ratings and more time for a new series to prove its worth.

The article explains that “low ratings” have taken on new meaning in broadcast TV. While 4 million viewers on a premiere five years ago would have meant cancellation, now it signals to the broadcaster that the show might need more time. And those low ratings aren’t considered that low anymore, either. Many half-hour comedies this season are getting more script orders that in recent years would have been canceled within weeks.

The Post goes on to explain that the ratings are taking on new meaning also. It’s not just about that nightly number anymore — networks are also taking into account the night’s ratings, its lead-in’s ratings and the show’s price tag (comedies are often less expensive, so they’re often given more of a chance than a drama like “Ironside”).

Lastly, networks are looking more into the niche audiences that have long eluded them. According to the Post, shows like “Dads” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine” attract young male demos, which might give them more of an edge.

Read more at the New York Post.

Brief Take: New series already have to prove themselves within weeks of their premiere, but broadcasters are beginning to look elsewhere for each show’s potential success — niche demographics, syndication possibilities. More and more, marketers will be given the task of finding each new series’ value to avoid early cancellation.

[Image courtesy of Fox]

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