It’s no secret that broadcast TV has suffered a massive ratings decline in the past year or two. Most returning series this fall were lucky to debut anywhere near their 2014 season launch.

But it looks like numbers are worse than predicted, with most returning broadcast shows seeing ratings declines in the double digits.

According to Ad Age, that leaves only three (total) broadcast series that are improving on their live-plus-same-day ratings from last year.

The first one is clear: Empire. The drama hit has Fox’s show Red Band Society to thank for that, because when comparing time slots from last year to now, Empire’s ratings are 380 percent higher than what the quickly cancelled Red Band Society was earning last fall.

NBC’s Sunday Night Football is seeing ratings gains of six percent this year in the adult 18-49 demo, partly thanks to a more competitive season, according to Ad Age.

ABC’s The Middle is up just less than 1 percent from last year, but that alone is impressive as the sitcom is now in its seventh season—a milestone that broadcast comedies rarely hit these days. .

CBS’ 60 Minutes, as well as ABC’s The Goldbergs and Grey’s Anatomy are all flat when compared to last year’s ratings, which is seen as its own victory. Seven of the 20 new broadcast series this fall are delivering higher ratings than last year’s time slots as well, which is encouraging for those few broadcast series that may stick around for next year.

Read more at Ad Age.

Brief Take: The ratings crisis is real, which explains why networks are embracing the “steady is the new increase” philosophy of average ratings on broadcast television.

[Image courtesy of Fox]

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