Comments on: Netflix CFO: Really, we didn’t kill Spongebob’s ratings!

By: Vincent

Vincent — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 14:14:40 +0000

Bret the hole in that particular argument is that until the nick packages were handed to Netflix, SpongeBob’s ratings were the highest on the channel, and on cable in general. Both the old and new episodes. The month after Netflix offered the product is when the dip in ratings hit.

By: Bret

Bret — Sat, 09 Jun 2012 15:07:41 +0000

Or maybe the show wasn’t the same as it was when Hillenburg was around and its quality started to break.

If Viacom wants to save Spongebob, then at least find someone who knows the show’s original conception (before the movie) to take Tibbitt’s place as supervisor. If they managed to make Spongebob back to its former glory, then maybe the show’s ratings would rise again.

By: Daniel Frankel

Daniel Frankel — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:27:26 +0000

Thanks, Brad.

By: Will Stewart

Will Stewart — Thu, 17 May 2012 14:36:50 +0000

Kids are turning off the linear cable channel and turning on Netflix for one reason: continuity, or rather, lack thereof. There is no continuity to children’s shows, therefore no reason to watch them in “linear” fashion. Just fire up Netflix and watch another episode. Doesn’t matter if it’s from 2012 or 2005, Spongebob is Spongebob. Nothing ever changes.

Adult shows like Mad Men and Breaking Bad, on the other hand, have a continuous story line and compelling characters. “Catching up” on Netflix makes the adult viewer WANT to tune into the linear cable channel for the next show. I know, I’ve experience it first hand — I got my introduction to Breaking Bad via Netflix, and now I can’t wait for the next season to start on AMC.

The solution: instead of 22-minute segments of mindless kid crap, produce compelling, continuous children’s shows that truly tell a story and that give the child a strong desire to watch the next episode … on the actual channel. As long as kid shows are self-contained, 22-minute pieces of brain candy that don’t tie together in any coherent fashion, Netflix availability will drain viewers from the actual channel.

Yeah, I know … compelling kids TV. Not gonna happen. I guess Harry Potter and The Hunger Games didn’t teach the TV execs anything.

By: Vincent

Vincent — Thu, 17 May 2012 13:04:18 +0000

The only way to test this, is for Nick to pull their content from Netflix and watch the numbers. They should do it now.

By: Brad Phillips

Brad Phillips — Thu, 17 May 2012 12:47:54 +0000

Paragraph 5: effect not affect