Quote:
Don't know what the average Nielsen rating is (either overall or specifically for networks in primetime), but if nothing else it has a clear ongoing downward trajectory.
From the past decade, average viewership in millions starting in 2009:
7.1
7.09
6.15
5.41
5.02
5.61
4.00
4.80
4.07
The Castellaneta Wiki said that Fox was threatening cancellation back in 2011 if the show didn't lower its production costs, so the voice actors took a pay cut from $400K per ep to $300K. But the ratings have fallen further by about 1/3 since then. I dunno, I would have to think it bleeds out before too terribly long.
Looks like over that same ten year span the averagr rating for the highest rated show fell about the same amount.
American Idol 2008 - 15.1
American Idol 2009 - 13.7
American idol 2010 - 14.5
Sunday night football 2011 - 12.4
NCIS 2012 - 13.5
SNF/NCIS 2013 - 12.6
SNF 2014 - 12.3
Ncis 2015 - 12.8
Big bang 2016 - 11.5
Big bang 2017 - 11.1
Sp a 4 point decline over the decade. That big jump from 2010 to 2011 most likely represents the rise in streaming and the peak of basic cable smash hits, I think Mad Men and Breaking Bad were both in their prime then.
Looks like a combination of things have led to a steady decline of broadcast viewership, so I think a 4 is probably still a pretty strong money maker ad buy wise.