Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.ads From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: ads Wed, Mar 4 1992 Date: Wed, 4 Mar 92 05:50:52 EST Message-ID: 03-04 0000 DECISIONLINE: Advertising USA TODAY Update March 4, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network NBC MAY LOSE OLDER VIEWERS: On Tuesday, NBC axed "Matlock." Earlier it lost "In the Heat of the Night" to CBS. "Matlock" ranks No. 40 among all shows on TV, but is the third most popular show among viewers 50 and older. "Heat" is No. 28 overall, No. 5 among older audiences. NBC is also losing "The Cosby Show," "Golden Girls" and "Night Court," which are also popular. (For more, see special Network package below.) FOX HAS BEST SHOWING YET: Fox, the upstart fourth network, has yet to overtake one of the major networks, but last week it had its best viewership ever, according to the weekly A.C. Nielsen ratings. The good numbers came in part from "Sightings," a reality special that examines ghosts, UFOs and other such phenomena. Although it finished No. 73, it still gave Fox its best ratings ever for Friday at 9. CBS WINS WITHOUT OLYMPICS: With no more Olympics, CBS won the ratings week by just .3 of a ratings point. With games coverage, CBS won by six full points. "60 Minutes" again was No. 1, followed by CBS' Sunday movie, "A Woman Scorned: The Betty Broderick Story." But CBS premieres of new series fell at the other end of the spectrum. "Boys of Twilight," was No. 68, while "Scorch," was tied at No. 77. WARPATH AD CAMPAIGN CANCELED: The Greenville (S.C.) Braves, Atlanta's Class AA minor league baseball team, has canceled its "Get on the Warpath" ad campaign because it's too inflammatory. The campaign included a billboard with arrows and the headline, "Watch Us Surround 'Em and Beat 'Em With Sticks." Another showed an Indian spear and the headline, "Watching an Ambush in Person is Good Medicine." WANT ADS ARE DOWN: Employment advertising volume in U.S. newspapers fell in January to the lowest level in nearly nine years, the Conference Board business research group said Tuesday. The board's help-wanted index provided new evidence that employers are refraining from rehiring or expanding work forces because of the uncertainty created by the weak economy. CITY TO ERECT NEW BILLBOARDS: Metropolitan Outdoor Advertising in Boise, Idaho wants to erect the city's first new billboard in 20 years. Boise's City Council passed the ordinance which opened new areas where billboards can be erected. The new ordinance also stipulates that Metropolitan must remove existing billboards from residential areas in order to put up new boards. THOMAS BACKS PLAYERS' DECISION: Although he doesn't agree with NBA players like Michael Jordan, who have chosen to deny the NBA use of their likeness in advertising, Detroit Piston Isiah Thomas has fought for their right to make that decision. Thomas is in the third year of a four-year term as president of the NBA Players' Association. He is active in the Stay in School Program and Just Say No to Drugs programs. POLL WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED: Washington Journalism Review announced the winners of its annual Best in the Business readers' poll. Winners included Vanity Fair as most exciting magazine, Peter Jennings as best evening-news anchor, Katherine Couric of NBC's "Today" as best morning-news anchor:host, CNN's Peter Arnett as best foreign TV correspondent and ABC's "Nightline" as best TV news interview program. HUSNI IS NEW MAGAZINE AUTHORITY: University of Mississippi journalism professor Samir Husni is an authority when it comes to new magazines. His annual guide, Samir Husni's Guide to New Consumer Magazines, is the only comprehensive list of new magazines in the USA. The seventh annual volume is out Friday and details the look, cost, frequency, ad pages and category of 541 new magazines that made it to newsstands last year. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON NETWORKS: NBC LOOKS TO YOUNGER VIEWERS: NBC has told "Matlock" executive producer Fred Silverman no thanks to a seventh season. Silverman says, "NBC is saying they want to go for a younger demographic." For many TV advertisers, the target age group is 18-49. Silverman is talking to ABC about moving the series, starring Andy Griffith, to that network for next season. NEW SERIES HAVE YOUTH IN MIND: NBC Entertainment President Warren Littlefield says dropping old shows like "Matlock," makes way for the new. Slated for this fall are a sitcom with "Cosby's" Malcolm-Jamal Warner and a "Route 66" update. "You can either be afraid of change or embrace it. Advertisers are more interested in the makeup of the audience than in how many households are watching," he says. CBS STILL WANTS OLDER VIEWERS: Despite NBC's desire to go after a younger audience, top-rated CBS, for one, isn't writing off older viewers. "People in their 50s have homes that are paid for, the kids out of school and the money available for luxury cars and travel," says CBS research chief David Poltrack. (End of package.) Advertising Editor: Mickey McLean. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM