Zombie TV comes for cable networks
In 2015, the USA cable network was a force in original programming. Dramas like “Suits,” “Mr. Robot” and “Royal Pains” either won awards or attracted big audiences.
What a difference a few years make.
Viewership is way down, and USA’s original programming department is gone. The channel has had just one original scripted show this year, and it is not exclusive to the network — it also airs on another channel. During one 46-hour stretch this month, USA showed repeats of NBC’s “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” for all but two hours, when it showed reruns of CBS’ “NCIS” and “NCIS: Los Angeles.”
Instead of standing out among its peers, USA is emblematic of cable television’s transformation. Many of the most popular channels — TBS, Comedy Central, MTV — have morphed into zombie versions of their former selves.
Networks that were once rich with original scripted programming are now vessels for endless marathons of reruns, along with occasional reality shows and live sports.
The transformation could accelerate even more, remaking the cable landscape. Advertisers have begun to pull money from cable at high rates, analysts say, and leaders at cable providers have started to question what their consumers are paying for.
The media companies that own the channels are in a bind. The so-called cable bundle was enormously profitable for media companies, and more than 100 million households subscribed at the peak. But subscribers are declining as people migrate toward streaming.
Now roughly 70 million households subscribe to cable. As a result, most media companies are pulling resources from their individual cable networks and directing investment toward their streaming services.
However, most streaming services are hemorrhaging cash. (An NBCUniversal executive said this week that its Peacock streaming
service would lose $2.8 billion this year.) Cable, although it is getting smaller, remains profitable.
Now, some industry insiders and analysts are questioning whether executives shifted too quickly and are limiting future revenue from distributors and advertisers.
In 2015, there were at least 214 original scripted programs on premium
and basic cable, according to programming records analyzed by The New York Times. By last year, that figure had fallen 39%.
In 2015, TBS and TNT aired 17 scripted shows. This year, they have a total of three series, according to records. Reruns are filling the hole.
On a recent weekday, TBS played shows including
“Friends,” “The Big Bang Theory” and “Young Sheldon.” Over at Comedy Central were “The Office” and “Seinfeld.” MTV had 20 consecutive hours of “Catfish: The TV Show.”
There are some exceptions among cable channels. Bravo, another NBCUniversal property and the home of the “Housewives” franchise, “Vanderpump Rules” and “Below Deck,” remains a culturally relevant force that has spawned an in-person convention: BravoCon. The Hallmark Channel has laid claim to the holiday season and has scored strong ratings. (Hallmark and Bravo shows also appear on Peacock.) The Paramount cable network was able to release a hit in recent years with “Yellowstone.”