Which CW TV series will be renewed or cancelled for the 2011-12 season? In large part this depends on a series’ ratings for the 18-49 demographic. The CW also puts a particular lot of weight on the 18-34 female demographic. The lower a show’s ratings, the more likely it is to be cancelled.
Before we get to the season-to-date averages, here are the winners and losers from March 25th until March 31st — based on the 18-34 female demographic, as measured against the last original episode. Most of the network’s shows were in repeats.
Week-to-Week Gains: Shedding for the Wedding 0.7/2 (+16.7%)
No Change: (none)
Week-to-Week Losses: America’s Next Top Model 1.6/5 (-5.9%)
Wonder if your favorite FOX show’s been renewed or cancelled? Check out our comprehensive list. We’ll keep updating it as new info becomes available.
Below is a list of the regular CW TV shows and their 2010-11 season average ratings to date. It only incorporates the ratings for original episodes that have aired this season (no repeats). The data is sorted by the 18-34 female demographic averages, the group that the CW focuses on attracting and selling to advertisers. The “compared to” column reflects whether the demo average has gone up, down, or stayed the same.
| W 18-34 demo rank |
TV Shows | Average viewership (in millions) |
Average 18-49 demo rating |
Average women 18-34 demo |
Compared to last week |
|
| 1 | The Vampire Diaries | 3.30 | 1.5 | 2.4 | --- | |
| 2 | Gossip Girl | 1.73 | 0.9 | 2.1 | --- | |
| 3 | One Tree Hill | 1.89 | 0.9 | 1.7 | --- | |
| 4 | 90210 | 1.80 | 0.9 | 1.6 | --- | |
| 5 | Hellcats | 2.03 | 0.9 | 1.5 | --- | |
| 6 | Life Unexpected (cancelled) | 1.52 | 0.7 | 1.3 | --- | |
| 7 | Nikita | 2.51 | 0.9 | 1.1 | --- | |
| 7 | Supernatural | 2.31 | 1.0 | 1.1 | --- | |
| 9 | Smallville (ending) | 2.59 | 1.1 | 0.9 | --- | |
| 1 | America's Next Top Model (fall) | 2.87 | 1.3 | 2.1 | --- | |
| 2 | America's NT Model (spring) | 2.14 | 1.0 | 1.7 | --- | |
| 3 | Shedding for the Wedding | 0.98 | 0.4 | 0.7 | --- | |
The closer a show is to the bottom of the list, the closer it is to being cancelled (if it hasn’t been cancelled already like Life Unexpected). If it’s closer to the top of the list, it’s more likely to be renewed. Shows that are in the middle (“on the bubble”) can be a little tougher to call. Their future typically comes down to other factors like overall costs, contracts, who produces the show, and what new shows are on the horizon.
It should be noted that Friday nights are one of the least watched evenings of television so ratings for shows on that night are lower. The network understands this and takes it into account. However, regardless of when a show is aired, its production costs remain the same. Ultimately, it must still be profitable enough for the network to keep ordering more episodes.
Raw data: © The Nielsen Company via Media Week.
What do you think? Any surprises? Which shows do you think won’t survive to see a new season?
Image courtesy CW.
Vampire diaries, Gossip girl, supernatural, ad nikita need to be renew. One tree hill already has 8 seasons, so it’s up to CW, cancel or renew it.
I was glad that gossip girl got the second place. I was scared that it’s going to be cancelled, but thanks god, I hope it’s not. It deserved at last 2 seasons more.
Vampire diaries should renewed and it would be, so I don’t have to be worry about that, and also supernatural, I never bore to watch it. Plus, alot of guy watching it, so CW is not going to be ‘women channel’.
That list is based on actual views of the shows; they can’t just “move up” the show because people request it to be. If OTH is going to be canceled, I would honestly say “what too them so long?” I used to watch it, but it’s not entertaining anymore and it tries too hard. I am glad Gossip Girl is the second highest ranking show right now. For some reason, many OTH fans are haters of GG and want it to go. I want GG to go on for at least 2 more seasons. I honestly wanted this season of… Read more »
One Tree Hill Should be renewed or a Oth Season 9 and many more Seasons to continue Please put One Tree Hill Tree Hill on the top of the list instead of having One Tree Hill On the Bubble Mark Schwahn wants to continue One Tree Hill for a Oth Season 9 and many more Seasons to continue the cast and the crew on One Tree Hill wants to continue The One Tree Hill show