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Variety: ENTERPRISE Beaming Up Less Female Viewers Than Any Other Network Drama
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PROMENADE







Posted: 20:16:35 on March 19 2003
By: Steve Krutzler
Dept: Enterprise | stenterprise.com
Hollywood trade paper Variety analyzes the current season's demographic breakdown across the television landscape and the conclusion is perhaps not surprising: ENTERPRISE is watched by less women than any other drama on broadcast television--at least among 18-49 year olds.

"UPN's ENTERPRISE (39% female), which airs opposite the heavily femme DAWSON'S CREEK and MY WIFE AND KIDS, that is the most male-skewed drama on the nets," writes Rick Kissel for the trade.

Accordingly, UPN is also the network with the least female audience members tuning in, at just 46%. Surprisingly, the traditionally male-dominated Fox and female-dominated WB have had reversals of fortune this season, with shows like AMERICAN IDOL and JOE MILLIONAIRE drawing more women to Fox and SMALLVILLE capturing more men for the WB. ENTERPRISE still courts more ladies than ABC's MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL (31%) and UPN's own WWE SMACKDOWN! (36%).

Although archival demographic statistics are not available, former executive producer of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION, Michael Piller, is often quoted as saying that the first TREK spin-off set records for drawing more female viewers in its prime than science fiction or genre shows had traditionally been able to, and in fact, many female fans may consider ST:TNG as the series that hooked them on the franchise.

The degree to which this potential shift in demographics plays into the overall picture of ENTERPRISE's recent ratings woes is uncertain, however. UPN has made no secret of its efforts to reach young male viewers with the fifth TREK skein. However, the recent article in TV Guide, "Can STAR TREK be Saved?," highlighted the fact that the show has actually skewing older than its target demographic.

You can read the full Variety article here after signing up for a free trial account.

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Season Two (2002-2003)
Prod #Title Airdate
128 Shockwave, Part II 9/18/02
127 Carbon Creek9/25/02
129 Minefield10/02/02
131 Dead Stop10/09/02
130 A Night In Sickbay10/16/02
132 Marauders10/30/02
133 The Seventh11/06/02
134 The Communicator11/13/02
135 Singularity11/20/02
136 Vanishing Point11/27/02
137 Precious Cargo12/11/02
138 The Catwalk12/18/02
139 Dawn1/08/03
140 Stigma2/05/03
141 Cease Fire2/12/03
142 Future Tense2/19/03
143 Canamar2/26/03
144 The Crossing4/2/03
145 Judgment4/9/03
146 Horizon4/16/03
147 The Breach4/23/03
148 Cogenitor4/30/03
149 Regeneration5/7/03
150 First Flight5/14/03
151 Bounty5/21/03
152 The Expanse5/21/03
Season One (2001-2002)
TREKWEB TALKBACK
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Pedant Alert!
By Josiah Rowe ( ) at 01:23:54 on March 21 2003
URL: | User Info
Shouldn't that headline read "ENTERPRISE beaming up fewer Female Viewers..."?

:)

[ Reply to This | Parent Comment ]

I wonder how much ENTERPRISE's ratings overall are skewed by the fact that Star Trek shows are traditionally watched in groups.

The original STAR TREK had huge numbers of college-age viewers watching together in dorm rooms. That pattern certainyl repeated itself with THE NEXT GENERATION came on (I remember our smaller Trekkie cadre of 8-10 people suddenly leaped massively to over 60 when the Best of Both Worlds Part II first aired). Even now with ENTERPRISE, I gather four other people to watch in my tiny apartment... and two of them are women.

Is it possible that total number of VIEWERS is actually higher than ratings can record, because there are a higher number of viewers PER SCREEN than other programs? If so, then is it also possible that the number of FEMAL viewers is also higher, because the SCREENS that are viewing it (and being surveyed by Nielsen) are owned by more guys?

---

Gul Macet: If you believed the transport ship was carrying weapons, why didn't you board it as Maxwell requested?

Picard: I was here to protect the peace. A peace that I firmly believed was in the interest of both our peoples.

[ Reply to This | Parent Comment ]

No surprise here
By Jadziamidala ( ) at 11:01:34 on March 20 2003
URL: | User Info
We female Trekkers have always been a small minority. Star Trek is a guy's show.

---

"Who is the more foolish? The fool, or the fool who follows him?"

[ Reply to This | Parent Comment ]

test

---

-Steve Krutzler
==V/-/== Rocks

[ Reply to This | Parent Comment ]

portayal of woman could be why...
By cooper2000 ( ) at 20:46:42 on March 19 2003
URL: | User Info
Catsuits!
Decontamination chambers!
Why would Woman want to watch or be like any of these Woman?????

At least Janeway and seven had some humanity to them.

The Woman on Enterprise are cardboard cutouts.

[ Reply to This | Parent Comment ]