Talk show host is considering runs for Senate, White House.
TLC Tickled Over 'Jon & Kate' Halo Effect
The channel finished May up 24% year to year in total viewers, and 15% in the women 18-49 demo.
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Since Arsenio Hall's groundbreaking show went off the air in the late 1990s, others have tried to diversify the late-night airwaves, with mixed results. Three new shows are tackling the issue again. Read more.
A year ago, TLC was a network in crisis, the tabloids were wading through circulation declines, and Jon and Kate Gosselin were just married people starring in a successful basic-cable reality show.
Today, only Jon and Kate seem to be having problems.
Driven by the marital discord of its principals, the scandal-fueled “Jon & Kate Plus 8” has become, to quote media mogul Sam Zell, the “Viagra” for the flaccid performance of both print and TV.
"Jon & Kate" has put TLC more on the map than ever, providing a huge promotional platform for the network to launch a new slate of shows and boosting the weekly circulation of celebrity magazines like US Weekly and People by millions.
The channel finished May up 24 percent year to year in total viewers, and 15 percent in the women 18-49 demo.
“If you have the chance to lift other boats in the ocean, that’s a great opportunity,” says Eileen O’Neill, president and general manager of TLC, who was brought into the job last summer by parent company Discovery Communications to fix the post-“Trading Spaces” ratings malaise that had overcome the channel.
During the early part of the decade, TLC had carved a niche for itself as a pioneer of lifestyle oriented nonfiction series, offering up successful shows including “Trading Spaces,” “A Wedding Story” and “A Baby Story.”
In August of last year, reacting to a 13 percent year-to-year viewership decline for TLC, Discovery CEO David Zaslav moved O’Neill from her president post at Planet Green to take over for Angela Shapiro-Mathes, hoping to change the channel’s “creative and organizational direction.”
And even before the Gosselin marriage became a national obsession, O’Neill had TLC -- which touts about 90 million subscribers -- back on the tracks, with the network up in total viewers for six consecutive months.
Then, during the week of May 11, US Weekly reported that Jon Gosselin allegedly had strayed.
Preceded by consecutive US Weekly cover stories -- we’re up to six weeks in a row now -- “Jon & Kate” kicked off its fifth cycle on Memorial Day drawing prime time’s biggest audience that evening, 9.8 million viewers, far and away an all-time record draw for TLC.
While managing a tabloid frenzy has been a bit of a hassle for the channel, the resulting ratings bonanza has helped the network immeasurably in launching the slate of character-driven, wedding-themed nonfiction shows that have been gestated in the 10 months with O’Neill at the helm.
Leading out of “Jon & Kate’s” record-breaking premiere, for example, the series introduction of “Cake Boss” -- which follows around renowned Hoboken wedding-cake baker Buddy Valastro -- drew 3.2 million viewers, making it the biggest series premiere in the channel’s history.
Likewise, “The Little Couple” -- which tracks the lives of a pair of diminutive newlyweds -- also got off to a hot start a night later, posting double-digit ratings increases for its time period.
While TLC probably can’t expect 10 million to consistently turn out for “Jon & Kate” each week -- on Monday, back-to-back week-two installments averaged 5.7 million viewers, still TV’s top draw for women of all ages -- the show should stay hot enough to help out with several other upcoming series launches, including the Kelly Ripa-produced “Masters of the Reception.”
“Certainly, the extensive viewership of ‘Jon & Kate’ has turbocharged us,” says O’Neill, who has committed to 40 episodes of the channel’s most popular series but, like everyone else, admits she has no idea if the principal characters will still be living under the same roof when the season is done.
Celebrity magazines like People and US Weekly have been turbocharged by “Jon & Kate,” as well.
Comments
wert54 Says
The channel finished May up 24 percent year to year in total viewers, and 15 percent in the women 18-49 demo.games
Sylvia Says
I am a 29 year old female who used to be a fan of TLC shows including What Not to Wear (one of my favorites). I also enjoyed many shows on Discovery, I could always count on finding something "clean" and interesting on these sister networks. Now I get this sick feeling in my throat when I think of watching anything on these networks. I feel that by doing so I will be contributing to the exploitation of the 8 Gosselin children. I cannot see how the exploitation of this family by TLC is justified. Much damage has already been done, and I cannot understand the reasoning behind TLC's decision to show the children dealing with the trauma of a divorce. It's awful. I am disgusted with TLC and Eileen O'Neil for enabling greedy parents to ruin the lives of their innocent young children.
Kat Flynn Says
I am urging everyone to picket the offices of TLC headquarters. We, the viewers, have the right to have our voices heard and I for one, want to scream from the rooftops. SAVE THE GOSSELIN CHILDREN!!!!!!!!!!!!
Really? Says
Who thinks these kids would not rather trade everything that money has bought them for two parents that love and cherish one another and their kids?
Carrin Says
I believe Ms Eileen O'Neill, Pres of TLC, has ice water running through her veins. She has allowed TLC to totally destroy this family. She is running up her career ladder and doesn't care whose tiny fingers she steps on.
TLC should be sued for fraud. This "reality show" could not be further from reality.
I will no longer watch other people's misery for my own entertainment. TLC is OFF at my home.
Carrin Says
I believe Ms Eileen O'Neill, Pres of TLC, has ice water running through her veins. She has allowed TLC to totally destroy this family. She is running up her career ladder and doesn't care whose tiny fingers she steps on.
TLC should be sued for fraud. This "reality show" could not be further from reality.
I will no longer watch other people's misery for my own entertainment. TLC is OFF at my home.
Carrin Says
I believe Ms Eileen O'Neill, Pres of TLC, has ice water running through her veins. She has allowed TLC to totally destroy this family. She is running up her career ladder and doesn't care whose tiny fingers she steps on.
TLC should be sued for fraud. This "reality show" could not be further from reality.
I will no longer watch other people's misery for my own entertainment. TLC is OFF at my home.
Michelle Says
What a shame that TLC is willing to line their pockets on the backs of these poor children. In my opinion, every dollar "earned" through the continued exploitation of the Gosselin children is cursed.
Jon&Kate+GREED Says
I am with the two folks above on this one. Jon and Kate are making money off of their kids and thats plain for anyone to see. I can't beleive that Kate of all people was on Larry King Live voiceing her opinion about Octomom. Now can you imagine that? Kate is no different than Octomom when it comes to using her many kids to generate an income and all of the freebies that she can stand. Having those 6 babies at one time was Kate's choice but,she knew that she could make money off of these children and therefore she refused a reduction.and as for this being the only way for them to support their kids thats a bunch of hog wash. what kind of jobs did they do before TLC came along and made them an offer they couldn't refuse? now Kate was a R.N. and Jon worked as a IT analyst whatever that is. they were making enough money I do beleive to support the choices that they made when they decided to have the six smaller kids but,as I said before,Kate saw this as a way to make some easy money and Jon was stupid enough to go along with it. Yes indeed,Kate is no better than Octomom if anything I think she is worse. I will not watch this channel either. They also need to take the Duggars off the air as well. Having a big family is nothing new in this society and its nothing to glorify. My grandmother on my mothers side of my family had 12 children and they raised them all just fine. and this was back in the 1920s and onward. now don't tell me that Jon and Kate cannot raise their 8 kids without a tv show. By the way,one of my mother's sisters and her husband had 11.kids and again life on the farm is how they made it. speaking of the Duggars,it is my opinion that they are racist. I say this because you never see them interact with people of other races.
havelotskids Says
This family is a train wreck with the carnage being the children. While the money they have reportedly been making per episode is enough to choke a horse I bet no one has been monitoring it to be sure the kids' interests were looked after. These kids are going to grow up in a world (if they don't quit the Hollywood lifestyle now) where they think they are entitled to extravagant items because of who they are and unless someone has monitored this money there will be none for them.
From all reports this mother knew what she was doing and dad went along for the ride. Well the train is at the end of the track and one of you better rush in to save these children--and fast. Sell the house, give up this lifestyle of fame and fortune and put the kids' emotional and other needs first by living within the means a paying job using your degrees provide.
I for one will not watch any show ever again on this network. They are as much to blame as the parents in this wreck of a show and should be held liable. I can only hope that the state of Pennsylvania does find that child labor laws were and have been broken in the filming of this show. And let's hope that puts them on notice regarding all the other minors on their 'reality' shows.
Turn off this show now and boycott the sponsors letting them know exactly how we feel. Whether you like this show or not you know you are seeing children living in America being exploited for financial gain by their parents. Look up the definition of exploitation if you don't believe what you know is true. We have become a voyaristic society willing to watch anyone fall just glad it is not us. Enough is enough!
cheewizz Says
I guess Americans can't resist rubber-necking at a traffic accident, and it seems the worse the accident, the more people can't look away. Likewise, the ratings have gone up as Jon and Kate's marriage goes down the tubes. Naturally, TLC is milking this for all it's worth. But could someone please tell me why in the name of God J&K don't get their family off TV and try to see if there's something left to save? Don't they have enough money to raise 8 kids by now? They stated that was the reason for doing the show in the first place. When is enough enough?? It smacks of greed to me, both on the part of TLC and J&K, specifically Kate since Jon seems to want out.
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