...The X Factor

So I decided to watch The X Factor. It airs int he midst of a crowded comedy block anchored by NBC and ABC. I have to admit that I was not blown away by the show. I guess that I ma jaded by shows like this because there are so many. The X Factor is the perfect combination of two other shows that have a connection to Simon Cowell. Those two shows would be American Idol and America's Got Talent. If you watch the show you can obviously see what I am talking about. The giant X, the set, the judges, it is all becoming stale. The only thing that this show has over others is the guaranteed prize money of $5 million. That to me seems like a tad too much and I am willing to bet my parent's home on it that there are so many strings attached to that money that you might end up owing more than you make. I am giving this show a Digit Down because I feel it is a few years too late.

...Fox

How dare you FOX! How dare you cancel "America's Most Wanted" after 23 great years on the air! FOX decided that it was not worth it having the show on. The show averaged 5 million viewers this season. am pretty sure those hardcore fans are going to be pissed when they hear about this. Honestly 5million viewers is very good. It is a show that airs on Saturday nights at 9 o'clock. Where are you on Saturday at 9PM? Probably not home watching television! America's Most Wanted has 1,151-and-counting worldwide captures, something that a lot of people are thankful for. The show became the first-ever FOX program to rank first in its time slot in 1989. As most of us know the show was created by John Walsh after his son was murdered and decapitated. Walsh has spent the his life trying his best to protect the masses and he has done very well. In return for cancelling the show Fox said it will air four two hour specials next season....yay!(sarcasm). They are literally replacing the show with re-runs of their weekly prime time lineup, so basically just Glee reruns, a show I have yet to watch and never will watch. Walsh had a few things to say but his parting words were, "Television is a business and I understand that. But you never know: We came back once, stronger than ever. ... I'm not ready to throw in the towel." Neither am I John, but I am going to give FOX 2 Digits Down for this heinous crime.

...Jennas Lyons

A J. Crew catalogue has caused a lot of controversy without even trying. J. Crew's president and creative director Jenna Lyons is featured in a piece called "Saturday with Jenna". The ad shows her and her son. Sounds Innocent so far. The "issue" is that her son has neon link toe nails. Under the picture is the caption, "Lucky for me I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon." Conservative news outlets and conservative family groups have been attacking this add a lot! Dr. Keith Ablow wrote in a Fox News op-ed, "Yeah, well, it may be fun and games now, Jenna, but at least put some money aside for psychotherapy for the kid—and maybe a little for others who'll be affected by your 'innocent' pleasure. If you have no problem with the J. Crew ad, how about one in which a little boy models a sundress? What could possibly be the problem with that?" Erin Brown of the Media Research Center said, "liberal, transgendered identity politics." This sounds a little extreme, but this is how they feel. I know for a fact that a lot of little boys, before they think girls have cuddies, play with dolls and sometimes dress up in girl's clothing and even put on make up. This does not make them gay or mean they will become gay or transgendered in the future. The outrage over this ad seems to be because the mother is painting her son's toes and they see that as encouraging him to become...a homosexual. This is not true as well. If he turns out to be gay then it is whatever and he will have a very supportive family, if he is not then he will have a lot of funny pictures and stories to tell his future girlfriend. Either way people are taking this way too far. He is 5 years old and he does not know or care about anything we have to say about this. I am going to give Jenna Lyons a Digit Up though for not caring what the world has to say and for raising her son with love and happiness, something that a lot of families rich and poor are lacking these days.

...Departures

A lot of people are planning or are rumored to be leaving their television jobs. So far only one is leaving for sure and that is Glenn Beck. Though he is still winning his time slot with 1.9 million viewers at the 5PM slot., but he lost 30% of his viewers from this time last year and he lost 300 sponsors. He also has had some remarks that many found offensive, mainly calling the President a "racist". Though he will still give commentary for Fox News he will be leaving by the end of 2011.

"The Today Show" may be losing not 1 but 2 of its morning anchors. Meredith Vieira and Matt Lauer have been in the news lately because there have been talks about them both leaving the show. Meredith's contract ends at the end of the year and it is said that she is ready to leave the show after only 5 years. Though reps for NBC an the show have said that this is not true, it seems more like fact than fiction. Matt Lauer's contract runs out next year and he is said to be looking for a way out as well. I wonder if this has anything to do with Comcast taking over NBC?What makes this even more interesting is the other former Today Show's co-host who could be on her way out as well.

Katie Couric left "The Today Show" 5 years ago to anchor the CBS Evening news. They hoped she would bring in ratings and lift them to a higher position. Well that did not work and with her contract expiring later this year it is said that she is on her way out. I could easily see this happening. What makes this THAT much more interesting is the rumor that Katie and Matt are going to be teaming up for a show that they will both co-host. On the other hand people have said that she will have her own talk show. This is okay, but there are just SO many out there now that this would be a failure.

Either way this is going to be very very interesting. These people have become television figures that many of Americans have depended on for news and other info for many years. I am giving these departures a Digit Up because I am curious to see who or what will replace them.

...Keith Olbermann

MSNBC has been taking a lot of heat this week for its Liberal bias while covering the elections this Tuesday. One the host was Keith Olbermann, veteran news and sports anchor. Well now MSNBC has suspended Olbermann indefinitely without pay for his political contributions, donations, to 3 Democratic candidates; Arizona Reps. Gabrielle Giffords and Raul Grijalva and Senate hopeful Jack Conway. He donated the maximum individual donation to each candidate, $2,400. In the news business you are supposed to remain unbiased and neutral on all things, clearly he failed. Olberman has in the past criticized News Corp owner Rupert Murdoch for donating money to the Republican party, and now he has been caught doing the same. Olbermann claims to have not donated money to anyone or party before nor has he encouraged anyone else to do so on his show. I guess he will have a month or so to think about what he has done. MSNBC may or may not fire him, I doubt it though. He is one of their main prime-time attractions, although his rating are still below par. I am giving Olbermann a Digit Down for his obviously stupid move and for becoming his own Worst Person in the World.

...Univision

Univision, the Spanish language network, is set to top the American networks in viewership within this decade, according to census. With about 50 million more Hispanics in America than there were a decade ago and with Univision showing a 14% jump in viewers this year, compared to 3% by the big 4 (ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX) it is only a matter of time. Recently Univision passed The CW to become 5th. Some think that even without the future growth of Hispanics in America Univision would still become number 1. In areas, such as the 18-49 year old range, Univison could possibly lead on some nights, it is very close on Friday nights as it is. This means good things for them when it comes to future sponsors. In the past major sponsors have not been willing to place ads on the network, 2/3 to be exact, but now that could, will change. This will definitely do damage to the big 4 who have seen profits fall due to the recession and sponsors deciding to find more creative ways to reach people, especially since most people can fast forward through commercials now. Univision is set to become a major player in the television world. I have no clue what this means for the rest of us. They are a Spanish language channel so it is not like many English only speaking Americans will be tuning i to watch, but it could change things up on the other networks, maybe they will have better shows, less police dramas...maybe. I am giving Univision a Digit Up

...Television Viewers

In the golden days of television, better known as the 90's, advertising execs used to focus all of their money on the 18-49 year old. Well with baby boomers living well into their later years and teens, 20 and 30 somethings watching television online, ad execs are now looking at the above 50 crowd. Why? Well for example CBS has a median viewer age of 51! This masters greatly to advertisers who are becoming less willing to spend money for prime prime time spots. It is well documented that the 18-49 age range tend to spend more than older people. Also the 18-49ers are more willing to watch a commercial over an impatient older adult. You can mostly blame this on the younger Americans though. While in the 80's and 90's more younger people were watching television, they have seemed to disappear. Young hip shows are being cancelled, and usually those are the new shows added to schedules. Older more successful shows are seeming to stick around longer. When Conan O'Brien took over "The Tonight Show" the ratings dipped, and he was fired and replaced with Jay Leno, who attracts more older viewers, those who tend to stay up and watch shows that late. Although Conan got a lot of support form younger Americans, most of those supporting did not bother to watch. The economy also has a little to do with this. It is cheaper to keep things the way they are rather than create something new, shame. I am giving this news a Digit Down. Although this news is not shocking, it could be a continuing trend. With television constantly being made obsolete and Hollywood turning out the same crap year after year, who knows how long it will take before young Americans and the 18-49ers become important again...if ever.

...Kings of Leon

I have been a fan of their music since I first heard them on the radio and even before I know their actual names, there music is really good. Sex on Fire, I still play it to this day and beyond, I can see into the future so I know that I am telling the truth. Well I just gained a whole new reason to like them. The band was asked if they would appear on the show "Glee" and they said no, they even added that they had never even watched the show hahaha. I am glad to see that I am not the only one who has never seen the show. The band has been asked to appear or let their music appear in movies, shows, commercials, etc. They have all said no because that is just not their thing. Now for their sake I do hope that their music continues to sell very well and I hope that they stay fresh and real because if not all of these offers that they turned down will haunt them in their sleep...under a box...in an alley somewhere because they went bankrupt. But until that actually happens I am totally down with the Glee rejection and I am going t give them a Digit Up. If they do become homeless they can cash in this Digit Up for a middle finger because I probably would not give them change hahahaha.