CW, 'SmackDown' part ways

[mtlguy]

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/...news/index.jsp
TV News - Television News - Cable Networks


CW, 'SmackDown' part ways
By Andrew Wallenstein

Feb 8, 2008
World Wrestling Entertainment and The CW are ending negotiations to keep primetime series "SmackDown" on the air.

WWE issued a statement late Thursday declaring the companies "have agreed to conclude our partnership," citing a Jan. 31 deadline period. The program will remain on the air until the end of the current broadcast season.

While the WWE statement expressed gratitude to CBS Corp. CEO Leslie Moonves and CW president Dawn Ostroff, it also signaled that negotiations have already begun with other networks.

"Smackdown" had been a two-hour block on both The CW and its predecessor,
UPN, for the past decade.

[TVViewer]

Are they serious? I know the ad rates were extremely low, but still it was one of the only things that did OK on The CW (the only other show being America's Next Top Model, which wont last forever and is down from last season)

I serisouly think The CW should shut down, they are not making any money, in terms of loosing profit, The CW is doing worse than MyNetworkTV!, Sure The CW's ratings are better but MyNetworkTV made extreme budget cuts and created an all reality/newsmagazine lineup, MyNetworkTV is not making money, but they are in better shape than The CW this year, and considering The CW has way stronger local stations than MyNetworkTV that's pretty sad.

You can't even consider The CW a real network, it's more like a cable network, wait a cable network with low ratings. The CW is luckly it signed long-term deals with stations with KTLA,WPIX,WGN,ect.. because if they didn't, these stations would most likely already have dropped Their CW affilation. dirt cheap synicated programming is doing better than primetime network programming, it's suspose to be the other way around.

Fridays was the only night The CW got OK ratings, so what do they do? get rid of the show that is giving them OK ratings, whatever they replace it with is going to do just horrible, forget about 5th place for the night, think more of 50th!

It's not like they have any other stronger nights, cable networks are destroying them on Sundays, Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays, and Wednesdays are completely dead without America's Next Top Model.

I would not be surprised if The CW is gone by THIS September.

[NB Josh]

I wouldn't be surprised if it shutdown either. I personally hate the WWE however it, Next Top Model and Supernatural were the only things keeping the CW alive. I actually think that they have a couple good shows such as Supernatural, Smallville and Gossip Girl. The only problem is that nobody, including myself, watches them.

[TVViewer]

Supernatural is not even doing good, it's not holding onto it's Smallville (which is also dying) lead-in very well.

There are only 2 shows that do even OK, those are America's Next Top Model and WWE Smackdown. America's Next Top Model is only on for a bit of the year and is loosing steam, and WWE Smackdown is now leaving.

Like I said before, don't be surprised if The CW is gone by THIS fall.