I've been wondering how the show was doing on DirecTV and found this story about the first episode.

Small Audience for FNL

“Friday Night Lights” averaged 6.2 million viewers on NBC, a relatively low rating for a broadcaster. Wednesday’s DirecTV debut reached an exponentially smaller audience – 400,000 – but then again, the satellite universe is also smaller. DirecTV counts 17.1 million subscribers, while NBC reaches more than 100 million homes.

I think that certainly the ratings number matters, even to Direct TV, but they will probably be more focused on: (1) whether their subscriber numbers changed significantly from the time they announced the FNL deal in April 2008 to October 2008 when the first couple of episodes aired, and whether any increase can be attributed to FNL; (2) if Direct TV has the ability to track this, how many subscribers DVR'ed FNL or watched the repeat showings.

One thing Direct TV has shown it will do is make a long-term investment in something to increase their subscriber base in the long run. They have paid a small fortune (maybe even a large fortune) to the NFL for several years now to have exclusive run of "Sunday Ticket" which allows only their subscribers to watch almost every single NFL game that is on TV. They probably lost money on this deal early on, but stuck with it to gradually increase their subscriber base. Hopefully they take the same approach with FNL if they perceive that it is increasing their subscriber base (or helping to keep their current subscribers).

Do they have any similar show to which we could compare the ratings?

Here's some more of that article that addresses your question.

"During the hour of its premiere, “Friday Night Lights” ranked No. 7 amid all of basic cable available to DirecTV viewers. (That note is important: DirecTV is measuring its competition based on its subscriber base.) Within the 18- to 49-year-old demographic, “Friday Night Lights” ranked No. 2 with women and No. 7 with men, the company said."

It is a good point that the show can only be measured against its competition, which at this point is only other shows DirecTV subscribers watch. I do have some concerns that NBC will panic if the ratings fall in the winter because people have already seen the shows.

I think FNL is a loss leader for DirecTV. Even if it does not draw money to the company (which I won't concede. I subscribe to DirecTV for NFL Sunday Ticket and am encouraged to stay because of FNL), it adds to the prestige of the company and builds DirecTV's channel.

Sharnina

Have you heard any updates on this subject?

Nope, but not for lack of searching.

Thanks for trying!!

Just an update for all the Friday Night Lights fans (that'd be anyone reading this, I suppose!):

The show has trended up a bit since that premiere. Here are more details on the ratings through Episode 8: CLICK HERE.

I'm new to the message board, so I apologize in advance if this has already been discussed. I couldn't find it via 'search' and don't have hours to dig through all of the posts, so I'll just ask and beg for pity

Has there been any discussion about the ratings on DirecTV and whether the show will come back for a season 4? I know that my household hasn't missed an episode and we're sincerely depressed that next week is the season finale already.

Just hoping that there will be another year! Go Panthers!

I don't know the answer to your question. I don't think the ratings have been terrible on DirectTV from the posts that I have read, but I think the NBC ratings are what will count. (Goalee seems to know a lot more about this sort of stuff) Anyway, my suggestion is that we start emailing, and heavily now. Show our support, do the footballs or light bulbs, or whatever it takes to keep this show alive.

we hav 2 keep FNL alive i love dis show 2 much for it 2 end plus its very interestin is dere anythin @ all we can do cuz i will do it lol



<3 <3 <3 FNL!!!!!!

Someone who saw Peter Berg at the 'Wonderland' tribute at the Paley Festival said that Berg said the DirecTV ratings had been good, and he encouraged fans to e-mail Jeff Zucker at NBC, that it really did make a difference.

Just to add on, please watch on NBC even though u've prob all seen the episodes, so that the ratings are high enough for Season 4!! You know what they say: Clear Eyes, Full Hearts, Can't Cancel!!

Just to add to that - If you have Neilson box, please watch Friday Night Lights - or at least have it on.

Best show on TV... I dont understand how the ratings can be that low..

Keep Watching even if you seen it on the 101 Watch it and tell your friends to tune into the show on NBC. Spread the word..

That No good for nothing Joe McCoy:)

We all need to Rally and help spread the word.. Tell your friends write it on bathroom walls.
Go to other forums..

There is so much unsettled, we need to keep this show alive. How will coach do at East? Will that no good for nothing Joe McCoy beat his boy up again?? Will Riggs move back after he gets the boot from college? Does Matt help coach out? how many of his players defect and join him at east? I bet JD McCoy thinks about it everyday... Just think wife divorces that no good for nothing Joe McCoy and JD Plays for East ha ha Joey..

Please do not post spoiler info in this topic. Many people have not seen any of the episodes yet.

Thanks!
sharnina/moderator

I agree, for the life of me I can't understand the low ratings what are people watching? I will definitely watch all of the shows again on NBC, it's been a great season.

Actually... the articles sited above indicate that FNL did okay in the "ratings" as far as DirecTV was concerned.

I don't know if anyone from NBC really reads these message boards, but I'll say that Friday Night Lights is the BEST show on network TV. I never miss an episode. I watched the last season on DirecTV commercial free and it was freaking AWESOME! I just hope & pray it's picked up again for another season...I can't imagine not getting to watch this wonderful show. I've just fallen in love with all the characters and can't wait to see what happens in their lives. I hope for many many more seasons....I wish there were something we could do to get more viewers. I'm hoping the NBC switch to Friday nights will help...there was nothing good on TV on Friday anyway until they decided to put FNL on then! Great job to the writers and I just want ya'll to know that there are people out there that love this show as much as you guys do!

Just finished watching the much anticipated episode of season 3 Friday Night Lights...it did not disappoint! One of the first things I noticed is that the writers returned to the original story line format of allowing the characters to develop gradually. The latter episodes of season 2 started to resemble typical dramas: a problem starts, evolves and is solved all in one episode. Not at all the style that I believe attracts most FNL viewers. Excellent start to the season...hopefully a lot of viewers are part of that all important Neilson family where it really counts.

Great third season! Saw the season ender (on DirectTV) and there were several storylines that could be continued into a 4th season (there better be!). Kyle Chandler, Gaius Charles and Scott Porter all deserve Emmy nominations, along with creator/director Peter Berg and the show itself. Unquestionably, the best show on tv. Bravo, FNL! Looking forward to a CD with the music from S3, too.

Friday night lights is the best thing that ever happened to me!!! the show is unreal...and even though the third series ended abruptly...the third series makes up for it...the 4th series has the potential to be the most exciting of all!!!

Curran...Ireland!

Although the show didn't kill in the ratings, it didn't tank either, especially when you consider it wasn't on broadcast TV for a year. And it looks like the old audience returned to watch on NBC. So lets see how it goes.

Okay, down to the business of actual ratings.

Friday's Ratings

And a little encouraging tidbit I found in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Q & A with Rob Owen;

Q: I was wondering, with it currently airing only on DIRECTV, if there was any word on how "Friday Night Lights" was doing this season. I've been watching, and I think this season has been great -- even better than the first season. And without giving away any plot points to those who are not DIRECTV subscribers, last week's episode I think was the show's best yet. Just curious if it's getting the ratings that NBC and DIRECTV hoped for, and if the critics are back on board after last season's missteps.

-- Mike, 33, Pittsburgh

Rob: This critic is. Mike's right that this season has been a big improvement on last year.

As for ratings, a DIRECTV publicist said the company is pleased with "FNL's" ratings. The first six episodes averaged about 650,000 viewers with the sixth episode hitting a series high of 887,247 viewers. It's the No. 1 show on DIRECTV's 101 Network.

Because this is uncharted territory, it's unclear what will determine what constitutes successful enough for a fourth season. My guess is we'll get a better idea after NBC begins airing the third season on Jan. 16.

Here's another analysis of last Friday's ratings.

01/16/09 I Knew You When

so are we doing good or bad. I tune in on live broadcast for the first time in 2 years tonight. Every other time I watched it online

It's not as good as last year where there were about 6 million viewers per episode. Check out the Season 2 topic around page 4 and you'll find some links to the ratings there.

Season 2 Ratings

well number are going to be down because of people already seeing it on direct. It is going to be hard to get those people back to watch it again. Do you think that my thoughts about having it on USA might work. I just think it would be easier to have it there were ratings are not everything. They would still get there money because it is owned by NBC, but us die hard fans would watch for sure.

I don't know about what kind of info you can get because you are an admin but have you heard about what would need to happen for the show to make it. Like what the ratings would have to be?

Actually, I'm not an admin, just a moderator - poster with power.

I don't know any more than what you all know. As I said in another topic, the advantage to FNL being on DirecTV was that they absorbed a large portion of the production cost and that advantage would not be gained by airing it on USA - NBC would responsible for the total cost of an expensive production.

yes they could do both the direct tv way and USA where there is not so much pressure for great ratings. I just hope that they combine the ratings of direct tv and NBC because I thinks they gained viewers. Maybe not but I really hope they can make it work.

was it because of not great ratings that the show only had 13 episodes?

13 episodes seems to be the standard run for cable tv series. As has been discussed in other topics (FNL on DirecTV) it wouldn't be a benefit to DirecTV if the show is available for free on USA. Their goal is to draw in subscribers with quality programming.

This is a good topic to read to find some of the answers to your questions.

It'll Be Back!

Take some time to browse the forum, there's lots of interesting topics and lots of great viewpoints from other posters.

thanks it was interesting, but I would hate to see this show go only to NBC and we could not see it. Let me know when you find the ratings for last nights episode

Here is the link for the ratings for last nights episode. Unfortunately, are numbers went down a little from last week, I thought this week's episode was really good. Let's keep hoping and praying our viewership picks up. I wonder could Directv finance FNL by themselves?


http://tvbythenumbers.com/2009/01/24/frida...whisperer/11470

sorry guys I meant to say not go to only direct tv

An I article I read...

Fan Rally Needed: In its second outing back on NBC, the recycled Friday Night Lights (4 million, per MediaWeek) fell to fourth in its Friday night time slot in total viewers and in the demo.

Fourth and Long Already for Friday Night Lights?

Here's a breakdown of the numbers for last Friday's show.

Tami Knows Best (01-23-09)

Slightly better than last week by about this || much. The only way we can pull this out, folks, is by watching.

How the Other Half Live (01-30-09)

Wow I just read the article, and it is better, but still not good enough. I know people who watch it only on Netflix and online. I wish they would just watch it on Friday nights!!

The ratings seem to be getting worse instead of better.

Again, a little better than last week by about this || much. Still holding steady at that 1.4/4 share, though.

Hello Goodbye (02-06-09)

FNL was #91 in this week's TV ratings. Not looking good. I'm afraid the show may not be back.

No good deed goes unpunished.

Not so great last week. Apparently FNL had some stiff competition last week - a new episode of Flashpoint, a new series from FOX (Dollhouse), and what appeared to be a fairly interesting SuperNanny about an abusive father of teenage girls. Kind of an appropriate episode title, huh?

Every Rose Has Its Thorn 02-13-09

Well, I think the viewers are missing a great show and compared to Super Nanny!

I still think FNL needs to be advertised more. Most people I talk to still don't know anything about the show. I still don't understand. It is the best show on TV and most of all it gives a real and true picture of life in a small town and how kids act when the parents are not around. Maybe that is the reason people don't watch the show, they just don't want to know how their kids actually deport themselves when the grown ups are out of sight!

The rating went back up a bit this week, to just under 4 mil.
http://pifeedback.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/6...m/246104191/p/1

I can't imagine nbc expected more than 4 mil per re-aired episode. One thing you can take to the bank since mid season 1 is that FNL has about 5.5-6 million faithful viewers. This number does not change whether they advertise or not, nor does it change if the show airs on a different night. I'm pretty sure they have tried every night of the week with the possible exception of Thursday, and the number never changes.

We knew going into the nbc airings that the DTV eps drew an average of about 3/4 of a million. Its reasonable to think another million plus a few watched the easily available internet downloads. So around 2 million have already seen the eps. The other 4 mil are watching now on nbc. Nothing seems to have changed much as far as total viewership.

At this point, they know they are not going to draw new viewers, so if they wanted more than 4 mil, they needed some who had already watched to rewatch on nbc. Probably the only way nbc could have drawn repeat viewers to their airing would have been to actually offer exclusive content in their version, as Jason Katims repeatedly (and insultingly) promised. As someone who has already watched on DTV and has every ep recorded on DVD, that is the only way I would sit through an ep butchered with commercials. But we all knew all along they could not offer "exclusive content" on nbc, since they were already having to cut the DTV eps to add commercials for the network version. The "exclusive content" promise was always BS, and I wish they had not said it. Hell, some eps they are not even putting up deleted scenes!

Bottom line, the viewership of FNL is what it is, about 6 million. IMO, renewal will depend on other factors outside of numbers. And the best chance is probably for a cable or satalite network to go it alone.

Makes sense. Especially more lady viewers with this seasons slant.

FROM WEEK TO WEEK VIEWER NUMBERS ARE GOING DOWN.IF WE WANT TO SEE ANOTHER SEASON YOU BETTER START WATCHING. PLEASE IF YOU AND YOUR FAMILY INJOY THIS SHOW LETS START SAVING IT NOW. BECAUSE ONCE ITS GONE ITS GONE AND ALL WE HAVE ARE THE MEMORIES.

Any idea if NBC keeps track of how many people watch episodes online, or how we can find out this information? That's what I've been doing the past few weeks (because our local channel's been showing high school sports on Friday nights!) and it'd be nice to know my viewing is counted in some way!