From Deseret News archives:
'Race' is a hit; 'Branson' isn't
Fox-owned KSTU-Ch. 13 will make a big deal out of "Rebel Billionaire" on its 9 p.m. newscast. CBS-owned KUTV-Ch. 2 will make a big deal out of "Amazing Race" on its 10 p.m. newscast.
In the course of their reports, each station will tell you that the show in question is a big hit. They've done it in past weeks.
And one of them will be lying.
"The Amazing Race" is nothing short of amazing in the ratings these days. Ratings-challenged for most of its previous six incarnations, the show is doing some of its best numbers ever on Tuesday nights it's finishing first in the time slot among viewers, households and the all-important 18-49 demographic.
Last week, about 12 million viewers tuned in to "Race," where they saw Utah sisters Lena and Kristy Jensen narrowly avoid elimination.
(The Utahns were running at or near the front of the pack for most of that leg of the race . . . but then one little wrong turn that carried them miles out of the way left them in ninth overall. And the team that finished 10th was eliminated.)
Fox has yanked shows off the air that have drawn more viewers than that.
When it was announced that, instead of handing out money, Virgin billionaire Richard Branson would make the winner of this show the president of his companies, I wondered what they would do for an encore. You can't make somebody else the president of the company next season, can you?
(Although there's no guarantee how long the winner will keep the job.)
But it's not going to be a problem. With ratings like this, there isn't going to be a second season.
Television ratings aren't always fair, of course a lot of good shows don't get the audience they deserve, while mediocre or worse entries turn into hits.
But in this case, this is completely appropriate. "Amazing Race" remains the best reality show on TV. And one of the best shows, period.
But "The Rebel Billionaire" is, quite frankly, pretty much a bore that brings nothing new to the reality-TV table.
Comments
- Spectacular defense has RSL 11:08 p.m.
- 5A teams best of decade 11:05 p.m.
- TCU's motivation 11:02 p.m.
- Millsap a surprise on ballot 10:57 p.m.
- Vatican looks to heavens for aliens 10:56 p.m.
- Sports brief 10:56 p.m.
- Leclaire turns aside 31 Oiler shots 10:54 p.m.
- Refinery neighbors want to feel safe 10:54 p.m.
- Hall would rather take a hit 10:54 p.m.
- Correction 10:54 p.m.
- Utah group finds homes for orphans
- Pratt pleads not guilty to sex charges
- Y. tight ends talented tandem
- Jazz blow big lead, hang on
- Utes get extra motivation
- Senators want food tax restored
- Hair-pulling raises more questions
- BYU soccer incident still popular
- Lobo land like home for BYU lineman
- U. hopes to keep clicking
- House passes health care bill
263 - TCU showdown has big implications
188 - Lobo suspended
185 - Cougars crush hapless Cowboys
155 - Senators want food tax restored
148 - Utah Jazz fall apart against Kings
131 - TCU 4th in AP poll; U. 16th, Y. 22nd
119 - No 'backlash' for pioneers, gays analogy
105 - S.L. vote pending on gay protections
104 - RSL rallies to advance
103
As distressing as it was to see KUTV's longtime vice president/general...
Meghan McCain, the daughter of former presidential candidate John...
So we are going to spend $1 trillion on free health care? Actually it will...
no one from lehi made it? hmmm..
We read this story in Irkutsk, Russia. The story tells that the Mormon church...
A profoundly different standard exists between legal wrong doing and adequate...
and it is going to be played in the semi's... Does anybody else have a...
"Matheson is a DINO" "He needs to be gone Long gone" "Along with the rest of...
Federal law PROHIBITS anyone EVER convicted of a domestic violence...
Fair question. Here is what I consider ideal: 1) Stick to the enumerated...
The driver is unhurt physically, but lost his wife and unborn child. Who...
Each one of these men is a real hero! God bless the USA!




You can be the first to comment on this story.