CW Yanks "Gossip Girl" Web Streams

Worries That Web Traffic Is Cannibalizing TV Viewing Numbers

(PaidContent.org)  This story was written by Rafat Ali.

This could go down as the most bone-headed move from a TV network in 2008, or completely inconsequential: The CW network is pulling off its website the one show that is at least keeping it in the news. It said today that episodes of its series "Gossip Girl" will not be streamed on CWTV.com when it returns this Monday with original episodes, through to this season's end. The first 12 episodes of the season, which will remain on the site, were made available free to viewers about a week after their original airdate, reports THR.

The show's audience is younger, which would naturally leans towards watching more video and shows online than other demos. The move is being done "as an experiment" to figure out if its online window is cannibalizing the TV audience. The shows is as popular online, and each episode is generating hundreds of thousands of streams, the story says...it is among the most downloaded TV shows on iTunes (where also will continue to offer new episodes, for a price, of course). More power to BitTorrent, of course

LAT: The move is designed to boost ratings for the program, which has developed a loyal online following but has failed to attract a sizable TV audience. The show's average of 2.5 million viewers has not been enough to lift CW out of the ratings cellar or staunch its financial losses.

Another way of looking at it, from TvbytheNumbers: "Now CW is using the Internet to promote the show in a way that might seem very strange, but probably isn't.  They're using the Internet by discontinuing free web streaming of Gossip Girl from the CW's website.  It's probably not that strange if you think of it as what it really is: a way to promote something by creating the illusion of interest and demand where there actually isn't any."

CW is a joint venture between CBS (NYSE: CBS) and Warner Brothers. 

[caldwellptr]

Ugly Betty seems to me true to life regarding those in the fashion industry. I have to watch episodes over just to keep up.

[caldwellptr]

Gossip Girl seems true to life to me regarding Upper East Side teenagers. I went to the CW web site to catch up on the episodes I missed last season before the new season begins, but couldn''t find the episodes I wanted. Oh Well, I''ll catch up on Ugly Betty online instead.

[neo267-2009]

It''s not "CW" - someone there is personally responsible, and needs to be fired.

[mandylou4u]

I''m so glad I don''t have a teenage daughter. Parents, don''t go wondering why your teenage daughter ends up pregnant or worse after watching this show. Intirely too racy for kids.

[rf35]

All the stories from paidContent.org are ridiculous. Please get them off your news site, CBS.