The CW’s New Owners Reveal Hilarious Statistic About Age Of Channels’ Viewers
It looks like the average age of The CW viewers is much different than expected and the internet definitely had some jokes
When one thinks of The CW, the first thoughts that probably come to mind are some of the teen programming that’s come out on the network over the last many years. After all, this is the home of the Arrowverse, Riverdale, and other popular series and franchises that would seem to definitely appeal to a certain age demographic. But we might be thinking about this channel all wrong and the latest news from the newest owner reveals that things most definitely aren’t what they seem on The CW. Far from it. In an earnings call (via Deadline) with Nexstar Media Group who just purchased a controlling share in The CW, the average age of viewers on the network is a whopping 58 years old. 58! How is this even possible with what we know about the programming the network is known for?
The news that The CW demographic is much different than previously expected and, in fact, is way off from even what would have been considered a baseline guess. This reveal does shed some light on how the network has been moving recently with some of its decisions around shows and series, some of which have been canceled to make way for a new content strategy for the network. Nexstar’s President and COO Tom Carter has said that they will be shifting The CW in a major way over the coming years in an effort to extract profitability above all. That’s going to mean fewer scripted series and a definitive move (though not a total move) away from some of the superhero content The CW had seemingly been known for in the last decade or so.
Of course, the internet had more than a few jokes about the reported average age of The CW viewer, especially as it compared to what would have been previously considered to be the channel’s primary demo. Check out some of the responses on Twitter which really shine a light on the perception versus the reality when it comes to The CW.
These are all hilarious and completely spot-on. Again, The CW has been home to hits like Riverdale, Supernatural, Arrowverse programming, and much more than would appeal to a younger crowd. But Carter reminds folks that the younger groups tend to engage with that content through streaming. The older group who’s averaging close to 60 years old is going to tune into more of the daytime fare as well as the syndication and other offerings. When considering it this way, it at least starts to make a little more sense even if it does feel way, way off.
And this is the way The CW is going to roll with content going forward. They’ve already taken the ax to a ton of series including Batwoman, Charmed, Roswell, New Mexico, Naomi, and Dynasty. And there are plans for these to be the final seasons of Riverdale and The Flash among others. We are about to see a very different The CW, one more in line with the actual age of the viewer.
