Survivor ~ Industry News

[Vidiette]

Survivor Loses a Sponsor

I found this article about Survivor losing GM as a sponsor.

does this mean no more "jinxed" car prize as feature of the game 2/3 of the way through??



August 30, 2006

General Motors Drops 'Survivor' Sponsorship
By Jon Lafayette

General Motors, one of the first sponsors of CBS's reality hit "Survivor," is pulling its advertising from the program for the upcoming season.

A GM spokesperson on Wednesday said the decision was made about three months ago and isn't related to the format of next season's competition, which will pit four tribes of different races and ethnicities against one another.

CBS and "Survivor" creator Mark Burnett have drawn controversy with the plan to segregate contestants by race. Politicians in New York yesterday held a protest in front of CBS headquarters and reportedly were planning to write letters to "Survivor" sponsors.

In a press call Tuesday, "Survivor's" Mr. Burnett said that because team members vote each other off the show in the early rounds, the new format wouldn't be "racial at all."

GM decided to pull its advertising from "Survivor" because sponsoring the show no longer fit the company's business objectives, a spokesperson for the automaker said. It was difficult to integrate an automobile into a program that's set on an island, the spokesperson said, adding, "It's been a great relationship with the show."

A CBS spokesperson declined to identify which companies will sponsor "Survivor" this season.

[Vidiette]

from tvweek

September 15, 2006
'Survivor' Ratings Win Night, Fall From Past Debuts
By Christopher Lisotta

The premiere of CBS's "Survivor," which has generated headlines with its racially segregated format this season, delivered the network a ratings win Thursday night. It was the smallest audience watching a "Survivor" debut since the reality show started in 2000.

CBS attracted the biggest audience in the 18- to 49-year-old age group, posting a 6.3 preliminary national rating, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was down 10 percent from the February, 2006, premiere, when the show garnered a 7 rating. The show drew a 6.6 rating for its September, 2005, debut.

The "Survivor" audience figures represent mixed tidings for CBS in that the show is still a strong performer. But even the storm of press reports about the new format failed to lift the show's 8 p.m. audience above past debuts.

A repeat of CBS's "CSI" at 9 p.m. was the second-highest rated program for the night in adults 18 to 49 with a 4.8, while an additional "CSI" rerun at 10 p.m. was third with a 4.7. The ratings figures include live viewing plus same-day viewing via digital video recorders.

ABC and NBC's schedules were dominated by repeats, and Fox experienced declines in the adult 18 to 49 age group for its entire Thursday lineup. At 8 p.m., Fox marriage comedy "'Til Death" scored a 2.4 rating, down 11 percent from its series debut last week. At 8:30 p.m. the sitcom "Happy Hour" came in with a 2.1, down 13 percent from its premiere last Thursday. At 9 p.m. reality series "Celebrity Duets" was down 12 percent from its time period premiere last week with a 2.3.