Monday, September 8, 2008

TV Week asks Dawn Ostroff about Moonlight


TV Week's, Josef Adalian, had an oppotunity to interview Dawn Ostroff (CW's President of Entertainment). Thankfully, he asked her what Moonlight fans have been dying to know since CBS canceled our show..... if the network thought about picking it up. I had to let out a sad chuckle at her answer. How could they have seriously investigated Moonlight & yet didn't think it appealed to females?!?!? *sigh*

Ten Questions for The CW Boss Dawn Ostroff
By Josef Adalian

That giant whooshing noise heard by residents of Burbank, Calif., last week was the sound of the entire staff of The CW exhaling.

After another painful summer filled with barely-on-the-radar ratings and rumblings about the future, the first week of September produced some pretty good news for the folks at the 3-year-old network born from the ashes of The WB and UPN.

First, its cultural phenom “Gossip Girl” returned to near-record ratings. Then the super-hyped “90210” delivered network-best numbers for a scripted series. And while the Sept. 3 return of “America’s Next Top Model” didn’t wow, it did OK, given some strong unscripted competition.

At the center of the action: Dawn Ostroff, president of entertainment for the CW. While her network has done a good job of developing buzzworthy shows, from “Gossip Girl” and “90210” to “Aliens in America” and “Reaper,” translating hype into ratings has proven a tougher task.

Are the numbers for “90210” good enough to turn The CW around? Why didn’t the network pick up the CBS cult fave “Moonlight?” And are any more remakes of classic shows in the works?

Ms. Ostroff took a few minutes out of her busy week to answer 10 e-mailed questions from TelevisionWeek's Josef Adalian.

TVWeek: “Supernatural” and “Smallville” are solid players for you, and point out how well sci-fi does with your audience. Did you seriously consider picking up “Moonlight”? Is the genre a priority?

Ms. Ostroff: We look at all genres during development. Right now, in terms of new programming, we’re very focused on building The CW’s brand as a destination for young women. If a sci-fi/fantasy show came along that was really well done and would appeal to our young women demo, then we’d certainly consider it.


Of course, I only focused on the question dealing with Moonlight. To read the rest, follow this link ~
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/09/ten_questions_for_the_cw_boss.php

Thanks to the lovely Sergio for making sure I had this information :)

Photograph ~ CW Network President of Entertainment Dawn Ostroff

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Unbelievable. And I mean that literally. I don't believe a word of it.

Anonymous said...

Oh Dear! That CW dismissed Moonlight as a sci-fi/fantasy show that would appeal to women is beyond comprehension.

I already suspected that TV executives had no idea what they were doing, and now this proves it!!

Anonymous said...

Huh??

Wow, she was groomed by the CBS programming execs, wasn't she?

Anonymous said...

What an idiot...

How can they not know HOW ML appeals to women???

I'm speechless

Anonymous said...

I think Alex/Mick and the rest of the cast was too old for the children/young girls/tweenies, etc. that network attracts. I have read that quite a bit at different sites comparing ML to Angel, Buffy, etc. However, puttin that aside, I still don't understand any network not wanting 8 million viewers even tho their network zero's in on a young crowd.

evilangel813 said...

Not appeal to young women??? If they think that about Moonlight shouldn't they have the same thoughts about Supernatural? I'm a 23 year old girl and SPN and Moonlight is just about all I watch... wonder what that says about me. LOL

Anonymous said...

The thing that gets to me is that the infamous Nina T and Dawn O ARE woman... and they don't see what Moonlight was all about? I wouldn't have thought there was a redblooded woman alive who wouldn't get it. One look at Mick, Mick/Beth, Josef and it should have been a no brainer. Either they didn't actually see the show, or they AREN'T redblooded woman like the rest of us!

Anonymous said...

HUH? This whole anti-Moonlight thing just HAS to be some sort of plot- NONE of this Dawn O's drivel makes any sense. The more I read about the series cancellation, all of the other networks passing on taking the series over, that idiot exec at the crap broadcasting systems comments, the reports about not coming out with the Moonlight DVD VERSUS all of the shows fans, the People's Choice award, the campaigns all over the world to renew the show, the popularity of vampires now, etc.- there HAS to be some sort of plot afoot for some reason we just don't know. This all just gets curiouser and curiouser......

Anonymous said...

anonymous #8 - I totally agree with your assessment. I've been saying that for months. And now I read on Bite me Alex blog that Joel Silver is the cause of the cancellation due to what he presented for season 2 to PTB. They didn't like it and Joel wanted more $$$. I don't believe if that site said JS refused to change season 2 cause he liked his concept better or the rumor that CrapBS wanted it more like CSI. IN ANY CASE NEITHER PARTY TOOK INTO CONSIDERATION THE FANS AND TO ME THAT "SUCKS".

Anonymous said...

What does she mean "it dosnt appeal to young women"???? I am a young woman (16), and I love this show!! And the whole cast is hot!! how can she think young women wont become obsessed with Alex and Jason, like myself and many others have? Some people just dont have any common scence. I will have to cotact these people!