Food Network Predictions

[Food Network Fan]

Food Network Predictions
Well Fed Network - 4 hours ago
Well, the LA Times is yet again predicting the demise of the Food Network. It all goes back to the cancellation of Emeril Liveand the . So, here’s my question: why does change at the Food Network mean that it’s all downhill from here? Why can’t it change into something new and better? Well, apparently Mario Batali thinks that the change is not in the right direction. He “took a gentle swipe at his sometime bosses in the New York Times, saying the channel is dumbing down its programming to attract more viewers.” The LA Times thinks Mario was “right, but for the wrong reason.”
Basically, the argument is that the Food Network’s current programmig is “equivalent of gruel, thin and watery, all trying to attract more male viewers to the channel. In this effort, Chefs turned into Hosts, Food became Lifestyle, and Traveling Tips (somehow) morphed into Gimmicks.”
The Times pins its hopes for the future of the Network on Next Iron Chef winner Michael Symon and bemoans the introduction of “2 Dudes Catering.” In fact, the Times traces all the issues back to one show:
It all started in 2006, when George Duran came into our living rooms as “Ham on the Street.” The portly Duran had “serious fun with food” but wacky cooking with power tools and microwaves didn’t work, so now Duran hosts “The Secret Life Of . . . ” replacing wimpy Ryan Seacrest wannabe Jim O’Connor. Unfortunately for everyone, Duran’s got a monotone that gives this entertaining collection of food-themed B-roll the appeal of overcooked tripe.......

[BerryBaby]

I like Jim O'Connor FAR better than George Duran.

[Chefnot]

I don't think the Food network is going any where

[Food Network Fan]

I think they need to get rid of the woman they hired that seems to want to push the grungy looking men on all of us. And she seems to want shows with as little instructional food prep as possible. BIG mistake with the viewer base being what it is. Why try and attract new viewers with things that run off all the old ones. That's crazy. I say give her the boot!!

[BerryBaby]

Wonder how old she is? Probably just trying to put 'her mark' on the network, but not going about it very well.

I'm really bored with all the travel shows and watching the 'stars' eat. That's all it is, they go to a restaurant and we watch them eat...and make noises. Almost as exciting as watching grass grow!

Hope they get back to their roots and give us, the viewers, something to watch that is instructional. I already know how to eat!

[Clove]

I'm as big a critic of the Food Network as anyone but I do it from a very personal point of view.
They give me very little of what I want.
If it weren't for my DVR, I wouldn't watch much of their programming.
That doesn't mean that they don't have an audience or that they are not attracting more viewers.
It just means that they are not serving my needs with their new direction.

Not sure what the LA Times is getting at but the last metrics I saw about FTV were not bad.

I don't watch any reality TV but that doesn't mean that there isn't a huge audience for it.

I learned a long time ago, that I am not the prototypical viewer.

Maybe there are enough instructional cooking shows on PBS to satisfy the country and everyone else just wants games shows, soap operas, sit. coms. and reality TV.