News and commentary: progress in work

‘Live PD’ Cancellation Causes A&E Ratings to Evaporate

Live PD Nation wasn’t kidding about disavowing the A&E network. Since panicky execs cancelled Live PD, its enormously popular flagship show, the A&E Network has lost 50 percent of its prime-time audience and a ton of profits.

Average viewership in the Jun 11-June 19 range dropped 49 percent year over year. For the advertiser-desired 18-49 and 25-54 demographics, in particular, it was even worse. A&E lost 55 and 53 percent in those two cohorts, the Wall Street Journal reported today.

Prime-time viewership was actually up 4 percent over 2019 prior to the ill-advised cancellation.

The ripple effect is also being felt in the daypart, where ratings dropped 36 percent (42 and 46 percent in among the 18-49 and 25-54 cohort).

The purported reinventing itself A&E tried to spin the massive loss of viewership as temporary.

With Live PD and its spin-offs, A&E raked in about $293 million in advertising revenue in 2019 (and about $96 million in the first quarter of 2020 alone).

Corporate America is still not getting that memo that getting woke is synonymous with going broke.

A&E told the WSJ that “We are continuing to listen to both community leaders and Live PD fans to find a way to serve both moving forward.”

Based on even a cursory review of social media (see below), however, a watered-down, politically correct Live PD 2.0 won’t fly with the fans, assuming they are willing to return to channel at all.

Whether A&E is aware of that is another matter.

6 Comments

  1. konstantinos tsagaroulis

    boycott all knee benders and corporate who bow down to them.
    no more nike, no more A&E no more CNN , MSNBC, NWT, all progressive one sided
    fake News.

    • Robert

      I stopped watching pro football when that creep started kneeling. I stopped watching pro baseball when they started politicizing the game. I’m down to only college sports now. I guess all these folks think it’s cool to cut their own throats. So be it. Now it’s cop shows. All these nitwits are a small minority of viewers, but apparently a loudmouth carries the day, not the majority of faithful viewers. It’s just sickening. But, the worst is yet to come in this country. Many of us will have to decide whether to cross the Rubicon.

  2. Vernon StAmour

    “Live PD was my favorite show on A&E. Haven’t watched that channel since. I hope they fold.

  3. Carol

    I wish FOX would pick up the show. We respect law enforcement officers and the tough job they do. Our officers go to work daily never knowing when they will have their final sign off. We need to back the blue and stand behind our officers.

  4. Mike Chagnon

    Your killing me were is my live PD , and I can’t believe you buckled under the bull s#$t that’s going on . It’s sad that narrow mined liberals can make you can cel one of the best shows that actually shows how law enforcement really does there job ! One of the best I’ve ever watched . It’s just crazy , what happened to freedom of speech it does work both ways you know just saying .

  5. Ms.MS

    You know most employers forbid politics while on the clock. Too bad Godell wasn’t born with a set on him because he should have nipped that in the bud on day one. People pay to be entertained. Now the NBA jumped on the bandwagon too. Stop with the pot stirring once & for all, it’s beyond old. We ALL matter, there I said it!!!! I have taken to boycotting everything I once enjoyed on tv! You all don’t hate all the sports figures & celebrities that beat or cheat or do drugs or commit offenses hell you all praise them even more. You don’t riot or burn down the cities over what they do! You don’t put them all in the same bracket do you? Politicians, priests, teachers, coaches, fathers, all are guilty are crimes some worse than others but don’t get the same hatred & disrespect that police officers do merely because they wear a uniform & some of your beloved politicians & priests have gotten away with far more crimes you don’t even know about!

'On Patrol: Live' recap


If you are enjoying these recaps, please share on your favorite social media platform.

This will close in 30 seconds