Fox’s fall line-up needs a serious overhaul

From Campaign US: One week into the new television season and it’s clear that Fox is in for a long and grueling one. For the first time in fifteen years, Fox won’t have “American Idol” to give it a ratings boost in January, and it looks like the troubled network will need it. It finished a distant fourth in total viewership last week—not a good start to the fall season.

Based on the Live + Same day data from Nielsen for Sept. 19-25, Fox drew an audience of 3.64 million viewers, also coming in fourth among the key adult 18-49 and adult 25-54 demographics. Compared to last year’s opening week, Fox suffered its largest loss, 36%, in adults 18-34.

Aside from a decent Wednesday, which houses the revival of “Lethal Weapon” into season three of “Empire,” Fox is struggling across the board. Without the reliable midseason lift of “American Idol,” the network is feeling the effects of its over-dependence on the singing competition and its lack of planning for a future without it. For more at Campaign US, click here