ABC - BINGO! SHOW SAVED BY INTERNET

BINGO! SHOW SAVED BY INTERNET

For the first time, an online component of a television show has given the show a new lease on life despite lackluster ratings. According to Broadcasting & Cable magazine, ABC, which aired six episodes of the game show National Bingo Night during May and June, plans to bring it back in December for a five-night run. ABC Entertainment President Steve McPherson told the trade magazine, "It is fair to say this show was saved by the fact that, while its ratings numbers weren't as impressive, that was totally contradicted by everything else we saw online." He pointed out that viewers downloaded 22 million Bingo cards online and won more than $550,000 during the show's run. Show creator Andrew Glassman told B&C: "It just shows there are metrics other than ratings to gauge success in television."

09/07/2007