# Who watches CBS? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [September 12, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839 "2009-09-12T19:05:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/1 "2009-09-12T19:05:10Z")
No seriously, _who_ in the hell watches CBS? I ask because I have a theory that no one actually does… It only exists to give television viewers an “alternative” that reinforces that they should watch other networks that actually have decent shows. Let’s take a look at their lineup… **Big Brother and Survivor**. I watched the first season of Survivor, and that was it. I can’t believe they still air both these tired, overdone reality shows after all these years. \*\*CSI \*\*used to be mildly entertaining before there were a dozen spinoffs and the show became a [parody of itself](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_sarYH0z948). I refuse to believe anyone enjoys such a lame, stereotypical sitcom as **Two and a Half Men**. I honestly can’t comment on too many others because I’ve never heard of them (nice marketing CBS!), nor do they appear the slightest bit interesting. So what say you? Does anyone on here actually _love_ any of CBS’s shows? And how can a network accumulate such a grouping of horrible programming? Surely I’m not alone in seeing an ad for the new Big Brother season and asking myself, “Who the hell still watches that crap?” ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/2 "2009-09-12T19:08:02Z")
I watch the local CBS news affiliate for my evening news when I’m in the mood for TV news, and then sometimes leave the national CBS news on just out of laziness. But that’s it. You may be on to something, here. I actually thought Big Brother was on cable somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/3 "2009-09-12T19:10:13Z")
I’ll add that I don’t totally abstain from CBS. I’ll watch Letterman every once in a while, which is probably the only way I was aware that they still make and air Survivor and Big Brother. ---
**Author:** ![breezman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@breezman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/breezman)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/4 "2009-09-12T19:14:26Z")
I watch Big Bang Theory, but I think that’s it on CBS. ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/5 "2009-09-12T19:14:38Z")
Letterman is now No. 1 in late night. “Survivor” and “Big Brother” are both highly watched shows. So a lot of people are watching those on CBS, including me. ---
**Author:** ![BrandonR](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@BrandonR](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrandonR)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/6 "2009-09-12T19:16:59Z")
> [@randwill](#): > > “Survivor” and “Big Brother” are both highly watched shows. Yeah but by who? I have no doubt there is some viewership, but I have never in my life met anyone who has watched those shows (or known anyone else who still does). I’d rather watch QVC than watch a show about a bunch of roommates with no plot or purpose (at least other reality shows have a goal). ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/7 "2009-09-12T19:33:00Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > Yeah but by who? I have no doubt there is some viewership, but I have never in my life met anyone who has watched those shows (or known anyone else who still does). I’d rather watch QVC than watch a show about a bunch of roommates with no plot or purpose (at least other reality shows have a goal). You remind me of the quote supposedly attributed to Pauline Kael about Nixon after the election of 1972: “How can he have won? Nobody I know voted for him.” ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/8 "2009-09-12T19:36:59Z")
CBS? Is that part of the DuPont Network? ---
**Author:** ![DadWagonDriver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/edb3f5/32.png) [@DadWagonDriver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DadWagonDriver)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/9 "2009-09-12T19:38:38Z")
Isn’t _How I Met Your Mother_ on CBS? I’ve been watching that on DVD, and will watch the new season on whichever network it’s on. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/10 "2009-09-12T19:41:21Z")
If you’re going to make an obscure joke, at least spell it correctly. It’s the DuMont Network: > **[DuMont Television Network](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuMont_Television_Network)** > > The DuMont Television Network (also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont Television, simply DuMont/Du Mont, or (incorrectly) Dumont\[a\] /ˈduːmɒnt/) was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being first overall in the United States. It was owned by Allen B. DuMont Laboratories, a television equipment and set manufacturer, and began operation on April 13, 1940. > The network was hindered by the prohibitive cost of broadcasting, a freeze ... ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/11 "2009-09-12T19:43:39Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > If you’re going to make an obscure joke, at least spell it correctly. It’s the DuMont Network: > > [DuMont Television Network - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DuMont_Television_Network) Right you are. I blame it on the fact that I’m posting at work. ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/12 "2009-09-12T19:44:53Z")
I do. **How I Met Your Mother** and **Big Bang Theory** are on CBS. Along with Letterman and Craig Ferguson. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/13 "2009-09-12T19:52:43Z")
"National ratings for Monday, Sept. 7, 2009 Ratings for Monday night were soft thanks to the end of the Labor Day weekend, with CBS claiming the top spot over NBC. CBS averaged 6.5 million viewers and a 4.2 rating/7 share in households for the night, beating out NBC’s 5.9 million and 4.0/7. FOX (4.2 million, 2.7/4) came in third, just ahead of ABC (4.1 million, 2.8/5). The CW brought up the rear with 1 million viewers and a 0.7/1. CBS also led the adults 18-49 demographic with a 1.9 rating. NBC finished second at 1.4, edging FOX’s 1.3. ABC drew a 0.9 and The CW a 0.4." Apparently a lot of people like CBS’s Monday night lineup. I love Two and a Half Men and Big Bang Theory. ---
**Author:** ![wierdaaron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/eada6e/32.png) [@wierdaaron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wierdaaron)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/14 "2009-09-12T19:52:48Z")
I currently watch: The Mentalist, Numb3rs, Criminal Minds I used to watch a show called The Unit, but it was canceled this year after 4 seasons. I should point out that The Unit was probably my favorite show, and may have been one of the best-made shows of the last decade. It was produced and often written by David Mamet. It was the most realistic military/special forces/black ops portrayal ever put on television. Every episode had the production quality of a movie. The way CBS handled it was criminal. I weep for it. Daily. ---
**Author:** ![CyclopticXander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/59ef9b/32.png) [@CyclopticXander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CyclopticXander)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/15 "2009-09-12T19:53:44Z")
> [@BrandonR](#): > > Yeah but by who? I have no doubt there is some viewership, but I have never in my life met anyone who has watched those shows (or known anyone else who still does). I’d rather watch QVC than watch a show about a bunch of roommates with no plot or purpose (at least other reality shows have a goal). I watch Big Brother, there’s a thread here for the show every year in fact. I enjoy watching the political struggle for in game survival, as do a lot of people who watch these ‘evict someone every week’ shows. No plot or purpose? The purpose is the evict people one at a time until someone wins a lot of money. If that’s not a goal then I don’t know what is. It’s not for everyone or anything, but why do you feel the need to so forcefully proclaim that you don’t like it? What’s your point? ---
**Author:** ![voguevixen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5ac83/32.png) [@voguevixen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/voguevixen)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/16 "2009-09-12T19:59:13Z")
The Price is Right ---
**Author:** ![randwill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a3d4f5/32.png) [@randwill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/randwill)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/17 "2009-09-12T20:05:32Z")
“The Amazing Race” is another CBS show that consistently places in the top ratings. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/18 "2009-09-12T20:05:52Z")
I’ve seriously been trying to remember the last CBS show I watched regularly. Given that I cut back first-run TV to next to nothing about 10 years ago, I honestly think it was _Murphy Brown_. And I quit watching that about the time she had the baby. ---
**Author:** ![jayjay](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jayjay/32/6765_2.png) [@jayjay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jayjay)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/19 "2009-09-12T20:19:54Z")
> [@CyclopticXander](#): > > It’s not for everyone or anything, but why do you feel the need to so forcefully proclaim that you don’t like it? What’s your point? Snobbery. It’s the usual point when someone posts about a mass media segment that they think is beneath them and wonders “Who watches/listens to/reads this crap?” ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [September 12, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839/20 "2009-09-12T20:38:44Z")
I watch **How I Met Your Mother** and \*\*Big Bang Theory \*\*and usually anything that is on between them. Also **The Mentalist.** [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/who-watches-cbs/509839.md?page=2)