Did NBC make a sound investment in Howard?

NBC is obviously gambling that by signing Howard to multi million dollar contract and moving the show to NY he will pull in legions of fans with him. However since leaving terrestrial radio Howard has become increasingly irrelevant in American pop culture. Much of the younger demographic have no real knowledge who he is. Will they embrace a 58 year old "warm and fuzzy" nice judge? His rabid hardcore fans may not be so quick to follow him to prime time either. The anger and backlash that many expressed has been palpable, especially when he uses his radio show as an informercial. I wonder how long are his coat tails are anyway?

There's only one metric by which we can accurately answer your question - and that would involve looking at the TV ratings. Give it another couple of weeks until Howard is competing against reruns and then we'll be able to make meaningful comparisons with the show's performance in past years.

Do you think NBC wanted to be #1 against re-runs alone? The investment they put into Stern has not paid off yet, and they lost during sweeps week...so it has been a bad investment so far. NBC did not need Stern to be #1 this summer against re-runs..they brought Stern in to be #1 during its premier, and during sweeps week. They lost...so its been a bad investment so far. Mandel, Osbourne and Carrot Top could have beaten re-runs..Stern was supposed to be the guy to make the premier its highest ever..Stern didn't deliver.

You pussies didn't deliver. This is the Stern Fan Network. If you can't be positive about the man, then delete your acccount here and return to you boring, no chick lives in your mom's basement. Sick of the howard bashing on theses boards with you nerds. Hey now!

You sound like one of those columist that never liked Howard.All the "Howard isn't any good anymore"talking points are here and you have the usual handfull of suspects agreeing with you.Glad it's only a small small small few of you guys that acually believe this.

Of course. What, they would get better ratings with Piers Morgan or Jerry Springer?

Yes they did.

They put AGT into the sweeps against tough competition, at they had their best showing in years. They got what they wanted. Carrot Top doesn't have guys like you who hate him but watch/listen anyway.

[quote="BOXofROX, post: 23325663, member: 275421"... However since leaving terrestrial radio Howard has become increasingly irrelevant in American pop culture...[/quote]

And yet all these shitty talk shows beg him to be on. He fucking turns down Letterman for christ's sake.

He's already paid off in all the free publicity he's brought the show. Who wrote about Piers Morgan or David Hasselhoff when they were judges?

They do seem to be repeating this show a lot.

Another hater talking about how irrelevant Stern is but hangs on his every word and listens every day. You got to love it.

summer tv is not as strong as fall tv it will pay off because a lot of network have repeats and one time specials just like in the old days with 3 networks and repeats except for a bob hope special, captain and tennile or some other flash in the pan at the time

AGT should have replaced Sharon Osborne with Brittney Spears. That would have been priceless watching both Howard and Howie watching and dealing with her. Ratings would have been off the charts. especially what I read about her today on the X factor.

I think it is too early to decide if NBC gambles well with Howard.
Already Howard is calling himself "America's Judge", so he is hyping himself to the hilt.
And no one can hype as hard as Howard.

Seeing as how AGT has been getting the lowest numbers they have ever had, Id say no.

I have never said I hate Stern..I am a fan of over 20 years. I hate what Stern has turned into, and having him on AGT just cements this.

Best showing in years? How do you figure? AGT has LOST out every night so far..NBC spent millions promoting Howie, and all they got in return was 2 weeks of lackluster ratings during sweeps week. They brought Stern in to WIN the sweeps ratings period..not to have 1 million less ratings than the prior week, and the lowest premier ratings in show history.

Unlike previous years, AGT competed against first run programming in the May sweeps, including the finale of Dancing with the stars. It was more successful than anything else they had going. And in spite of his alleged irrelevance, he was the only thing on NBC getting any media attention. Regardless of what else happens the rest of the way. NBC got what they wanted.

Let me see if I understand you. You like Howard, you just hate what he's become, which means you don't like him any more. Or maybe you hate him but still like the show, which is all him. Ah, forget it. I don't care.

On an unrelated note, I like your avatar. One of the greatest movie characters ever. Maybe we can agree on that?

AGT had the lowest numbers for a season opener ever. What are you talking about?

have to agree that young people in american dont know stern, in 22 and almost all my friends dont know who he is really, i was introduced by my uncle and got into listening to stern, but know a days most 16-23 listen to music not talk radio

Yes, we can agree on that...one of the greatest movie characters ever. I love the movie..its timeless, and I think Quint made it all that much better.

We will have to agree to disagree on Stern..I love and miss the Stern of 10 years ago. Howards "evolution" into Hampton Howie is pretty disheartening for Stern fans of years past. The quote "revolution" that was supposed to happen on Sirius..just never did..and now, he is a judge on a juggling contest. If you like what he has become, then all power to you..I, just do not.

I would not be surprised if NBC has already made more money than they spent on Howard because advertising is very expensive and also they are getting millions of Youtube views (Google pays when you have many many).

What sponsors did Howard bring in? Correct me of I'm wrong, but wasn't that always a risk with Howard and the mainstream that few major and legitimate sponsors wanted to be associated with Howard? You can also see this effect on his radio show with all the less than legitimate companies sponsoring the show. Maybe you're right. I don't know what big sponsors Howard brought in. I'm sure the show won't lose money but what could they have gotten with another judge? We will never know. And I guess this week's ratings will be key. We finally have something to compare with last year.