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Networks woo older viewers

AUSTIN, Texas — If you're among the almost 80 million baby boomers who make up the majority of the network TV audience, you're going to see more of your own people on the tube this season.

You might have to squint to see them, but they're there. Think of this development as a new wrinkle in prime time.

Instead of a slew of way-too-cute twentysomethings, you're going to see stars of a "certain age." And not just as supporting players — the wise-cracking grandpa or the grumpy, foul-mouthed granny.

You're going to see 59-year-old James Woods in designer suits at the helm of CBS's new legal drama "Shark," 58-year-old Ted Danson leading the chuckles on ABC's new sitcom "Help Me Help You," a couple of certifiable geezers — 60-year-old John Lithgow (in a Speedo in the pilot) and 62-year-old Jeffrey Tambor — in NBC's comedy "Twenty Good Years" and 59-year-old Sally Field at the head of the table on the ABC drama "Brothers & Sisters."

There are more prominent actors in their 40s, 50s and even 60s on new series this season than ever before. Even Fox, a network that was created with the young demographic in mind, has two new shows featuring old(er) folk: Victor Garber, 57, in "Justice," and Brad Garrett, 46, in " 'Til Death."

It wasn't that long ago when prime time was covered with teen and twentysomething ensembles. The youth hysteria peaked around the mid-'90s with "Friends." Advertisers and therefore networks were chasing young viewers with a vengeance and turning their backs on the people who actually watch network TV.

That was then, this is now. The once-coveted 18-to-49 focus of advertising is giving way to the "power demo" of aging boomers. Why? Besides the size of their population, these people have more time and bigger bank accounts than their younger counterparts.

"Baby boomers are the audience with the most money and spending power," says David Poltrack, CBS's executive vice president of research and planning. "They're now going off the 18-49 radar screen, and even 25 to 54 is edging out of that target. Baby boomers in the 55-to-64 category have the most discretionary income, and they're heavy spenders in luxury goods."

In advertising and thus on commercial television, older viewers can no longer be ignored. According to the latest demographic surveys by Nielsen Media Research, 40 percent of the total viewing audience in prime time is in the 40 to 64 age range. And the fast-growing demo is the 55 to 64 group.

CBS, the top-rated network in prime time, has been preaching this philosophy for years. The No. 1 drama for the past few years has been CBS' "CSI," starring 53-year-old William Petersen.

With a sizable chunk of young people spending their time with DVDs, iTunes and other Web sites, even cable networks are sniffing around the older audience. HBO's "Sopranos" is resplendent with over-40s, and Denis Leary, an Emmy nominee for the super-edgy FX drama "Rescue Me," is 49.

"Baby boomers are the first generation to get to this stage in life without any significant economic interruption," Poltrack says. "A significant amount are moving into their 60s at a stage when they're making a good living and their obligations are being reduced. Now they're home watching TV, and they're watching on very high-end HDTVs in their media rooms."

Not only has the biggest TV audience aged while getting richer, but its taste has become more sophisticated than previous generations, too. While younger viewers tend to glom onto reality shows and late-night cable fare such as Cartoon Network's "Adult Swim," older viewers are watching news programs, documentaries and complicated dramas such as "The West Wing," "CSI" and "ER."

Some but not all of the shows preferred by the "power demo" feature older actors. All the "Law & Order" series are big with older viewers. But "power demo" folks also go for some of the more sophisticated shows populated by younger actors, such as "Grey's Anatomy."

Many of the new fall series feature older actors who also happen to be highly regarded and famous, such as Ray Liotta and Virginia Madsen (in CBS's crime drama "Smith") and the ultimate boomer rocker himself, Mick Jagger (in an "occasional" role on ABC's new comedy "Knights of Prosperity").

"That may be a way of reaching the 40-plus audience, but in a way that is not at all like CBS' 'Matlock' and 'Murder She Wrote,' which relied on older audiences' nostalgia for their aging stars' earlier work," says Michael Kackman, an assistant professor at the University of Texas, whose specialty is the history of broadcasting in the United States.

"These casting choices likely are about the broadcast networks trying to reach the demographic that is their strength, but I don't think it's just by offering characters who look like their audience. Perhaps it's also a way of asserting themselves as the purveyors of 'quality' television, which just so happens to feature actors who look more or less like their audience."

This certainly isn't the first time we've seen over-40 stars on television, and assuming some of the new series with older stars click, they likely won't be appealing just to older viewers. "The Golden Girls" was a huge hit with young viewers, including children, and the reruns continue to be popular with all ages.

"Our approach has always been multigenerational shows," Poltrack says. "With dramas, it's usually an attractive senior person who's a mentor to a bunch of young people. 'Shark' is a perfect reflection of that strategy. The appeal of established, well-known actors is they bring that tie-in to the baby boomer audience and they can bring in the younger generation as well."

The shift this fall season is noticeable, but there are still plenty of youth-oriented programs on the schedule. The CBS sitcom "The Class" is all about the post-college crowd, NBC's sci-fi drama "Heroes" has lots of pretty young people and ABC's "Six Degrees" is chock-full of lovely New Yorkers.

According to the Television Bureau of Advertising, viewership increases with age, and adults in the 40-to-60 age range watch nearly a half-hour more a day on average than the once-favored 18-to-34 group.

Will there come a time when the only people watching TV are older viewers? Maybe, but there will always be plenty of people in that "power demo." And TV is becoming more and more attractive to actors on the south side of their movie-star years. It may not be long before Dustin Hoffman and Shirley MacLaine star in their own hit sitcom.

Diane Holloway writes for the Austin American-Statesman.