'I Love Lucy' still delivers for CBS
More than 60 years after its debut, the iconic sitcom brings millions of dollars to the network's coffers.
CBS (CBS) is pinning high hopes on a new lineup of shows out this fall, but "I Love Lucy" is still one of the network's stalwarts.The company's CEO, Leslie Moonves, said Thursday that "I love Lucy" still brings the company about $20 million a year in revenue. Cable and local channels broadcast runs of the show.
Is "I Love Lucy" seeing a resurgence more than 60 years after it debuted? This year, the sitcom was voted the best television show of all time in a survey by ABC News and People magazine, beating out "Seinfeld" and "Cheers."
"I Love Lucy" had a relatively short life, running from 1951 to 1957, but it topped the ratings charts in most of those years. It morphed into a comedy starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
Moonves expects CBS to hold its lead as the most popular network. It will have the next Super Bowl, and it is expected to lead in the 18-to-49 demographic that is so important to advertisers, The Los Angeles Times reports.
"We are the least-sexy network, we get less buzz," Moonves said Thursday at a Goldman Sachs (GS) conference in New York, according to the LA Times. "All we do is get more viewers and more money."
Shares of CBS have been on a spectacular run, soaring more than 70% in the past year. Shares traded at $37.77 Friday.
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| Tags: | cbsGSKim Peterson |
"I Love Lucy" isn't great because it still earns $20 million a year. It's great because of Lucille Ball's wonderful comic timing, the friendship between Lucy and Vivian Vance, and the vulnerable and obvious love she had for Desi. It was real and authentic. And of course, the show made us laugh out loud.
The 50's and the 60's had some of the best comedian's ever, even Red Skelton refused to use offensive humor / words in his act,
believing it was unnecessary and inappropriate.
I still enjoy seeing all the re-runs of those old shows, sure, some of the humor is dated and predictible, but there's nothing wrong
with good, clean entertainment.
At least the dialog doesn't have to be censored at every other word.
This show still makes me laugh...I Love Lucy!!! It was and still is a hit show even without sex, nudity or vulgar people. Now thats true talent!
It's sad that TV has become "Honey Boo Boo, The Kardashians & Jersey shore. A bunch of untalented people having sex, fighting, being disgusting and faking a marriage for money. I guess when you have NO talent you have to be stupid, nasty and flash your crotch for ratings!
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