The CW has really risen to the occasion this time. It all started with love triangles and catfights on One Tree Hill and America’s Next Top Model and now the latest shows bring about even more scandal along with higher ratings. The CW’s fascination with drama may be a ploy for higher ratings but it is also solidifying the network’s brand.
In May, one of the co-owners of the CW threatened to bail out if the network’s ratings did not climb after a fall of 28 percent. The tables turned on September 2 when following a solid first episode of second-year drama Gossip Girl, the 90210 premier set CW rating records. This gave the CW the first place ratings spot it needed.
Drama sells. The latest Gossip Girl ad using negative comments to its advantage, the return of the iconic Beverly Hills drama and a lot of advance publicity gave the CW the ratings boost it needed.
The CW has created a brand for themselves: drama headquarters. They have been able to entice millions of viewers to follow the scandalous fall lineup of returning edgy shows and a contemporary spin-off of a popular teen classic, securing a top seat in the ratings.
