‘The Bible’ on History Reaches 13.1 Million Viewers

[Cincinnatus]

I find it curious that despite great anticipation expressed on here about this presentation little if anything has been said today about how it was received. According to this NYT report it went boffo.

The record pace being set by cable programming continued Sunday night as “The Bible,” a series on the History network, reached 13.1 million viewers, the biggest audience for an entertainment show on cable television this year.

Even by the standards of broadcast television, that would be an enormous audience, about twice as big as any show on NBC over the last month. Just as impressive was the show’s performance among viewers in the age groups sought by most advertisers.

The Bible stories featured Sunday night, Adam and Eve, Noah, Abraham and Moses, attracted 5.6 million viewers in the 18- to 49-year-old age group, one of the best figures on cable this year. (It tops “Duck Dynasty,” for example, but not “The Walking Dead.”)

The numbers exceeded all expectations, especially the performance among younger adults, because it had been thought that the audience for Bible stories might be heavily tipped toward older viewers.
http://mediadecoder.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/03/04/the-bible-on-history-reaches-13-1-million-viewers/

[Rapunzel]

This is no different than a good Christian-based movie that goes viral... there is a huge audience and Hollywood as a whole is too insular to realize it and tap into it.

[mountaineer]

Apparently, the powers that be at the History Channel have short memories. Last night I was doing a little channel surfing and came upon a promo on the History Channel for an upcoming program about religious cults in America. Along with photos of David Koresh, Rev. Moon, etc., they flashed a photo of the Rev. Billy Graham.

That's right, when you're talking about cults in America, you can't leave out those crazy Baptists, at least as far as the History Channel is concerned.   

[GourmetDan]

This is no different than a good Christian-based movie that goes viral... there is a huge audience and Hollywood as a whole is too insular to realize it and tap into it.

Oh I think they are well aware of the profit potential.

However the subject matter is so distressing to them, that even profit will be forsaken to avoid it...

[GourmetDan]

That's right, when you're talking about cults in America, you can't leave out those crazy Baptists, at least as far as the History Channel is concerned.

Kind of like the commercial for the Ku Klux Klan program that constantly shows David Duke but never Robert Byrd...

[Rapunzel]

Oh I think they are well aware of the profit potential.

However the subject matter is so distressing to them, that even profit will be forsaken to avoid it...

Movies do have an effect. Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Peters was on with Megyn Kelly this morning and said the moment he understood how important it was for us to protect and defend Israel was when he saw Paul Newman in Exodus back in 1960.