Show Lead-ins: Do/Should they matter?

ixoy

A big thing is made in the US of pairing a show with an appropriate lead-in. It's a situation where a viewer, after watching one big show, continues on the same station to see what the next is when they might not have otherwise. So any show paired with "American Idol", for example, could probably expect a ratings bump they mightn't have otherwise.

This seems bizarre to me: Do other people really just stick around on a channel, out of sheer laziness, just to watch a show they might not have otherwise? We've got EPGs and TV Guides on easy access - do people just not make decisions on what they'd like to watch? The fact that some shows might not survive without their lead-in, rather than on the basis of the show's quality alone, makes little sense to me.

So what about other folk here: Do you actively choose what you want or do you often end up watching whatever comes next after your regular show?

chalkitdown1

I think it works in America. You have to remember that in the US, when a show ends, the next begins immediately without a break in-between. I think the now-defunct ABC1 on Sky used to use this method, too.

It doesn't work if there's a 4 or 5 minute ad break between programs like there is in the UK or Ireland.

The way ads are done in America confused me - the opening credits, an advert break, the beginning of the show, advert break, the end of the show, advert break, closing credits, next show and so on.