PG Fridays and MA Mondays?

[mattmcgee85]

I was thinking when I watched raw last night that maybe WWE should make Raw and adult oriented program and smackdown the show for the kids. I mean Raw starts at 9pm(on the EC), it's on cable,and was thebirth place of raunchy wild WWE television. Meanwhile SD! is on at 8pm(again, on the EC), is a network show, and is taped so smarks know whats coming friday night. I also think Hunter Jericho , Orton, etc are more adult type characters; someone in that 18-49 demographic would like. While Cena, Edge, the hardys, etc are a little more fam friendly. Anyway, what's your opinion? Plus, if it were to happen, where should the draft go with that idea?

 

[Lee]

I think people need to get over the PG obsession and just enjoy the product, I mean seriously come on! I was Raw/ECW/SD! and the PPVs what is going through my mind? Aww this is a good match, hmm bad segment there...awesome I liked that bit! NOT damn they need some boobs, or to hit him with a flaming barb wire table because you know that is so much cooler. You want hardcore crap,I don't, it makes for much better viewing, times have changed and do we really want to see people busted open every show? I'm sure I saw Randy Orton busted open on PPV last week

Think of it from a logical point of view, if Raw was just going to be adult orientated, you will get a lot of people switching off (ie kids) and if SD! was just for the kids market, I can't see many people watching that at all.

So all in all, silly idea.

 

[teddygreen17]

This is so funny, I have actually thought of that idea. I would make both parties happy. Raw will be RAW. and Smackdown is on broadcast TV so everyone will understand. Let's see if WWE can make it happen.

 

[Hillmania]

I proposed this idea as well. If WWE wants to be a kid-friendly product, then they shouldn't air their show at 9 pm, when most kids are being sent to bed. Plus, they don't have to gear it towards kids; when I was in 3rd grade during the days of the nWo and the beginning of the Attitude Era, every boy, and some girls, that I knew were making "too sweet" sounds and making the wolfpac sign while crotch chopping each other. It is a fact that kids are always going to watch, and quite frankly, it doesn't change anyone's moral character if their hero beats people up because he's defending his friend, or because his boss is a psycho. Either way, the hero is pretty much in the right.

I'm not calling for a revival of the Attitude Era, or constant extreme rules matches. But something needs to be done differently. Cena can be the face of Smackdown, and the kids' hero. Kids are home on Friday night at 8, teens and most adults usually aren't. The kids can't check the internet to see who won in advance, so they'll be more interested. And with their hero, Cena, on Smackdown, more people will tune in. Monday Night Raw doesn't need to go back 10 years, but they don't need to be afraid of blood anymore. They don't need to make sex jokes into something taboo, and they don't need the edgiest thing to be Cena alluding to the bedroom. Take the current feud on Raw for instance. This feud is so intense, and so deep, that if Orton and Triple H aren't bloody messes by the end of it, it just won't make sense. The last time Orton bled was only because he was legitimately busted open; same with Jericho. I'm not asking for total blood, but when there is a Hell in a Cell match or something, I expect it.

Now I have to disagree with your idea that Edge is family oriented... Edge is actually the main reason I want an adult oriented show. Imagine what Edge could do with no limits? Jericho is more of the family friendly heel, who people just hate because he's a jerk and hurt their hero. The Hardys and CM Punk could go either way with their characters, but I'd rather see guys like Miz and Morrison, and the Legacy, and Edge, not have to worry about lame FCC guidelines.

 

[That's Just Weird]

I think that would more separate the wrestlers and make it harder for some to cross-compete. Let's use The Rock for example.

The Rock returns to the WWE and ends up on Smackdown, the kids' show. He's there, and he's the kids' icon, the guy that everyone looks up to, and is the role model.

Then he goes to compete on Raw, and all of a sudden, he's back to "laying the smack down on your candy ass", cursing, making jokes about his "strudel".

In my opinion, I don't think the WWE should be going for a PG rating. Their targets should be the 16-25 range. Usually kids' view of what's cool is based on what the older kids' (i.e. their brothers or friends) think is cool. That way, you get the support of everyone from 6-25, thus much higher ratings. Hell, you could even get the parents into it, if you're crafty enough.

 

[That's Just Weird]

You already have a thread on this, on the same forum even, so I'll just copy and paste my reply here:

I think that would more separate the wrestlers and make it harder for some to cross-compete. Let's use The Rock for example.

The Rock returns to the WWE and ends up on Smackdown, the kids' show. He's there, and he's the kids' icon, the guy that everyone looks up to, and is the role model.

Then he goes to compete on Raw, and all of a sudden, he's back to "laying the smack down on your candy ass", cursing, making jokes about his "strudel".

In my opinion, I don't think the WWE should be going for a PG rating. Their targets should be the 16-25 range. Usually kids' view of what's cool is based on what the older kids' (i.e. their brothers or friends) think is cool. That way, you get the support of everyone from 6-25, thus much higher ratings. Hell, you could even get the parents into it, if you're crafty enough.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

I was thinking when I watched raw last night that maybe WWE should make Raw and adult oriented program and smackdown the show for the kids. I mean Raw starts at 9pm(on the EC), it's on cable,and was thebirth place of raunchy wild WWE television. Meanwhile SD! is on at 8pm(again, on the EC), is a network show, and is taped so smarks know whats coming friday night. I also think Hunter Jericho , Orton, etc are more adult type characters; someone in that 18-49 demographic would like. While Cena, Edge, the hardys, etc are a little more fam friendly. Anyway, what's your opinion? Plus, if it were to happen, where should the draft go with that idea?

I've been saying this for months and have several very heated debates with people on another forum about this very issue.

Smackdown should be the PG show targeting Kids and Families.


Raw should be the program that targets who they used to Target in the Attitude Era ... 18-34 year old males.

I would make ECW a more specialized television program, appealing to a more niche audience. I could think of one of three possibilities.

1) Either going back to its roots of Hardcore Wrestling with different stars
2) Revolve the show around Cruiserweights
3) Or go in a different direction such as MMA with the show.

I'm still debating back and forth on that one.

But I completely agree that Vince has lost so many Casual Viewers over the years. A lot of today's fans enjoy the product they see on the air.

But a lot of fans have also left, because they don't enjoy the product WWE has put out over the years.

Vince has lost half of his audience since the Attitude Era. I am convinced it was because of a couple factors:

1) Austin and Rock leaving
2) WCW and ECW folding ... which led to Vince getting lazy and less Creative in his own product.

What I would like to see is the concept of WCW (family-oriented program- Smackdown) and ECW revitalized ... while bringing Raw back to its former glory, with a Crash-TV style that is aimed towards the older teens and adults.

Obviously, there is still going to be a lot of cross-viewership with fans watching all the programs ... but what we would be offering would be choices ... alternatives ... to former viewers/potential new viewers, who aren't interested in anything WWE has offered them the past several years.

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

Just to add onto what I was saying, here was a post I made in another Forum, outlying the rationale for doing so:

Their goal at the moment and hope is to capture the fans when they are kids ... and keep them as fans as they grow older.

To a degree, I think that formula worked during the Hogan Era and into the Attitude Era for me, because of obvious reasons. The Hogan Era was a PG audience, and as I myself grew older ... the WWE product changed to a product that was more geared towards older teens and adults. That was what kept me on board as a fan, in this product life cycle. The product matured and became more adult-oriented, as I became older.

And now today, we are turning the clock back and gearing all 3 television programs for kids. And I am under the impression that instead of altering the product in another couple years to go back to being adult-oriented, that they expect today's product to appeal to all audiences, and clearly it does not, hence why they've lost millions of viewers.

The only clear choice for them to maintain a gradual process of keeping their fans (and their parents) happy as they get older is, like we have been harping on in the other threads.

1) Have one show geared for kids/family ... and that is Smackdown.
2) Then, as the Child matures, then they can watch Raw.
3) As they grow into adults, then there is ECW.

That way, you have something for all ages, so you can keep that one child as a fan, all the way through adult-hood. And plus, the formula is a constant cycle that is always in motion. That avoids the shock of having a certain type of product, and then completely altering the entire product every so many years, thus upsetting and losing fans, to the extent we've seen in the past two years. Having a loss of millions of viewers is nothing to sneeze at.

But this concept makes so much more sense than what they are doing now, and is more likely to maintain that child as an adult, unlike what they are attempting to do, today.

Furthermore, as you grow older and if you still want to watch a PG product, because that is your preference, than that option is still there for you, because Smackdown will always be around for you. But if you want to watch a program that creatively pushes the envelope more in its storylines, then you have the OPTION of switching to Raw. Key word there being OPTION. Today, if you want to watch a wrestling product for adults, you DON'T have the OPTION of watching anything else, since their entire product is intended to be suited for a Family Audience. What a number of us proposing with this concept, solves that problem by offering the viewer more choices to keep them happy.

 

[ThAwRe$tLiNgGaWd]

I agree that RAW should for the more mature audiences. Take last night on Raw for example when Hunter went after Orton and Co. with the sledgehammer. Instead of Trips getting actual revenge in the form of a bloody beatdown (normal for husband defending his wife?.. right?) we get everyone chasing each other around like a pack of rabid monkeys. I can see this issue from both sides of the fence but this unnecessary influence from outside social platforms shouldn't dictate what is put on cable television at nine o' clock on a school night when your kids should be in bed sleeping in the first place. Where is the parenting? Just because there are parents out there that can't teach their kids left from right, it doesn't mean that myself as an adult should have to sit and suffer through regrettable televised mockery just for your lack of parenting skills. My son is 5 years old and absolutely loves Raw and SD and is already prepping for his future WWE debut! but he knows what he can watch and what he can't. He's a really smart kid and he knows the fast forward button. My son knows the difference between right and wrong, real or fake. Because I taught him that, I took the time to explain to him these differences so why can't other parents? Smackdown I agree should be the family-oriented show, the kids do have to have something less aggressive to watch, the less monitoring the better. In other words be your own parent, don't rely on WWE to do it for you.

 

[Jane]

This is a good idea, but it's hard to do because I'm sure alot of kids still watch Raw. Think about time zones. It's on at 6 or 7 pm somewhere, and kids watch it. Kids obviously love Cena, and he's been on Raw for years so we know that for sure. If they started making the show more adult oriented I guarentee they would recieve a crapload of bad rep for being a bad influence. You can make the case that they will raise the ratings, but shows have gotten pulled before even though they matched the rating. I just can't see them doing this, even though it would improve the product.

 

[Hillmania]

The problem with aiming to kids is simply this: ratings and merchandise sales may rise, but PPV buys will drastically decrease.

That's why I agree that they should do MA Monday, or more of a TV-14 Monday, and a PG Friday.

 

[slimmshady]

I don't know who in the hell was the smart a**e that thought of this PG idea but my question is how can you give wrestling a PG rating? I mean come on, thats like giving hardcore porn a 14 rating and showing nothing but womens' breasts and calling it "hardcore". Wrestling maybe fixed in the terms of storylines but it is still unpredictable in the terms that a wrestler cuts his head open and bleeds a lot or a little. I know that some blood is faked but still when you can clearly see a large gash in his head, then you know that it is largely true blood. This PG idea is ridiculous in my point of view especially when the show is live like monday night raw. But the idea of rating raw as 14 and smackdown PG will still mess things up. Wrestlers such as the undertaker, hunter and big show will be forced to oblige with the PG rating even though their personnas only truely work with the 14 rating. On the other hand, wrestlers like koffi, cena and mysterio (which are primarly kids favourites) will be obliged with the 14 rating. Basically what the wwe would have to do to allow this split rating is to put the kids favourites on smackdown and the rest on raw which would mess everything up as there are about 10 main kids favourites (if even that).

 

[Criss Hardy]

I was thinking when I watched raw last night that maybe WWE should make Raw and adult oriented program and smackdown the show for the kids. I mean Raw starts at 9pm(on the EC), it's on cable,and was thebirth place of raunchy wild WWE television. Meanwhile SD! is on at 8pm(again, on the EC), is a network show, and is taped so smarks know whats coming friday night. I also think Hunter Jericho , Orton, etc are more adult type characters; someone in that 18-49 demographic would like. While Cena, Edge, the hardys, etc are a little more fam friendly. Anyway, what's your opinion? Plus, if it were to happen, where should the draft go with that idea?

I want to know what makes people think Edge and The Hardyz are family friendly, did you forget about Edges live sex celebration and on his shirt it says its easy being sleezy, i could deffinately see a kid wearing that, or what about Edges old shirt Sex and Violence, I bet a bunch of parents are gonna buy that for their kids.

 

[Criss Hardy]

wrestling should'nt have any guidelines, us wrestling fans dont give a shit about that kind of stuff, I remember people made a big deal about Undertaker cutting his wrist and using his blood for a ritual, thats stuff we wanna see, if you dont like it dont watch.

 

[ulimate123]

The main problem of making one show for kids, one for adults is that say the Parent knows that SD! is a PG show and lets their kid watch it and RAW is the 'adult' show and the parent lets his kid watch it, without knowing the 'R' rating and sees blood and boobs all over the screen it may lead the parent into thinking that wrestling is for adults, thus banning his/her kid from watching any type of wrestling.

 

[wwefan0405]

WWE in my opinion should just stay PG because they are drawing in money right now and if it isn't broke don't fix it

 

[hArdyPUNKmArk]

Nah, i dont think this would be a good idea really.

I'm with Lee, if you were to split the shows it would be too wierd and would split the company even more. People get annoyed about the brand split let alone splitting the company into "age brackets". It would drop ratings and would annoy too many people.

Not a good idea imo.

 

[Starchild]

In my opinion, WWE is not really PG rated. At best I'd give it a PG-13 because there are definitely still violent moments and scantily clad women. ECW maybe could be considered PG, but that's about it. So as far as that goes, I think they are fine and no change is needed to the tv shows. This isn't the Attitude Era and people need to get over that. The things that went on then were revolutionary at the time in wrestling. And also we don't have Austin as the face of the company...the entire era was a bigger scale of his persona. Anti-authority, in-your-face, beer-swilling fights. Now Cena is the face of the company and that is not at all his character. His is more closely related to Hogan in the 80s than Austin, and that's ok because Raw is still enjoyable.

The only real problem I ever have had with the so-called "PG rating" is the lack of blood on the ppvs. How am I supposed to believe that after the things we've seen, a HIAC match where you are hit in the head with numerous objects not to mention the cell itself does not make you bleed? The Taker/Edge feud was great, and the HIAC match was great..but the only blood was when Taker's arm got cut when Edge speared him through the cell wall...that's just not believable. I'm not saying every match has to have blood, this is not ECW (the original)...but some of the more intense storylines and matches could definitely use some to show that they are really beating the shit out of each other.

 

[just2Cme]

When it comes to tv ratings I never notice the ratings before a show. Kids around 10 years old as always watched wrestling. Plus their is no difference between PG and PG-14.
PG does mean "parental guidence" anyway. Unless raw ever goes rated R, it will always be standard tv.

Plus in todays times you will not see undertaker hang anyone on his cross. the attitude era is over, the participants are older and not likely to do those things anymore. I'm sure Taker,HHH,HBK and anyone who is left over from that time are not interested in "attitude." They have as much say so over what they do than creative so the buck kind of stops with them.

 

[The Doctor]

Why are people saying Smackdown should be the PG one and RAW should be the 14 one?

I think ECW should be the more adult-oriented one. It could continue to be a place to grow talent, but have more mature angles, and an extreme rules match here and there. We won't get sick of it, because it's only an hour. It works!

 

[Ambiguous Turd]

Why are people saying Smackdown should be the PG one and RAW should be the 14 one?

I think ECW should be the more adult-oriented one. It could continue to be a place to grow talent, but have more mature angles, and an extreme rules match here and there. We won't get sick of it, because it's only an hour. It works!

Because Smackdown has the earliest time slot of them all, and plus it is on a Friday Night, where more kids are likely to be home ... as opposed to older teens going out to the mall, working, etc.

Raw, as I expressed before, should go back to targeting the 18-24 male demographic ... and go back to the edgy program it used to be ... incorporating more adult themes into the show. I think it will bring back some old viewers and go after some new ones ... which is the end goal.

For those arguing against there being the 3 shows being targeted programs ... and instead wanting them to remain PG across the board, I have a question. Why is it that you need 3 television programs that go after the exact same audience? Why does Vince need his one audience watching all three television programs, when instead, he could be using those shows to appeal to and go after other audiences not currently watching his program, because the content doesn't appeal to them, as much?

As far as ECW, I also think older teens and adults should be targeted, but I think this is more of a niche brand that should be tailored to the more-hardcore wrestling fan ... similar to what it used to be. The fact alone that the show was pulling in ratings 2.5 and above for several months, shows me that there is a market out there just waiting to be tapped ... yet Vince essentially threw all that money, so he could have a Minor League. Kind of pointless, if he already has FCW for Training and Developmental. It's a complete waste of a third viable Brand.