The CW show Gossip Girl isn’t doing very well in the ratings. In fact, it doesn’t even crack the top 100 shows. “I can honestly say I don’t check the ratings after the show airs,” said Josh Schwartz, the show’s founder. So why hasn’t the show been canceled? You guessed it — it’s wildly popular online, even outpacing The Office on iTunes. Fans sites are everywhere. And when you add DVR ratings to the mix, it’s the most-watched show by teenagers. “It doesn’t give local affiliates much of a lead-in, but that is something we have to get used to,” explains AR&D’s Steve Safran. “When people use a DVR, there are no lead-ins. When you download a show, there are no lead-ins. For websites, there are no lead-ins. So after a while, the whole concept of a lead-in just… goes… away. Local news truly has to stand on its merits now.”
