A&E Viewership Takes Nosedive In Aftermath Of ‘Live PD’ Cancellation
A&E Network’s prime-time ratings plummeted by nearly 50% after the network canceled the popular show “Live PD” in June.
A&E canceled “Live PD” on June 10 in response to protests over the death of George Floyd, who died in police custody on May 25 after a Minneapolis police officer kneeled on his neck, video shows. “Live PD” gave viewers an inside look at how police officers responded to incidents across the country.
“This is a critical time in our nation’s history and we have made the decision to cease production on Live PD. Going forward, we will determine if there is a clear pathway to tell the stories of both the community and the police officers whose role it is to serve them,” A&E said in a June 10 statement after cancelling “Live PD,” according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Between June 11 and July 19, the network averaged 498,000 prime-time viewers every night, according to Nielsen data, The Wall Street Journal reported. That represented a 49% decrease in prime-time viewership compared to the same period in 2019. (RELATED: A&E Cancels ‘Live PD’ After Protests Against Police Brutality)
Host Dan Abrams and analyst Tom Morris attend a Live PD Screening at Saban Media Center in 2018 in North Hollywood, California. (Photo: Jesse Grant/Getty Images for A&E Network)
“Live PD” averaged 1.9 million viewers on Friday and Saturday nights, according to the Journal. Clips of the show routinely racked up millions of views on A&E’s YouTube channel.
Prior to the show’s cancellation, the network’s prime-time viewership was up 4%, Nielsen data show, according to the Journal.
The network also saw daily viewership drop 36% compared to the same period last year after “Live PD” was cancelled, the Journal reported.
A&E said the viewership decline was a “temporary hit in the ratings,” in a statement to the Journal. The network also said that it has been able to “find new hits and reinvent” themselves in the past.
However, A&E has yet to rule out a potential “Live PD” return to the network, according to the Journal.
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