TV Q&A: How were the ratings for ‘Dancing with the Stars’ with new host Tyra Banks?

Trib Total Media TV writer Rob Owen answers reader questions every Wednesday at TribLive.com in a column that also appears in the Sunday Tribune-Review.

Q: How were the ratings of “Dancing with the Stars” when comparing last year to this year since Tom Bergeron and Erin Andrews were fired?

— Paul via email

Rob: At the start of the TV season we noted the ratings rose with the addition of new host Tyra Banks.

Now looking back after the season ended, it’s more a mixed bag but ABC still got what it wanted in firing Bergeron and Andrews: Better ratings among younger viewers.

Yes, overall viewership for “Dancing with the Stars” was down 8% from 2019 to 2020 but ratings in the advertiser-coveted, adults 18-49 demo were up almost 10%.

Q: What happened to the oldest son, Matt, on Discovery’s “Alaskan Bush People”?

— George via phone

Rob: He initially left the show due to substance abuse issues and then he was more recently accused of raping two women. He won’t be back on the show.

Q: Why don’t they show “Mad Men” reruns on TV? Or “Grey’s Anatomy” or “The Closer”/“Major Crimes”?

— Diana, Harrison City

Rob: All of these shows are serialized. Typically serialized shows do not do well in the ratings when repeated on linear TV. Serialized shows do better on streaming services and each of these programs is available on a streamer (use JustWatch.com to look up where to find shows on streamers), including “Mad Men” on AMC+ and IMDbTV, “Grey’s Anatomy” on Netflix and “The Closer” and “Major Crimes” on HBO Max.

On linear TV, “Grey’s Anatomy” reruns air on Lifetime, “The Closer” reruns air on Lifetime and on digital subchannel Start TV, found on over-the-air Channel 2.2 and on Comcast (Channels 181/183/195/196/198/1165), Verizon’s FiOS TV (483) and Armstrong (89). “Major Crimes” reruns are on Start TV and on WPCW-TV on weekends.

Q: When did the Country Music Television (CMT) become a pay channel on Comcast Cable? I remember I used to get it for free several years ago, but now I get a message when I tune into the station saying it is a pay channel.

— Joe via email

Rob: Comcast has made no recent changes to CMT. The channel has been part of Comcast’s Sports Entertainment package since 2016.

Q: I know you wrote recently about the dispute between Verizon and AT&T Sportsnet. But the issue at hand is all the Verizon customers are still being billed. Is there any way to guesstimate how much money is still being collected and where that is going? Do they ever indicate how many subscribers providers have in the area. One should not be charged for fees and services if the services are not provided.

— Brian, Ross Township

Rob: AT&T SportsNet Pittsburgh has already returned to FiOS TV’s lineup but Brian’s question still merits an answer. The fine print of consumer contracts with cable/satellite companies allows cable operators to drop channels, which has been affirmed by the courts.

Q: My question is why was Joe Arena was taken off the morning news and moved to weekends?

— Connie, Avonmore

Rob: In the past Channel 11 management has declined to provide a reason for the change. The re-assignment happened in summer 2019 after WPXI’s morning news came in third in a key demo at 6 a.m. in the May 2019 sweeps ratings so that might have had something to do with it.

For his part, Arena said, “Please let Connie know that I’m happy to still be a part of the Channel 11 News team in any capacity, and that I really appreciate her interest.”