Reality franchises “Love & Hip Hop” and “Basketball Wives” have boosted VH1’s ratings 20 percent in prime time, according to The Hollywood Reporter. It’s the network’s biggest gain, but they don’t seem to be too grateful because they’re adding new reality shows with very few people of color.
“The goal is to bring a general market audience back into the fold in addition to servicing our African-American audience,” originals exec vp Susan Levison said earlier in 2014.
“General market” translates to the white audience. The numbers don’t lie. Shows like “LeAnn & Eddie,” “Candidly Nicole” and “Dating Naked” aren’t really cutting the mustard. Better than its counterparts, “Dating Naked” averaged 758,000 viewers over the first few episodes.
“I Heart Nick Carter” debuts in September; we’ll see how it fares.
