1. In The News, 5. Television

Letterman Scandal Could be Ratings Bonanza for CBS

In a time where network influence is waning, CBS will likely emerge as the big winner in the aftermath of the David Letterman scandal. As CBS’ most enduring star, having hosted a highly rated late night talk show there since 1993, Letterman has tremendous audience pull. During his program on Thursday, Letterman confessed to a studio audience and viewers watching at home that he had been the victim of a would-be multimillion-dollar extortion plot, perpetrated by a former CBS colleague. Letterman also admitted that he had had sex with female co-workers.

The news shocked the nation and tabloids around the country jumped on a story like sharks with blood in the water. The New York Post and the New York Daily News, NYC’s most prominent tabloids, both splashed the story across page one in their Friday editions. Chances are the scandal will not die away quickly.

In a cold-blooded business sense, this is manna from heaven for CBS. The network will benefit mightily from the publicity blitz and this in turn can help kick-start CBS’ slate of fall programs. That Letterman confessed on his show contributed to the high drama and gave viewers an incentive to watch the program at a time when Letterman is locked in a hotly contested battle with his counterpart on NBC, Conan O’Brien.

From Fatty Arbuckle to present day, sex scandals produce a huge amount of publicity and tend to take on a life of their own. If a media outlet can get in the middle of the story, they can ride the ratings boost for quite some time. Conversely, Letterman was the big loser when actor Hugh Grant confessed his sexual peccadilloes on Jay Leno’s late-night show on NBC in the mid-1990s. That bombshell helped Leno surge past Letterman, and stay in first place.

It just goes to show, any publicity is good publicity. Just ask CBS.