Teen Demographic... why is it unwanted?

[Scirel]

I`m trying to figure this out.

Anime usually attracts a teenage demographic, but I keep hearing people say that no network wants the teen demographic because teens don`t buy anything.

Now, that all makes sense to me until I see All of the major networks having evening blocks with shows like Smallvile and the OC, which are clearly geared towards teenagers!

Why can some blocks be geared toward teens, but not others? Why can`t an anime teen block exist if teen blocks of LA shows exist, and they KNOW anime attracts the teen demo?

[Yusuke Urameshi]

Because its a niche market thats risky, and can either work, or fail.

[soundmonkey44]

Because its a niche market thats risky, and can either work, or fail.

This & TV isnt Pure PWNGE! like it was in the 20th century, I mean give me any decade & it can just blow y2k away, I mean their were some stinkers between 1960-1999 but at least shows had spirit, unlike a lot of shows now days, but yea teen niche market & all that jazz,,,, Plus most modern TV excecs our just jerks!

[J!!!]

Because Japan and America have a different thought on what's acceptable for teens there teen shows have nudity and violencce but if they show that in America auto TV-MA.....unless your the Anime Network. But really it is because either companies want the show you can get merchandise from (toyjetic) which is kid oriented or you can get high DVD sales from due to suggestive content (sienien). Besides all the anime that have aired on the IFC besides WitchBlade have been TV-14 so you could say that it's a teen block

[Sketch]

That's not quite the point. "Teen targeted anime" would just as likely be something out of Shonen Jump such as Bleach, One Piece or Naruto Shippudden along with slighty tamer fare such as Inuyasha or slightly more mature fair such as various mecha shows, Samurai Champloo, Trigun, etc. None of the which has to be TV-MA (but some episodes might be depending on the content). It'd be a bit hard to manage a completely uncut teen targeted block on a mainstream network because TV-MA would come up but slight edits would make the edgier shows possible to play next to the tamer ones which never reach TV-MA and mostly stay in the PG to TV-14 territory.

And since no one mentioned it, prime time teenish dramas tend to be targeted at adults as well so it's not the best example but if you look at the advertising you know they want teens watching as well.

A teen block has potential to work very well given what history has shown us reguarding 12-17 ratings for doga that have aired on Toonami and Adult Swim. And that doesn't have to be limited to doga now that TV-PG and TV-14 animated movies are more common for US studios to produce these days. What do you need for a teen block right now? Easy you take the current 12AM-6AM Saturday overnight line-up of Adult Swim and retarget it at 12-17 or even 12-24 and see where those ratings you've been looking for have always been hiding. They'd also do well to extend that so it starts at 10PM or even earlier.