Since 1999, the number of primetime scripted original series has nearly tripled, growing from roughly 150 to more than 410. Though this growth would appear to benefit programmers, audiences and TV talent alike, it coincided with a more troubling trend: skyrocketing cancellation rates. At the turn of the millennium fewer than one in every ten shows would be cancelled each year. Today, a network is lucky to keep more than half. And nearly three quarters of the shows ordered to replace a cancelled series fail to make it past their very first season. As a result, the American TV industry cancelled more original series in 2014 than even aired fifteen years earlier.
Source: Television Has a Business Model Problem. And It’s Killing Good TV | Original | REDEF