TV'S OLDEST SHOWS

15 Youngest-Skewing TV Shows This Season: 'Gossip Girl,' 'Parks & Recreation,' 'Vampire Diaries'

by Lacey Rose

"Family Guy" and "The Simpsons" also rank among the broadcast shows with the youngest median age in prime-time.

Another TV season is complete, with Madison Avenue buyers lamenting the exodus of younger viewers.

According to the Nielsen Company, NBC saw it's 18 to 49 veiwership plummet 14 percent this year, with CBS and ABC following with declines of 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively.

It is Fox and the CW, both of which dropped only 5 percent in the coveted demo, that dominate the crop of younger-skewing shows, care of Fox's animated comedies and the CW's female-leaning drama and reality fare. Together the networks air 13 of the the 15 series with the youngest median age in primetime. Shows such as Family Guy (median age: 30.9)and The Simpsons (median age: 32.4) lifted Fox to its seventh consecutive season as No. 1 among the top four broadcast networks in the advertiser-beloved 18 to 49 demo. 

With the help of Nielsen data-cruncher Brad Adgate, senior vice president of research at Horizon Media, The Hollywood Reporter took a look at the 15 youngest broadcast network series (excluding sports, newsmagazines and repeats) for the 2010-11 season.

1. CW's Gossip Girl - Median Age: 29.3

2. Fox's Cleveland Show - Median Age: 30.8

3. Fox's Family Guy - Median Age: 30.9

4. Fox's Bob's Burgers - Median Age: 31.5 (TIE)

4. Fox's American Dad - Median Age: 31.5 (TIE)

6. CW's Hellcats* - Median Age: 31.7

7. CW's 90210 - Median Age: 31.8

8. CW's One Tree Hill - Median Age: 32

9. Fox's The Simpsons - Median Age: 32.4

10. CW's Shedding for the Wedding - Median Age: 33.3

11. CW's Vampire Diaries - Median Age: 33.6 (TIE)

11. CW's Life Unexpected* - Median Age: 33.6 (TIE)

13. CW's America's Next Top Model - Median Age: 34.5**/35.7***

14. NBC's The Office - Median Age: 35.9

15. NBC's Parks and Recreation - Median Age: 37

Note: Estimates include live plus same day viewing. *Since Canceled. **Cycle 9. ***Cycle 10.

From 'Dancing With the Stars' to 'Blue Bloods,' the Oldest-Skewing TV Shows This Season

"Harry's Law" and "The Good Wife" also rank among the broadcast shows with the highest median age in primetime.

With another television season wrapped, Madison Avenue buyers are already looking ahead to next year. As the options for where to place their money on and off screen mount, they are wise to assess not only who is tuning in, but also how young -- or old -- those viewers are.

Perhaps it's no surprise to see CBS leads the latter, airing nine of the 15 shows with the highest median age in primetime. In the network's defense, CBS also draws more viewers than any other broadcaster and places second behind only Fox for viewers in the younger, advertiser-beloved 18 to 49 demo.

With the help of Nielsen data-cruncher Brad Adgate, senior vice president of research at Horizon Media, The Hollywood Reporter took a look at the 15 oldest broadcast network series (excluding sports, news-magazine and repeats) for the 2010-11 season.

1. CBS' Blue Bloods - Median Age: 60.6

2. CBS' Chaos* - Median Age: 59.8

3. CBS' CSI: NY - Median Age: 59.5

4. CBS' The Good Wife - Median Age: 59

5. NBC's Harry’s Law - Median Age: 58.7

6. CBS' NCIS - Median Age: 58.3 (TIE)

6. ABC's Dancing with the Stars** - Median Age: 58.3 (TIE)

8. CBS' The Mentalist - Median Age: 58.2

9. NBC's Who Do You Think You Are? - Median Age: 58

10. CBS' NCIS: Los Angeles - Median Age: 57.6

11. ABC's Body of Proof - Median Age: 57.5 (TIE)

11. CBS's The Defenders* - Median Age: 57.5 (TIE)

13. ABC's Dancing With the Stars: Results - Median Age: 57.4 (TIE)

14. NBC's Outlaw* - Median Age: 57.2

15. CBS' Medium* - Median Age: 57 (TIE)

15. ABC's Dancing with the Stars*** - Median Age: 57 (TIE)

Note: Estimates include live plus same day viewing. *Since Canceled. **Tuesday, 8 p.m. airings. ***Monday, 8 p.m. airings.