Identify the needs and wants of your target audience by organizing a focus group. Different programs have different "target" viewers; some programs (such as dramas) are geared to women, while sports programming is designed to attract male viewers. These are called "demographics." One way to identify the wants of your target demographic is to hold a focus group. This can be done online or in person. It involves gathering a small group of people -- typically from your target audience -- and asking them what they like or dislike about a certain program. The program's directors can then make changes based on the results of the focus group.
Change your talent. For a news program, this would mean changing your anchors or your meteorologist; for an entertainment program, this would mean changing the stars of the show. The popularity of a given personality is rated based on something called "Q" scores. When a TV personality has a low "Q" score, it means he is not liked by the viewing public. Sometimes firing this individual can lead to an increase in ratings.
Take chances with your broadcast. In a 2008 case study by Tracey Robinson-English, TV news veteran Hank Price credited his longevity in the business to the ability to try new things. Price acknowledged that sometimes a new venture will backfire and lead to lower ratings, but the benefit of being the first to try a new format or brand can result in long-term dominance in a particular market or time slot. A new format could include eliminating the presence of reporters during a TV news broadcast, as Price's NBC affiliate did in 2010. Show creators may also choose to rework a program's branding, such as a station's decision to switch from an "Action News" format that focused on crime and car accidents to a more community-based brand that focuses on politics and education.
Switch the program's time slot. Certain time slots are notorious for being the toughest to win in television. The industry website Buzzsugar.com lists Monday nights at eight and nine o'clock, Thursday nights at eight and nine o'clock and Sunday nights at eight o'clock as the toughest time slots to win on 2010. If your show is going up against a ratings powerhouse (such as the CBS hits "CSI" or "NCIS"), moving the program to a less-competitive time slot could give it a ratings boost.
Change the way the program is advertised. Conventional options include commercials to show previews of an upcoming episode, or placing a large color ad in a magazine or newspaper. But newer options -- such as utilizing the web and mobile phones, which can more specifically target the show's key demographic -- are reinventing the way shows are advertised. Short messages, containing simple text or even a video clip, can be sent to viewers to give them a preview of an upcoming show.
Hire an outside consultant to evaluate your program. These individuals can look at a specific show through an objective, third-party lens and give you the best idea of what is working -- and more importantly, what isn't working -- in a given program. The consultant may focus on the appearance of your program's stars -- something as seemingly minor as their cosmetic appearance -- or the consultant may look at the other visual elements that go into a broadcast, such as an out-dated set or graphics package. Some consultants may also work with the show's writers to improve the content relayed to viewers during the program.