Taking over the airways
While financial pundits speak of an economic recovery, most of us living in the real world know better. Many homeowners are behind on home loan payments or in some stage of foreclosure, and unemployment claims are on the rise. Even if claims begin to ease, struggling businesses will be slow to hire again.
In order to cope with all this economic uncertainty, people are nesting — taking refuge in the simple comforts of home. And what could be more comforting than sharing good wholesome food with your family?
Great swaths of the nation are staying home; but they’re no longer watching programs popular during the housing bubble, they’re watching the Food Network, which is attracting record audiences with shows like “Man v Food”.
“Food can take away the pain,”Shari Anne Brill told Business Standard. Brill analyzes audiences for New York-based Carat USA. “Real-estate shows have gone by the wayside because now it’s more about how to keep your home from going into foreclosure”
“Man v Food,”has attracted the biggest audiences ever. Business Standard says Scripps Networks Interactive Inc, the Cincinnati-based owner of the Food Network, plans to press cable-system operators for higher fees based on the success of its shows.
“Food Network is literally blazing hot, which should work very much in our favor as we renew affiliate agreements later this year,” said Kenneth Lowe, chairman and chief executive officer of Scripps Networks.
“Immigration has introduced new cuisine to US viewers,” says Food Network President Brooke Johnson. “Supermarkets and farmers markets have made fresh ingredients more widely available and more people are trying to re-create restaurant dishes at home. That has spawned celebrity chefs, food-themed vacations and elaborate home kitchens, and ultimately interest in food shows.”
FriendsEat is delighted with the Food Network’s hot trail through cable airwaves, but we’re not surprised. Since our inception we have seen foodies from all over the world discuss their favorite restaurants, cuisines and cooking methods. We’ve always known that food is the one thing the world has in common — food is something all cultures can share and something that brings all people together. FriendsEAT is open to its members allowing them to generate content such as their favorite recipes, reviews on restaurants, blogs, videos and questions in the forum.
Want to join the conversation, check us out: FriendsEAT.com, Facebook Food, Bebo Food and MySpace Food.