With the 5th season of A&E’s reality show Duck Dynasty coming to a close, the latest episode averaged a mere 4.7 million viewers, the lowest since November 2012.
Back in December, Phil Robertson was suspended from the reality show due to uproar over derogatory remarks and comparisons of homosexuality, bestiality, and the Jim Crow South. Since then, the show’s viewership has been on the decline. For a show that once brought in nearly 12 million viewers, the 5th season premiere of A&E’s Duck Dynasty garnered only 8.5 million viewers on January 15, and ratings have continued to drop by 33% in key demos
Another key factor in the show’s decline is overexposure with back-to-back seasons in quick succession. Sam Armando, senior vp and director of strategic intelligence at SMG, told The Hollywood Reporter that “What you’re seeing is similar to what NBC is doing with The Voice: ‘We have it. Let’s use it while we can, and get what we can out of it,” continuing on, “If the ratings come down a little, its because they’re ready to — not because of this controversy.”
Although the reality show bested all of Wednesday night cable with an average rating of 1.9, it no longer ranks as the top realty show on cable for the week.
