Out With the Old?

I know this is going to seem like a slap at my industry, maybe even Fox itself, but for the life of me I cannot understand this fixation with youth: Getting the “right demo,” the right viewer -- the young viewer. It's almost as if older folks -- not "that" old really -- don't count.

New York Daily News columnist David Hinckley spelled this out beautifully, lamenting the baby boom (search) generation that doesn't boom as much anymore, doesn't count as much anymore, and doesn't move marketers anymore.

He laments the fact that television wants viewers 18 to 49 -- radio 25 to 54 -- and since he just turned 55, he's out.

Why is that? Has David stopped buying? No. Have others of his age stopped buying? Again, no.

David figures he'll likely still travel, sample new food, maybe even upgrade the computer... but to media types, he's a non-type. And that's sad. Because the irony is here older folks are generally wealthier folks.

They're not fixed in their ways, they're always looking for new ways. New things. Good things. They're good bets. But not to media buyers.

I think it's sad because it misses a greater point: We are so focused in our society at the youth in our society that we forget we're all one society.

Trust me, I like young people. I was young myself. I couldn't buy much then. I can buy more now. You'd think I'd be a draw now. But as David mused, "It's more profitable for TV or radio to get a small slice of the younger audience than a big slice of the older one."

It sounds dumb, but them there's the facts.

It's an incredible turn of events for a generation that once ruled the world stage to be quietly ushered off it.

I guess at long last, the “boom” is off the boomers' rose.

Watch Neil Cavuto's Common Sense weekdays at 4 p.m. ET on Your World with Cavuto.