Is The Kardashian Clan Losing The Faith Of The E! Network?

The Kardashians might finally be experiencing what comes to all television shows at one point or another: ratings decline. Television insider Nikki Finke recently reported on her blog that the Kardashian numbers are down sharply from previous seasons, notably in the coveted 18-49 demographic.

Last week’s premiere episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians season 9B was down 29 percent over the season 8 premiere last year, and down 17 percent from the season 9A premiere this past January. Even at that time, journalists were looking closely at the numbers and what they might mean for reality television’s most famous clan. The Daily Mail reported that 2.56 million viewers tuned in to see the new trials and tribulations of the Kardashians in January — but that figure is in sharp contrast to the 3.02 million people who tuned in for the premiere of the previous season.

So what does this mean for the staple on the E! program lineup? Radar Online blogger Gina Bacchiocchi has a possible, although blunt, answer in her post title: “Are Their 15 Minutes Finally Over?”

But a closer look would reveal it’s not all bad news for the Kardashians. “Keeping up” with the family in the ratings game has been a challenge for other E! series, which means if Kim and her various relatives leave the network, there is not much to replace them. Finke notes other E! series, such as Escape Club, Total Divas, and Rich Kids of Beverly Hills failed to bring in viewers.

Even if it’s the most successful thing on E!, Keeping Up With The Kardashians won’t be profitable when its next contract kicks in, according to Finke, because of the cost per episode.

The Inquisitr reported previously that this season, Kardashian brother Rob cut back his filming schedule dramatically and told insiders the show had ruined his family.

The Kardashians’ wealth is not reliant on its E! presence. Sisters Khloé, Kim and Kourtney have a line of fashions, the Kardashian Kollection, and a chain of retail outlets, Dash. It is hard to assess how a declining television audience might affect those enterprises – but there is some evidence that being the “let it all hang out” go-to reality family might do their businesses more harm than good. Radar Online reported that Leonardo DiCaprio deliberately arrived late to an event where Kardashian sibling Brody Jenner was DJ just so he could avoid the E! cameras. Beyoncé apparently also failed to show at Kim Kardashian’s massively hyped wedding to Kanye West, just so she didn’t make an inadvertent appearance on Keeping Up with the Kardashians.

In 2012, the Kardashians signed what was then the richest reality television show deal ever, one that takes them through Season 10.

[Left Image: Fanpix.net Right Image: AKM-GSI]