Ever wonder why we can't see Downton Abbey the same time they see it in Brittan? Denise Martin at Vulture.com was nice enough to find out.

 

Martin's article breaks it down into 3 major points, all of which make a ton of sense. Long story short, PBS realizes that delaying it doesn't really benefit them. 

 

PBS doesn't have any evidence that spoilers from the British airing cut viewership here in The States by even one eye ball.

 

PBS also understands that they basically have January and February all to themselves from a programming standpoint, so it helps them stretch what little dollars they have to spend a little further because they aren't competing for attention as hard with the commercial networks during the winter.

 

Also, because the airings are a few months apart, it gives the cast time to promote the show across the pond and then ALSO be available to get a bunch of ink here, too. 

 

Even though that's the gist of it, you should defiantly CLICK HERE to read his conversation with PBS’s chief programming executive-general manager Beth Hopp. Even if you don't read his whole piece, I ask that you still click on the link anyway - largely because otherwise I stole all the info from his piece and I'll feel bad about myself.  

 

Thanks,

Ray