 | |
| Available in | English |
|---|---|
| Headquarters | United States |
| Owner | Futon Media |
| Created by | Brian Ford Sullivan |
| URL | thefutoncritic |
| Registration | Optional |
| Launched | January 14, 1997; 28 years ago (1997-01-14) |
| Current status | Active |
The Futon Critic is a website that provides articles and information regarding prime time programming onbroadcast andcable networks in the United States. The site publishesreviews of prime time programming and interviews of people in the television industry, as well as republishingNielsen ratings data reports, and press releases provided by television networks andstreaming televisionplatforms.The Futon Critic was founded byBrian Ford Sullivan in 1997.
Brian Ford Sullivan, CEO of Futon Media, registeredThe Futon Critic on January 14, 1997.[1][2] From its founding, the site has publishedreviews on prime time programming, as well as interviews its staff conducted with members of the television industry.[3] The site also contains sections of articles dedicated to republishingpress releases, network schedules andNielsen ratings data, which have been cited by articles on websites such asThe Huffington Post andTV by the Numbers.[4][5][6] Its publications of Nielsen ratings data have also been used as a resource by institutions such as theUniversity of Colorado Boulder andTemple University.[7][8]
In 2009, Sullivan appeared onWGN'sThe Nick Digilio Show to discuss television and theEmmy nominations of the year on behalf of the site.[9] In 2010, Sullivan announced a new section of their site dedicated to tracking the availability of programming ondigital distribution platforms, to be launched in August of the same year. He also announced the production of a television pilot to be released onto the section sometime after its launch; entitled.comEDY, it was pitched as a comedic look at the effects of thedot-com bubble burst aroundSilicon Valley.[2]
The site ceased publishing original reviews and interviews in early 2013.[10] As of 2024[update], the site no longer posts significant original content, but continues to be updated regularly with press releases from various media outlets, development updates, and seasonal program listings.