"This show is a bigger deal than the ratings are reflecting," Schwartz said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. "I can honestly say I don't check the ratings after the show airs."
The reason behind Schwartz's attitude is probably due to the fact that Gossip Girl is earning 2.6 million viewers and is doing very well in terms of the world wide web. In fact, the show is the most downloaded on iTunes, kicking off NBC's The Office soon after its premiere in September.
Moreover, when DVR viewings are factored in, Gossip Girl earns a 14 percent increase among the female teen demographic and 30 percent increase in 18 to 34-year-olds. Gossip Girl has indeed become the most watched series by teenagers.
"We're going through a big sea change in our business," Dawn Ostroff, the CW's President of Entertainment said about the show's unexpectedly low viewership. "You can't wake up in the morning and look at the ratings and know the whole story... A lot of the rules are out the window."
Moreover, Schwartz is more interested in the "idea of cultural permeation" and how the show impacts the youth, and not merely its ratings.
"Someone came up to me and said [Gossip Girl's signature sign-off] 'XOXO, Gossip Girl' the other day," Kristen Bell, who serves as the show's narrator, said to Entertainment Weekly. "I'm never even recognized for shows I am on!"
Lastly, Schwartz said, "Hopefully, people watching now will grow up with the characters. The key is not blowing through the great story lines right away. We worked really hard to pace ourselves this year."
