Kardashian-Jenner Family Ends E! Network 'The Kardashians' Run

Neither the Kardashian-Jenner family nor Comcast-owned NBCUniversal’s E! network has stated why ‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ will conclude its run in 2021, after its 20th season. The ratings-generating (although falling), attention-demanding workhouse for E! Network went public with the news on Sept. 8, let by a Kim Kardashian Instagram post.

Since its debut in 2007, the 14 years of family drama have been a true anchor or the E! network. “It brought a lot of people to E! that would not have otherwise been there,” said Robert Thompson, director of the Bleier Center for Television & Popular Culture at Syracuse University. 

The Kardashians are well aware that the younger audience is bailing on linear cable TV for streaming services and other platforms including Fortnite and TikTok.

‘Keeping Up With the Kardashians’ had Its ratings peak with the Season 4 finale in February 2010, which had 4.8 million total viewers, according to Nielsen numbers. The most recent episode had just 810,000 total viewers, according to the LA Times.

“Their relevance is not on TV; their relevance is on Snapchat and social media,” added Eunice Shin, a partner at brand and business consultancy Prophet. “They are absolute brand marketers, and that’s what they exist for. They don’t necessarily need television to do that.”