Viewers attitude to new fall season? Indifference
Channel Island/By Scott Collins
How much worse could the networks do without writers than they're doing with them?
Much speculation has centered on how networks will fare once their supply of scripted shows runs dry in a few weeks. But broadcasters are already feeling the effects of massive viewer indifference to the new fall series.
On Tuesday night, fresh episodes of three programs -- the ABC comedies "Carpoolers" and "Cavemen" and CBS' dynastic soap "Cane" -- plummeted to their lowest numbers yet among viewers ages 18 to 49, according to figures from Nielsen Media Research.
Each of those shows earned only a 5 share of the crucial young-adult audience, a figure that just one or two seasons ago would probably have meant instant cancellation. By comparison, ABC's drama "Private Practice," one of the top-rated new series, last week earned a 9 share.
