A dominant Fox is set to be crowned the winner of the 2007-08 television season, one that the broadcast biz -- and perhaps even Fox -- would just as soon forget.The writers strike, along with the rising popularity of DVRs and the increased availability of programming on multiple platforms, conspired to make this season the lowest-rated on record for the broadcasters. There was also a dearth of breakout hits, with no new show emerging as the biz's savior.
Of course, the broadcasters have been losing audience share to cable for years -- but this season saw the most troubling year-to-year declines yet...
So does this mean more people are reading? Talking to one another? Going to live events? Maybe even engaging in healthy exercise or community involvement?
'Fraid not. Cable and satellite TV watching is going up and more TV viewers are simply utilizing their DVRs and computers to watch at different times. Therefore, despite this story in Variety about network woes, Americans remain the most sedentary couch potatoes...and with a viewing diet that is anything but morally uplifting.
