Great article!

I suspect the problem is at least partially related to a sharp drop in the quality of television in general. I've never been a big fan of TV, but the changes I've started to notice lately are mind-boggling - it has become worse than I ever imagined.

It seems that the networks aren't finding �intelligent� programs marketable anymore. That may have to do with the demands of sponsors, which I'm sure are related to other things as well.

Have you noticed that even on "legitimate" news programs, a lot of the kyrons end with exclamation marks now? I don't know if I'm looking at a news program or the National Enquirer - so I shut off the TV and hop on the net or look at the paper for news.

Anyway, I think sci-fi feels the negative impact of this shift more than some other genre.

I'm hoping that as more programming becomes available via the Internet, we'll start to have access to new shows targeted to our interests soon!

~Chris

Hi Chris,

I think you're right about the overall quality of television. Plus the glut of reality shows means that scripted TV gets short shrift in general--and I think "CSI" incarnations are a pretty high percentage of what's out there for scripted TV. I, too, get my news on the Internet. And I don't watch TV news anymore. I watch "The Daily Show" instead. At least I know they're joking...

I think there's a move within networks to "niche" programming. Perhaps this does mean better stuff for us. We'll just have to wait and see.

Thanks! -Helen

We're watching less and less TV. We used to put it on for background noise, but even that is now becoming too irritating because of all the mindless reality rubbish.

A couple of weeks ago I glanced at the TV guide and realised I'd been missing Battlestar Gallactica for who knew how long because it had surrepticiously reappeared scheduled at 2AM on a Monday morning! Stargate Atlantis has popped up at 1AM on a Thursday morning. Who watches TV at that time?! Who's going to notice that it's on?! So the stations create this vicious circle where a program that rates poorly, continues to rate poorly because those who actually want to watch it don't know it's on, and anyone who might get hooked (by accidentally putting the TV on while it's running) won't, because they're fast asleep at that time.

I went online to try and find out what we'd missed of BSG, and discovered that last year this stupid station just stopped BSG in the middle of season two (after Helena Cain's death). What they've put on now, surprise, surprise, is the rest of season two. (I suppose I should be grateful that they didn't just cancel that and start with season three). In the US this stuff ran more than a year ago. It's maddening.