Many voters who commented in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette's annual Keep or Cancel poll said that TV is a vast wasteland, but few of them could agree on what makes it so.
For some viewers, it was reality TV. But others cited reality shows "The Biggest Loser" or "Dancing With the Stars" as favorites.
So here's the reality check: TV is not inherently terrible. Some individual shows are awful, but which programs fit that description is a matter of taste.
This year's poll drew 7,890 votes, more than double the number of votes cast last year.
The reason? Fans of low-rated, likely doomed sci-fi shows "Dollhouse" and "Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles" made an orchestrated effort to drum up votes.
The impact of the sci-fi voters, generally younger and more male, did result in more votes from younger viewers this year than we usually see. That probably explains the presence of "The Daily Show," "How I Met Your Mother" and "The Office" alongside "60 Minutes."
"ABC is losing me," wrote Barb Flaherty-Kuhn, 57, of Pittsburgh. "Loved 'Pushing Daisies,' and they never even ended the storyline. Love 'Life on Mars,' and they killed that one, too. It seems the offbeat, imaginative shows get canceled for more 'reality shows,' but there's nothing real about these shows."
There were repeated references to the sad state of NBC: "It used to be the channel to watch," wrote Craig Pellegrini, 24."Now it's just a sad shell of its former self."
And there was frustration over networks' impatience.
"Again this year I watched less traditional broadcast television," wrote Paul Bruschi, 43, of Pittsburgh. "The lack of commitment to shows by the networks makes me not want to begin watching something that will be canceled after less than one year."
There were expressions of humorous contempt for bad ideas -- "My vote for the dumbest thing I heard this year is the Sci Fi Channel changing its name to Syfy in July," wrote Doug Rosengard, 41.
"I'm basically sick of most shows on TV and we have no one to blame but ourselves," wrote Dave Wingenroth, 31. "Every time we watch another reality TV show or an unoriginal reboot of an old show or another awful sitcom with a laugh track, we're telling the networks it's okay to produce (such stuff). I find myself watching Discovery or the History Channel because so many mainstream shows are so uninspired or just completely mindless. It's the dumbification of America and we're all participating."
Full results -- broken down by network -- are available at post-gazette.com/tv.
The best part of the annual poll is reading the comments left by voters. Patterns often emerge. This year, viewers seemed particularly upset with ABC's handling of its series.
Comments also provided a glimpse at viewing habits that will shape the medium's future.
"I'm newly 40, with friends ages 20 to 40, and I don't know anyone who watches TV 'live' anymore," wrote Will Bueche of Boulder, Colo. "Everyone downloads their favorite programs -- either from iTunes, Amazon, or elsewhere. I worry that the ratings system is hopelessly off-the-mark."
More comments and demographic details of voters in Keep or Cancel poll will be posted next week in the Tuned In Journal blog at post-gazette.com/tv/tunedin.
Kangas leaving 'NBR'
Paul Kangas, the 30-year veteran anchor of PBS's "Nightly Business Report," known for wishing viewers "the very best of good buys," will leave the program at the end of the year.
"I'm not retiring," Kangas said in a statement. "Business news is what I know and it's what I am. So I plan to stay involved through speaking engagements, guest commentaries, television appearances and consultation."
"NBR" producers have started the search for a new co-anchor to join anchor Susie Gharib.
Channel surfing
CBS's "Million Dollar Password," hosted by Regis Philbin, returns with new episodes May 24, airing at 8 p.m. EDT Sunday. ... The original, British version of "The Office" will air in Cartoon Network's Adult Swim block beginning this summer. ... ABC Family has canceled the comedy "Roommates." ... Disney XD has renewed "Aaron Stone." ... The CW is likely to cease programming Sunday nights this fall, concentrating its promotions on Monday through Friday programming. ... Spike TV will televise reruns of HBO's "Entourage" beginning early next year. ... Fox has canceled "Talk Show with Spike Feresten." ... Comcast digital cable subscribers will have access to a free HBO preview from 6 a.m. Sunday through 6 a.m. Wednesday to coincide with the premiere of "The Alzheimer's Project" documentaries.
(E-mail Rob Owen at rowen(at)post-gazette.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, www.scrippsnews.com.)
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