From the WDI Daily Report and Variety
ABC's Answer: June 27 Is 'Millionaire' Finale
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) -- ABC has a final answer for one-time megahit "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The British import, which attracted almost 40 million viewers at its peak but later was partly blamed for ABC's rat-ings declines, will sign off for good as a regular network series June 27. To send it off, the network will air a 90-minute edition of the Regis Philbin-fronted gamer. After that, as it previously announced, "Millionaire" will be revamped as an occasional series of specials, similar to how the program debuted in 1999. "Millionaire" isn't expected to return to primetime until at least November, in order to avoid competing with the show's syndi-cated launch this fall. Briefly the toast of primetime, game shows lost network support as young viewers tuned out, leaving a loyal but less-desirable older-skewing audience. "Millionaire," which attracted 6.7 million viewers last week, also saw its fortunes change as the show turned to more celebrity and special editions. With the departure of "Millionaire" and NBC's "Weakest Link" from this fall's primetime schedules, the trend has now gone full circle: quiz-based game shows have once again been relegated to daytime, syndication and cable.
ABC's Answer: June 27 Is 'Millionaire' Finale
HOLLYWOOD (Variety) -- ABC has a final answer for one-time megahit "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire." The British import, which attracted almost 40 million viewers at its peak but later was partly blamed for ABC's rat-ings declines, will sign off for good as a regular network series June 27. To send it off, the network will air a 90-minute edition of the Regis Philbin-fronted gamer. After that, as it previously announced, "Millionaire" will be revamped as an occasional series of specials, similar to how the program debuted in 1999. "Millionaire" isn't expected to return to primetime until at least November, in order to avoid competing with the show's syndi-cated launch this fall. Briefly the toast of primetime, game shows lost network support as young viewers tuned out, leaving a loyal but less-desirable older-skewing audience. "Millionaire," which attracted 6.7 million viewers last week, also saw its fortunes change as the show turned to more celebrity and special editions. With the departure of "Millionaire" and NBC's "Weakest Link" from this fall's primetime schedules, the trend has now gone full circle: quiz-based game shows have once again been relegated to daytime, syndication and cable.
