It wouldn't comment on whether the controversy surrounding the show had anything to do with it. The issue was pushed into the limelight early this year shortly after Paramount, which is owned by Viacom Inc., and Schlessinger announced that they would launch the TV show this fall. Over the past several weeks, many local stations, including CBS-Ch. 2, which has the rights to the TV show in Chicago, have become targets of protests. Management at Channel 2 has met with local advocacy groups to discuss the issues and, like other stations so far, it has not decided to shelve Schlessinger's show. Paramount has told us it will be fair.
Television is tricky.
Many TV executives believe that the advertiser pullout and the controversy surrounding the show could end up further polarizing what is expected to be a polarizing show. Paramount may be willing to take a hit in its first run of the show if it sees an equal, positive response from the conservative right, says Northwestern's Nordhielm. Unlike network prime-time shows, where advertisers can view pilots, advertisers usually can't see what a new talk show will look like until it airs. Paramount isn't telling advertising buyers much about the show's content.