What you're looking at here is the death of the special interest programming idea. The old Outdoor Life Network bought tons of programming of this sort. Alongside the upload hunting and bass fishing contests, there was as large a number of hours given to pro cycling as has ever been seen on American channels. One year around 2003-4, my wife, who is a road-cycling nutcase, saw three major European stage races and several one-day races on OLN. Now VS has Le Tour only but PR people assure her that Versus is very interested in "growing cycling." Tilling the bottom line would be more like it. The only niche interests the bean-counters are interested in are events which break out into the general public consciousness and ensure big viewership for lucrative advertising. You may own South Dakota or Georgia and actually have considerable economic or political power in your sphere of influence, but you're just an economic dry hole to the the honch they brought in from E! Entertainment.
jack
