[ReignOfError]

Oh, contraire, i'm afraid. Those shows are the biggest hits on History Channel and have boosted their bottom line considerably. They've actually cracked the Basic Cable Top 10 ratings list for the first time on their strength.

The problem is that all the cable networks are chasing the same middle-of-the-road, lowest common denominator audience. Reality programming is cheap to produce (not that the History Channel's formula of stock footage and voice over was very expensive), and draws a bigger audience than niche fare. Which is why you can't find history on the History Channel, science on Discovery, science fiction on SciFi SyFy, courts and criminal justice programming on CourtTV TruTV, music on Music Television or Video Hits 1 MTV or VH1, or classic movies on American Movie Classics AMC.

I miss my niche channels.

[Bubba Ho-Tep]

The problem is that all the cable networks are chasing the same middle-of-the-road, lowest common denominator audience.

I'm afraid that's what you get with an advertising-based media landscape. There's no incentive to pursue the niche audience because the advertisers don't find enough value for their marketing dollar in them.