• Multichannel News, Friday, February 20, 2009 9:45 AM

Which cable networks would viewers refuse to give up? ESPN and Discovery Channel would be on the top of their list, according to a survey by Solutions Research Group. Last November, SRG asked 1,200 U.S. TV viewers which broadcast and cable channels they considered "must keep" if they had a limited set of channels.

Viewers picked one or two broadcast networks first; their order of preference was ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox. Rounding out the rest of the top 10 "must keep" channels in order were: ESPN, Discovery Channel, History, Sci Fi Channel, HBO and Food Network. Of the two major cable news networks, CNN came in at No. 14 and Fox News was No. 18.

"Momentum brands" in the survey included Sci Fi, which moved into the No. 8 spot from No. 14 a year earlier and Food Network, which entered into the top 10 for the first time. USA moved to the No. 11 spot from 20 a year earlier.

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