In the fourth quarter, Food Network, which helped launch the careers of celebrity chefs Sandra Lee and Rachael Ray, posted a 10.3% drop among viewers ages 25 to 54, considered a key category for
advertisers. Post photo composite What's more, the network's quarterly declines worsened throughout the year, falling 3.3% in the second quarter and 4.5% in the third quarter, according to Nielsen
figures.
It doesn't help that both networks are starved for new shows, analysts say. Food Network's prime-time schedule relies heavily on four shows: "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives," "Chopped," "The Best Thing I Ever Ate" and "Unwrapped."
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