• Wired, Thursday, August 7, 2008 10 AM

It's been a rotten year for network television as broadcasters try to hold on to viewers who find more compelling content online or on cable TV.

While major networks struggle to create content that meets the FCC's decency standards, HBO, Showtime and AMC have pumped out profitable hits such as "The Sopranos," "Sex & The City" and "Mad Men" with profanity and sex. "These are shows that could only be developed in a more relaxed regulatory environment," says market researcher Gerry Kaufhold. The migration of viewers has also made it tougher to attract talent to the networks, making the problem worse.

"To some extent, this culture has got to grow up ... there are a lot of people who would like to watch something more sophisticated than "Father Knows Best," says Syracuse professor Robert Thompson.

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