Bishops oppose Catholic League on show: ABC considering new time slot for program - ABC's TV series, 'Nothing Sacred' supported by church hierarchy

National Catholic Reporter, Nov 14, 1997 by John L. Jr. Allen

The controversy surrounding "Nothing Sacred" continues to draw interest. National Public Radio recently did a segment on it, as did CNN's Crossfire.

Many insiders regard the Thursday time slot and not the Catholic League boycott, as "Nothing Sacred's" biggest enemy. "NBC owns Thursday night," one observer said, noting that "Nothing Sacred" is not alone in its inability to make a dent against "Friends."

"ABC has a long-standing problem with developing hourlong dramas, because it has nowhere from them to go," the observer said, noting that three out of five weeknight 10 p.m. EST slots on ABC's schedule are filled with news magazines, which draw mediocre ratings but are much cheaper to produce. Observers regard 10 p.m. as the most desirable slot for hourlong dramas.

The network is considering an offer from King Pound Associates, a firm that specializes in placing advertisements in the Catholic press, to place ads promoting "Nothing Sacred" in Catholic newspapers.