CBC cancels Sophie, cites low ratings

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TORONTO -- The CBC's half-hour comedy Sophie is being cancelled due to low ratings, the public broadcaster said Friday while insisting the move had nothing to do with a financial crunch that forced it to reduce episodes of several marquee series.

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Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 28/03/2009 (6396 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

TORONTO — The CBC’s half-hour comedy Sophie is being cancelled due to low ratings, the public broadcaster said Friday while insisting the move had nothing to do with a financial crunch that forced it to reduce episodes of several marquee series.

CBC spokesman Jeff Keay said the sitcom about a spunky single mom simply failed to connect with viewers after two seasons.

Keay said ratings had dipped to below 200,000 viewers per episode in recent weeks. It had drawn about 300,000 viewers in mid-February.

By comparison, the CBC’s popular Rick Mercer Report routinely draws well over one million viewers, while Being Erica draws around 600,000, he said.

On Thursday, Richard Stursberg, executive vice-president of CBC’s English services, said sinking ad revenues forced the broadcaster to reduce the number of episodes of shows including Being Erica, The Border and Little Mosque on the Prairie.

Sophie, starring Natalie Brown, debuted in January 2008.

 

— The Canadian Press

 

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