In an industry where weak ratings lead to early cancellations, the Disney-owned ABC television network has ordered additional episodes of its lowest-rated program, the controversial “Nothing Sacred.”
The New York-based Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights says the program is thinly veiled propaganda designed “to convince viewers that those Catholics who challenge the church’s teachings on women and sexuality are more compassionate … than those who uphold church teachings.”
The television series about a liberal Catholic priest has led to a boycott by the Catholic League, and sharp criticism from other Christian leaders. It ranks 94th in the A.C.Nielsen ratings, serving as an anchor that helps drag ABC down into third place (the network finished just ahead of FOX in the recent sweeps).
ABC gave “Nothing Sacred” a full-season order of episodes, and will move it to Saturday night, where it won’t have to compete with NBC’s popular comedy line-up. Still uncertain is whether ABC will air an already-completed episode of the program in which a priest admits that he is a homosexual and is HIV-positive.
– E.P. News
