Demise of broadcast TV is a hot topic

September 21, 2009 Nervousness at the Emmys is nothing new, but those who took the stage Sunday at the Nokia Theatre exhibited a different kind of anxiety, referencing declining broadcast ratings in general and Emmy apathy in particular. During a time when broadcast has struggled to stave off ratings declines as cable networks and online viewing rise, the Emmys drew a record-low 12.3 million viewers last year. Looking to turn around the ratings fortunes, the ceremony's producers shook things up, trying to inject entertaining tidbits into even the most routine of conventions -- like reading nominees off a Facebook page.

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