As far as broadcasting is concerned, the population drops into four categories: the 18-to-34 viewers (and their young children); to 35-to-49 plus growing kids; the 50-to-64s, and the 65-plus.
Gunsmoke, which certainly looked healthy enough on the Nielsen chart, recently was pulling a 21.7 rating and placed 26th in the popularity poll. That was better than The Monkees, Star Trek, Lost in Space — all renewed for another season and all counted among the successful programs.
GUNSMOKE'S ailment is in the demographic area. Surveys reveal that its popularity with viewers over 50 is infinitely greater than with the 18-to-34 and the 35-to-49 groups. And, after all, the over-50s are constantly getting older or dying off — and they are in smaller families that don't buy as much soap, beer, ice boxes, cars, cake mixes or anything else as young consumers. So, Gunsmoke was shaky — particularly since it costs about $200,000 a week to produce.
Cynthia Lowry, Associated Press, Why Gunsmoke Almost Fell--Young Folks Don't Watch It, Press & Sun Bulletin, Sun, March 19, 1967, p.40.