The Sci Fi Channel changed its name to "Syfy". Everyone hated it. Many people insist on pronouncing it "Siffy" to make fun of it. They have also announced their intention to produce more reality shows and push away from science fiction. Everyone hates the idea. However, if the ratings indicate that they get higher viewership this way, they will keep moving away from their "traditional" programming until they are a hyperactive MTV clone.

What those numbers will not indicate, however, is the large body of disenfranchised science fiction fans who are now ripe for the plucking by some other science fiction channel. When you alienate your core audience and replace them with ADHD tweenies, of whom there are more, your raw numbers will go up, but you'll push into an occupied niche, vacating one that was all your own. It looks good on paper, but it would look better on paper if you had started your ADHD channel as well as the science fiction one, since the audiences don't overlap that much.

Mokalus of Borg

PS - It's a problem of not looking deep enough into the statistics.
PPS - Ratings aren't deep enough at all, but advertisers don't much care.