Mark Burnett Is What Is WRONG With 'Murica (And He Is Finally FAILING) [View All]

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Reality is getting a bit harsh for TV mega-producer Mark Burnett.

The man behind the blockbuster reality series "Survivor" and "The Apprentice" -- and Martha Stewart's two upcoming shows -- appears to have stumbled badly with his new reality series on Viacom Inc.'s CBS. "Rock Star: INXS," a competition to find a new lead singer for the 1980s rock band INXS, premiered on July 11 to some of the worst ratings of Mr. Burnett's career.

With an average audience of just 3.3 million young adults, according to Nielsen Media Research, the show is performing worse on many nights than the re-runs CBS aired in the time slots a year ago. CBS is seriously weighing scheduling changes related to the series. "Am I disappointed? Yes," Mr. Burnett says. "But when you've had the level of success that I've had, people hold you to a different standard. Nobody bats a thousand in this business."

The problem is that this is Mr. Burnett's third strikeout, raising new concerns that the once white-hot reality genre is fading. "Rock Star: INXS" is the reality kingpin's third series in a row to fail. Last year's "The Casino" averaged a tiny 2.7 million young adult viewers, ranking it in the bottom third of all shows on network TV; "The Contender," Mr. Burnett's expensive boxing-themed series on General Electric Co.'s NBC, didn't fare much better.

As recently as last year, networks could slap even poorly made reality shows on the air and attract a big audience. But the scramble for cheap, easy ratings led to a glut of shows. Last fall, a record 17 reality programs appeared on network TV alone, up from eight a year earlier. Quality sank even lower.

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