A major sports programming network experienced a drop in viewership in the week following the airing of a controversial ethnic slur used by one of its reporters. The network also received a very large number of complaints regarding the incident. The network, however, maintains that negative reactions to the offensive slur had nothing to do with its loss of viewers.

Which of the following, if true, most strongly supports the network's position?


(A) The other major sports programming networks reported similar reductions in viewership during the same week.

(B) The viewers who registered complaints with the network were regular viewers of the sports programming network.

(C) Major sports programming networks publicly attribute drops in viewership to their own reports only when they receive complaints about those reports.

(D) This was not the first time that this sports programming network has aired a controversial ethnic slur that has inspired viewers to complain to the network.

(E) Most sports programming network viewers rely on sports network programming as their primary source of information regarding top American sports such as basketball and football