shasadou wrote:
The more viewers a television show attracts, the greater the advertising revenue the show generates. The television network Vidnet's most popular show, Starlight, currently earns the network's highest profits, but next year, because of unavoidable increases in production costs, its profits are projected to fall to below the average for Vidnet shows. Therefore, Vidnet would earn greater profits overall if it replaced Starlight with a show of average popularity and production costs.
Which of the following, if true, most seriously weakens the argument?
A. The average profits of Vidnet shows have increased in each of the last three years.
B. Shows that occupy time slots immediately before and after very popular shows tend to have far more viewers that they otherwise would.
C. Starlight currently has the highest production costs of all Vidnet shows.
D. Last year Vidnet lost money on a weekly show that was substantially similar to Starlight and was broadcast on a different day from Starlight.
E. Even if, as a result of increased production costs, Starlight becomes less profitable than the average for Vidnet shows, it will still be more profitable than the average for television shows of all networks combined.
The argument centers on the fact that while Starlight is Vidnet’s most popular show, it is not as profitable as the average Vidnet show. The conclusion drawn is that Vidnet could increase profits by replacing Starlight with a show of average popularity and average profitability.
As we will see, the correct answer choice weakens the argument by calling into question the conclusion that replacing Starlight would result in Vidnet’s earning greater profits overall.
(A) The average profits of Vidnet shows have increased in each of the last three years.
While this choice indicates that the profits Vidnet earns on shows are generally increasing, it does not negate the fact that the profits earned on Starlight are projected to decrease. Notice that we are told that Starlight “currently earns the network's highest profits, but next year, because of unavoidable increases in production costs, its profits are projected to fall to below the average for Vidnet shows.” So, choice (A) does not affect the argument.
(B) Shows that occupy time slots immediately before and after very popular shows tend to have far more viewers that they otherwise would.
This choice does not mention either the show Starlight or profits. However, let’s not be quick to eliminate it by calling it “out of scope.” Rather, let’s see how some reasoning connects what it says to the argument.
The choice mentions “very popular shows,” and from the passage we know that Starlight is very popular. So, this choice is logically connected to the topic of the show Starlight.
Further, the choice mentions that shows before or after a very popular show have far more viewers than they otherwise would, and we know from the passage, “The more viewers a television show attracts, the greater the advertising revenue the show generates.” So, this choice is also connected to revenue, and thus to profits.
As a result of these connections, choice B is essentially conveying the following:
“It is likely that the shows that occupy the time slots immediately before and after Starlight are much more profitable for Vidnet than they would be were Starlight not between them.”
Do we know for sure that those shows would be less profitable for Vidnet if Starlight were not between them? No. Does choice (B) give us reason to call into question the conclusion that replacing Starlight with a show of average popularity and profitability would result in an overall increase in profits for Vidnet? Absolutely, and the correct answer does not have to destroy the argument. It only has to call the conclusion into question. This answer definitely calls into question the conclusion.
So, this choice is our answer.
(C) Starlight currently has the highest production costs of all Vidnet shows.
The cost of producing Starlight is not the issue here. That Starlight is less profitable than other Vidnet shows has already been established, and information on the relative level of Starlight’s production costs does not change our understanding of the relative profitability of Starlight. So, what this choice says has no effect on the argument.
(D) Last year Vidnet lost money on a weekly show that was substantially similar to Starlight and was broadcast on a different day from Starlight.
That Vidnet lost money on a similar show does not affect the outcome of replacing Starlight with a less popular but more profitable show. So, what this choice says does not affect the argument.
(E) Even if, as a result of increased production costs, Starlight becomes less profitable than the average for Vidnet shows, it will still be more profitable than the average for television shows of all networks combined.
This choice is tempting, because in saying that Starlight would be more profitable than the average network television show, it indicates that Vidnet would earn greater-than-average profits by continuing to produce and air Starlight. However, the conclusion is not based on whether Starlight would be more profitable for Vidnet than the average television show is for the average network. It is based on the already established fact that Starlight’s profitability is projected to fall below the average for SHOWS AIRED BY VIDNET. Therefore, this choice does not affect the argument.
The correct answer is B.