ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1996, Roanoke Times
DATE: Saturday, September 28, 1996 TAG: 9610010105
SECTION: SPECTATOR PAGE: S-6 EDITION: METRO
DATELINE: WASHINGTON
SOURCE: JOHN CARMODY THE WASHINGTON POST
The just-canceled ``America's Most Wanted'' will return to the prime-time schedule as a mid-season backup series ``with a fresh new look,'' Fox Broadcasting announced Tuesday.
Since the network announced the cancellation earlier this year, there has been an outpouring of support for the anti-crime series, which has been credited with helping law enforcement agencies capture some 430 fugitives and recover 20 missing children since it began in 1988. The show has reportedly received about 7,000 letters from viewers, most of the nation's governors and police organizations protesting the cancellation.
There had been talk that Peter Roth, Fox Entertainment's new president and a fan of the show, might overrule the decision of his predecessor, John Matoian.
Tuesday, on his first official day on the job, Roth did just that, ordering ``multiple episodes'' of the series.
The Washington-produced, hour-long show ended an eight-year run on the network Sept. 21 with an episode featuring its creator and host, John Walsh, talking for the first time on the program about his son's murder in 1981, the event that motivated him eventually to begin the show.
That ``finale'' averaged a 5.5 national rating and a 10 percent audience share, finishing 85th among 91 series aired on the four big networks.
Nonetheless, Roth said in a statement Tuesday, ``there has been an enormous outpouring from law enforcement agencies, government officials - including governors of 37 states - and viewers asking us to keep [the show] on the air. Never before has a television program made such a clear and significant impact on people's lives. We are extremely proud of John Walsh and of the show's accomplishments and we are delighted to continue its good work on Fox.''
Roth said no decision had been made regarding the production site of ``America's Most Wanted'' when it returns. Internal network talk is that it could move from Washington, where it's been since 1988, to California. At its peak the show employed 70 in Washington; at the time of its cancellation, 50 were working on the series.
Roth further established that a firm new hand is on the tiller at Fox by dropping two failing Monday night sitcoms and issuing a small vote of confidence for the game show ``Big Deal,'' Fox's underpowered Sunday night competition for ``60 Minutes.''
``Party Girl'' and ``Lush Life'' will have final outings this week, but Fox is saying the former is going on hiatus - which gives ``Lush Life'' the dubious honor of being the first network series to feel the ax this season. Both shows will have had four outings when they leave.
If Roth needed any help in making that decision, this past Monday's 4.1 national rating and six share for ``Party'' and the 3.5/5 for ``Lush Life'' were convincers.
No immediate replacements for the 9-10 Monday time slot were announced, but there's no hurry - Fox will be carrying baseball playoff games on the following two Monday nights.
Roth also announced additional orders for ``Big Deal,'' which will finish its scheduled run as previously announced this Sunday night but will remain in production as a backup series.
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