Cable's Reach, Revenue, Ratings Threaten Network TV's Supremacy

Any way you slice it -- reach, revenue, ratings, and respect -- cable is king. Today, with about 90% of Americans now subscribing in some form, basic cable is basically the norm. Revenue is rising, up 14% over the past two years, to $48 billion, compared with a 4% slump for broadcast channels, to $16 billion. "Broadcast television's audience share has been eaten away," says Bill Gorman, media analyst and cofounder of TV by the Numbers. "The danger to broadcast TV isn't the Internet -- it's cable." To set themselves apart in an increasingly cluttered cable box, channels often begin by targeting a niche audience and then push into the mainstream with original programming. Which midsize channels will bully their way into the top ranks? And which new networks have staying power?