Unscripted shows such as Survivor, Deal or No Deal and Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader? are hemorrhaging viewers. Some of this is overexposure and the age of the shows, but can the plummeting ratings be blamed on the recession? “Well, hard times may not have any direct effect on what people choose to watch. But there’s little doubt that during times of upheaval, viewers’ tastes can shift.”