By Carrie Sheffield
For students and faculty at BYU who watched and worked with the CBS program 'Touched by an Angel,' the announcement of its cancellation has met with both disappointment and relief.
In its ninth year, the show has received plummeting ratings and an audience comprised of an older population, to the angst of youth-oriented advertisers.
CBS announced the show''s end Monday Jan. 13 at the Television Critics Association press tour.
The show, starring Roma Downey and Della Reese, features a group of angels who intercede in mortals'' behalf. It is filmed in Salt Lake City and other locations throughout the state.
The series concludes in May with a two-hour finale. Its Saturday night prime-time slot will be replaced during the new fall lineup, according to officials at the Salt Lake City CBS affiliate, KUTV.
'We''re so sad to see the show end,' said Leigh Von Der Esch, executive director of the Utah Film Commission. 'Besides its economic effect, the show brought a sense of spirituality and values that were fitting for the state.'
Von Der Esch said the show employed about 200 Utahns, more than 90 percent of its crew, and brought about $200 million into the state''s economy during its run.
BYU faculty and students have weighed in with their opinions about the show''s end.
'The only thing I can say about the cancellation of ''Touched by an Angel'' is that I rejoice,' said Dean Duncan, associate professor of film.
'I''m not surprised,' said Rory Scanlon, professor of visual design. 'I think the show was an intriguing piece because of its family flavor, but it definitely wasn''t one of the most quality scripts on television ... it''s kind of sad that we lost a show of its genre.'
Justin Wong, 23, a media arts major from Bel Air, Maryland, said the show had a niche audience, but its demand was not high enough to keep it going.
'It wasn''t the greatest writing,' Wong said. 'Sometimes it was a bit sappy, a bit melodramatic, but it had an audience. It was a popular show, and it had a religious following.'
Rory Scanlon, professor of visual design said he was not surprised the show was cancelled
'I think the show was an intriguing piece because of its family flavor, but it definitely wasn''t one of the most quality scripts on television,' Scanlon said. 'It''s kind of sad that we lost a show of its genre.'
Several BYU graduates have worked for 'Touched by an Angel,' including Adam Anderegg, director of the LDS-film Charly. Many students have had small acting parts on the show, Scanlon said.
One professor said she feels the program''s conclusion will have negative repercussions.
'It affects the whole state in the sense that it was a pretty nice employment for students,' said, film professor, Sharon Swensen. 'Since we graduate a lot of people, and some of them want to stay in Utah, it''ll definitely affect employment in that area.'
Scanlon said although CBS will stop making new episodes, he thinks the show will be on the air for years to come through syndication.
However, the series ending, will not end filming in Utah.
'Everwood,' the new WB program about a New York City neurosurgeon who moves his family to a small fictional Colorado town, is currently filmed in Ogden and South Salt Lake.
'We have another new series here, so it''s not like there isn''t anything here for students to work on,' said Barta Heiner, associate professor of theater.