LSAT 158 | Section 3 | Logical Reasoning: Q15

LR Question 15 Explanation

QUESTION TEXT: Selling syndicated reruns of a popular network television…

QUESTION TYPE: Necessary Assumption

CONCLUSION: Selling syndicated reruns of a popular network television program while the program is still running can lead to decreased revenues for the network.

REASONING: Reruns make a lot of money through sale of syndication rights, but over 80% of shows that have reruns and new episodes have immediate ratings drops for the new episodes.

ANALYSIS: We are told that 80% of shows that have both new episodes and reruns simultaneously have ratings drops. The argument uses this to show that the reruns make a show less profitable. What we are missing here is a link between a ratings drop and profits. The argument never tells us that a ratings drop will cause decreased profits.

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1. This supports the argument but is not a necessary assumption on which the argument depends. Negating it doesn’t affect the argument because we already know that most shows with reruns and new episodes decline in ratings.
   Negation: Programs syndicated early aren’t usually long-running hits that will likely decline soon.
2. CORRECT. The argument requires that the ratings drop means less revenue – otherwise, we can’t link the rerun syndication to reduced revenue.
   Negation: A drop in ratings does not decrease revenues.
3. The argument doesn’t depend on this. In fact, it hurts the argument by showing that the losses might be negated!
   Negation: The price of syndication does not include compensation for probable losses.
4. The argument doesn’t rely on this. In fact, it doesn’t matter what the audience prefers – we already know reruns usually cause a ratings drop.
   Negation: Audiences don’t typically prefer first-run episodes to reruns.
5. This doesn’t matter. Even if only 1% of shows are sold into syndication, that’s all we care about. The proportion of syndicated shows changes nothing.
   Negation: Programs are typically sold into syndication.

Recap: The question begins with “Selling syndicated reruns of a popular network television”. It is a Necessary Assumption question. Learn how to master LSAT Necessary questions on the LSAT Logical Reasoning question types page.