You guys all sound like the Democrats blaming the Southern Democrats for losing the election.
Plain and simple, they lost because their own strategy stunk.
The same is true for enterprise. It's got bad ratings because those making it had a terrible marketing strategy. They purposely told some fans to go stick it where the sun don't shine, they then ignored others that called for better writing, they tried to cater to others with their opening credits, sex, and just about any trick they thought might bring in fans...and failed...terribly in that...and basically ignored ANY and ALL public polls, ideas, and even research in favor of B&B's own ideas. It took the main studio imposing it's will finally to even get them out and instill something of interest (this past season HAS had much better writing) with Coto. The publilc wanted something more along the lines with either a continuation of trek after The TNG era, but even moreso of one a little before Kirk's era, or even right after Kirk's era. B&B wanted a temporal trek. Guess who won that.
The outcry was about the Enterprise NX-01 looking too much like the Akira...that SHOULD have been an easy fix, make it look more like a TOS ship...instead...B&B did as they desired.
The outcry WAS about them blatantly ignoring earlier things from Trek....such as when Klingons were found by the Federation. B&B ignored that.
Still, many gave the show a shot, and ratings for the first show were decent.
Then the outcry besides that was even more strongly for ORIGINAL ideas, and BETTER writing. B&B instead did their own thing.
That was a MAJOR point. If a show is boring and poorly written, or loses the interest of those watching it (personally, I found the first 3 seasons of Enterprise so boring at times, I simply couldn't watch the shows, I'd give it a start, but then by midshow be flipping just to see if anything else was on).
Finally, they wanted to bring in new viewers, but their ideas of a more modern tune, some scantily clad women during some episodes, and suggestive discussion, isn't what really draws in others. Instead Sci-Fi fans would watch Stargate SG-1, those who were not would watch other shows or movies, and hence not many new viewers started watching.
So, they ignored many of those who liked the show...nix that audience.
They ignored many of those who stuck around and watched the show...so they lose a lot of that audience.
And they didn't really suceed in drawing in anybody new to watch.
So basically all that was left were the hardcore fanatacists. It wasn't even those who like trek in general...
And if you only have a very hardcore base who's watching whilst you've lost everyone else...well...that's what I call one of the poorest strategy's period.
In fact, if I didn't know better, I'd have to almost say B&B were purposely trying to kill trek with that strategy.
And you know what, trying to blame the general fans on stupid decisions made by the makers of Enterprise is just stupid. In fact that's about the stupidist logic I can find. The real blame lies in whoever came up with the stupid marketing strategy, and alienated all but the most verdant of loyalists.
As I said, I'd rather have no trek than what I consider to be worthless drivel. Now if they had GOOD shows, heck, of course I'd rather have that, but don't say I have to support the trash of the star trek heap in order to keep that trash going. That's plain idiocy in my eyes.