IT is not yet clear how well Martha Stewart's new television shows will do, but one thing has become apparent: since the shows began to air, a lot of investors in Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia have been selling.

Since Sept. 12, when Ms. Stewart's syndicated talk show "Martha" made its debut, shares of Martha Stewart's company have fallen 19.5 percent, to $27.16 a share. About a quarter of that decline came yesterday, as shares fell almost 6 percent the day after her version of "The Apprentice" made its debut to less-than-stellar ratings on NBC.

Ratings for "The Apprentice: Martha Stewart," in which Ms. Stewart's company holds no financial interest, were about 30 percent lower than both NBC and its competitors expected, one network executive said.
The New York Times, September 23, 2005

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