The phenomenon of 1999 may be on its way to being canceled completely – and if it happens, executives have no one but themselves to blame.

“Who Wants to Be a Millionaire,” the British import which debuted in the United States in summer 1999 to sky-high ratings, has been shoved off ABC’s Monday lineup, effective March 4. Why? Perhaps its competition – namely another British import – has something to do with it. (Now that’s an understatement.)

“Where should we put Millionaire?” I can envision the studio heads agonizing over this last summer. “I know!” says a bright exec. “Let’s put it opposite the only other quiz show on network television and as a lead-in to an entirely different demographic!”

Yup. Bright move. Pit Regis Philbin against Anne Robinson and “Weakest Link” in a battle for the brains. Of all the hours ABC could place it, they put it against its strongest, in theory only, competition.

Apparently the execs don’t qualify to be on the show.

This season, many viewers who enjoy watching both had to make a choice. Do we want to watch the slower-paced format of “Millionaire,” or the faster-paced “Weakest Link?” Both have their pluses and minuses. Both have their share of idiots that make you question how they got there: “Where are the 2008 Olympics just voted to be held? Reege, can I use a lifeline?” Or “In which decade did Martin Luther King Jr. give his `I Have a Dream’ speech? Umm, the 1930s?”

Silly contestants aside, my question is – or was – “Which one do I watch?” Thousands of other trivia buffs did the same. No matter how ABC would like to slice it, it lost a substantial portion of its audience. When push comes to shove, the faster-paced show wins. I’m sorry, Regis, I really am.

Not only that, but its sister station tie-ins hurt the show in the fall. ESPN carried a pregame show for “Monday Night Football” during the second half-hour of “Millionaire.” Plenty of sports fans with cable went there, and then returned to ABC for the game. So much for trying to attract people who wouldn’t ordinarily watch.

But why did ABC want to sacrifice a cash cow in this manner? It’s not fun to have to decide between shows like this. But that’s called ratings, they say. Happens all the time. Well yes, but when you’re trying to place comedies and dramas, it’s hard not to run into another of the same genre. But when the situation could have been easily avoided, like in this case, there should be no reason to.

ABC would better serve all involved, and help their bottom line, by not canceling the second show outright and instead moving it to another day. Put something in that Monday time slot that either can hold its own or toss a sacrificial lamb. “The Chair,” perhaps? Something that I don’t want to watch, so I can see my snippy Brit and have my Regis too. Why, with “The Chair” ABC could still keep “competing” against “Weakest Link,” except this time the choice would be much easier.

And if you are only going to leave us with Thursday showings, could we at least have normal people on again? No more pick-a-category celebrities, models or whatever other group you create.

ABC’s Michael Davies said in early December, “We had hoped to have at least two or three years under which we would be able to rebuild under the glow of “Millionaire”, and unfortunately, we got barely one,” he said. Well, when two lights are shining at the same audience at the same time, how do you expect to bask in any glow?

When next season rolls around and the execs want to find out what went wrong, they should find a mirror.

Jeff Morrison is a sophomore in journalism and political science from Traer. He is a copy editor for the Daily.