USA Today has an interesting story about the rise in popularity of television food shows.

And Scripps Networks, which saw prime-time ratings for its Food Network spike 29% this year to a new record, is turning its underachieving Fine Living Network into a 24-hour Cooking Channel next May.

They partially attribute the success to a change in type of food show.

Food Network’s ratings took off only when the channel sidelined “stand-and-stir” demonstrations from prime time in favor of competitions (Iron Chef America, Next Food Network Star) and celebrity-chef series.

I wonder how this all plays with the theory that people are cooking for themselves less in favor of watching other people cook.