SHORT TAKES : ‘Capital News’ Series Suspended but Will Return, ABC Announces

WASHINGTON — Producers of the ABC series “Capital News” were told Tuesday that the series will be canceled after next Monday night’s episode.

A spokesman for ABC Entertainment, however, said the series has been put “on hiatus” and will return later this year.

The decision was apparently based, in part, on another poor performance Monday night, when “Capital News” averaged an 8.2 rating and a 15% audience share at 10 p.m., behind NBC’s new “Shannon’s Deal,” at 10.2-19.8, and “Newhart” and “His & Hers” on CBS, which together averaged an 11.2-21 in that same time slot.

The MTM production will have aired four times, including a two-hour pilot. Nine additional programs have been completed.

Christian Williams, the former Washington Post editor who was executive producer of the series along with David Milch, said Tuesday: “It was an overwhelming rejection. Viewers just didn’t sample the show.”