"Steve Burdick" is an episode of the 1990 NBC television series Lifestories, an anthology drama that each week followed a new set of characters dealing with a medical issue.
When his lover dies of the disease, Burdick reveals his own diagnosis on the air to the displeasure of his station manager.
By failing to run this episode, NBC was the only major network not to broadcast a show around World AIDS day.
NBC told GLAAD that the cancellation was prompted by "Lifestories" low ratings and that the feeling about a boy requiring a bone marrow transplant would have more appeal at the show's 8pm Sunday time slot.
He continues to report until he begins to show symptoms of AIDS, at which time the station managers pull him off the air.
[6] Moffett's performance was singled out for praise, as was Richard Gollance's script, for "look[ing] at a number of aspects of the AIDS problem, exploring a variety of attitudes about it".
[5] Gollance's script was also praised by critic Jon Burlingame, writing for United Features Syndicate, for delivering accurate information on AIDS and HIV.
[9] "Steve Burdick" scored a Nielsen rating of 9.7, equating to approximately 9.5 million viewers, and a 17 share, meaning that 17% of all television sets in use during its time period were tuned to the episode.