ABC’S HOPES RUN HIGH AFTER SEASON OF FLOPS

You can tell a network is in sad shape when its on-air promotions hold more promise than the new fall shows. But that pretty much was the case Wednesday, when ABC introduced Phase II of its “TV Is Good” advertising campaign at the Television Critics Association’s summer press tour.

Along with a fresh crop of pithy observations (“Without a TV, how would you know where to put the sofa?”), the network unveiled short pro-TV plugs called “ABC Cheap Theater,” which feature stick-figure parodies of such films as “Titanic” and “The English Patient.” Not so funny were exchanges between reporters and ABC programming honchos Jamie Tarses and Stu Bloomberg, which basically took the form of: Question, “Why does TV stink?”; Answer, “We don’t think it necessarily does.” While admitting the 1997-98 season was pretty much of a disaster for ABC, the executives said they were pleased that they were able to build a foundation for the future on such shows as “The Practice,” “Dharma & Greg” and “Monday Night Football.” They also were optimistic about the “Fantasy Island” update and a sweeps slate that includes two “Oprah Winfrey Presents. . . ” specials and “Rear Window’ with Christopher Reeve.