NBC's Sweeps Tastelessness

Coincidence? Right after Columbine, the WB cancelled their episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer because of parallels in the high school violence theme. Now, shortly after the explosion at a Michigan senior citizen's home, NBC shows an episode of ER which features a fire at a nursing home.

Now the question is, did NBC decide to be tasteless because it's sweeps week, or is it merely our culture's usual indifference to the elderly?

Either way, a surprising lapse considering how responsive the networks try to appear to public sensibilities. Or does this not count because it's senior citizens instead of teens?