Ideas for new cable channels!

[anotherguyTN]

I wouldn't mind seeing some of David Letterman's best shows, but even that could be done by Antenna or Me TV rather than a whole network.

 

[K.M. Richards]

No need for a Talk Network unless we think somebody out there wants to see old Dick Cavetts or Joey Bishops.

I wouldn't mind seeing some of David Letterman's best shows ...

Well, we know that Cavett saved a lot of his master tapes from ABC, because they have aired on Turner Classic Movies in the past.

We also know that NBC saved most, if not all, of Letterman's "Late Night" shows because they aired on the now-defunct cable network Trio right before its demise about a decade ago, and Letterman himself owns the masters to his CBS show.

However, those appear to be the exceptions rather than the rule. I still maintain that if tapes existed of Mike Douglas, Merv Griffin, or the other shows from the 1960s and 1970s, we should have seen something of them on YouTube by now.

And absent the "lost tapes" the schedule for an all-talk show network would be, frankly, not all that attractive to viewers due to the high repeat factor and lower variety factor.

 

[Mizzourah]

Subchannel

I've always wondered if it would be feasible to start up a sports sub channel. It seems to be the one thing missing for someone who decides to drop cable and doesn't live online. I'm thinking more of a basic version of Sportscenter or a constant scroll so you can at least keep up w/ current scores/news.

 

[crainbebo]

Too bad CBS had to go the "cheap" way this summer before Stephen Colbert, by airing crime drama reruns at 11:35 (which get probably 100 viewers). "The Best of David Letterman" would have scored a LOT more viewers.

 

[JRH]

CBS has a few more than 100 viewers for the 11:35 programs. From tvbythenumbers.com, here's the average for Aug 3-7:

TOTAL VIEWERS

11:35 p.m.-12:35 a.m. ET
NBC “Tonight,” 3.516 million viewers
CBS “Summer Showcase,” 2.134 million viewers (R)
ABC “Kimmel,” 1.803 million viewers (R)

 

[TheBigA]

"The Best of David Letterman" would have scored a LOT more viewers.

How do you know that was an option?

 

[K.M. Richards]

Too bad CBS had to go the "cheap" way this summer before Stephen Colbert, by airing crime drama reruns at 11:35 (which get probably 100 viewers). "The Best of David Letterman" would have scored a LOT more viewers.

How do you know that was an option?

Never mind that crainbebo is, like so many here, posting an opinion as if it were fact. Here is a real fact, looking two posts above this one: The "cheap" reruns still beat Jimmy Kimmel in the ratings.

This site needs a slogan. I vote for "Armchair Quarterbacking At Its Finest".

 

[TheBigA]

This site needs a slogan. I vote for "Armchair Quarterbacking At Its Finest".

Just because they know how to watch doesn't mean they know the business.

My grandmother used to confuse me with her radiologist. She figured we both did the same thing.

 

[semoochie]

That statement, if carefully considered, supports what skippercollector had surmised. If the original tapes of the old variety shows had survived, shouldn't we have seen something posted on YouTube by now?

I've stumbled across several episodes of Hollywood Palace and even Your Show of Shows and Texaco Star Theater.

 

[TheBigA]

I've stumbled across several episodes of Hollywood Palace and even Your Show of Shows and Texaco Star Theater.

Kinescopes of Your Show of Shows and Texas Star Theater and videotape of the Hollywood Palace are available at the Paley Center of Media. They're one of the best repositories for old TV shows. But you have to be a member to get access. That costs money, and most people here want it for free.

 

[K.M. Richards]

Just because they know how to watch doesn't mean they know the business.

And just because we explain it to them doesn't mean they learned anything, as you and I both know.

 

[K.M. Richards]

I've stumbled across several episodes of Hollywood Palace and even Your Show of Shows and Texaco Star Theater.

The only variety show I've encountered with a "full set" of kinescopes available was the Colgate Comedy Hour, and even then only the Martin & Lewis episodes had no omissions.

I did a quick search on YouTube for "Mike Douglas Show", just out of curiosity. I found two full shows and several clips. One video labeled "restored", from 1968, has as its notes:
Airing 8/16/68--this is the only remaining part of the show that exists. It was fully restored from the original 3/4 master. This is the only master known to exist.
And it only had 22 minutes of restorable video.

That "all talk show" channel is really looking iffy now.

 

[crainbebo]

Mike Douglas went all the way to November 1981. I don't think people were wiping by 1981 in most cases - somewhere in a vault, there are probably dozens and dozens of masters ready to be played.
When it comes to the 1990s talk shows - I know Oprah Winfrey's library is owned by herself (with some reruns aired on OWN), don't know about the rest, including Geraldo, Sally Jessy Raphael, 1st-generation Maury Povich (pre-trash talk), or Rosie O'Donnell.

-crainbebo

 

[K.M. Richards]

Mike Douglas went all the way to November 1981. I don't think people were wiping by 1981 in most cases - somewhere in a vault, there are probably dozens and dozens of masters ready to be played.

Absent some of those turning up, I don't think you and I can do much more than speculate as to whether or not such tapes exist. But until and unless they do, there simply isn't material for a "classic talk show" channel if you wanted to include anything other than the 1980s and 1990s shows you cited.

In reviewing the thread, the question of performance rights has been raised. In fact, we will have to wait until January to see if the Carson estate even has the rights to include the musical performances in the Tonight Show reruns. One thing that concerns me in looking at this in the light of that question is that the guests on talk shows had to sign contracts (if they were professionals in the business) or waivers (if they were "ordinary" people). Those contracts and waivers may well have had fixed periods of time for reuse of appearance, and just trying to determine if a given piece of tape is in the clear legally for that reason could keep several dozen attorneys busy for the rest of their lives.

Ask yourself this: Is anyone going to go to that expense to create a channel which will have mostly over-55 viewers, who do not exactly have the advertising community breaking down the doors demanding sponsorship availabilities?

This is rapidly turning into a Pandora's Jar (look it up, it wasn't a box)-opening suggestion.

 

[TheBigA]

Those contracts and waivers may well have had fixed periods of time for reuse of appearance

Some do, some don't, depending on the show and the act. That's what makes this so complicated. The thing about YouTube is it's mainly an amateur thing, not a professional cable channel. Amateurs will post video that they don't own, even though the rules are pretty clear. But if you're a cable channel with a street address where lawyers can send C&Ds, you better have the rights. Every guest on every TV show signs a performance form. It states the possible usage for their performance, and any future rights or payments. Some performers cross those things out (if they can, and they're smart). Keep in mind the main reason a performer appears in a talk show is to promote a current song, record, or appearance. That promotion is a waste of time 50 years later. If you're in AFTRA (and most guests join so they can receive the union performance fee), there are limitations in usage and payment as well, and those would have to be renegotiated, either with the guests or their representatives, and payments would apply. As I said, it's all about getting the rights, which is a time consuming thing, and paying everyone involved. Yes finding the original masters is also important, but once you do, everyone wants to get paid.

 

[LKellerIII]

Mike Douglas went all the way to November 1981. I don't think people were wiping by 1981 in most cases - somewhere in a vault, there are probably dozens and dozens of masters ready to be played.
When it comes to the 1990s talk shows - I know Oprah Winfrey's library is owned by herself (with some reruns aired on OWN), don't know about the rest, including Geraldo, Sally Jessy Raphael, 1st-generation Maury Povich (pre-trash talk), or Rosie O'Donnell.

-crainbebo

But again...who would watch old Mike Douglas Shows? The novelty would wear off quickly. We'd all want to see the "great" moments. IIRC, that sequence of Tiger Woods as a little boy hitting golf balls was from Mike Douglas. But other than those fun special moments, most of it would seem dated and boring.

And the more topical shows, like Oprah, would seem even more dated. At least to me, there's nothing more dull than watching "current events" that aren't current anymore - unless they are portrayed as history...that's different. But I don't even like watching reruns of current late night talk shows, because I have to sit through 6 month old jokes about politicians, etc. Think about how irritating it will be to hear old Donald Trump candidate jokes next spring.