"AMERICA'S MOST WANTED" GET THE AXE

[gregg75]

FOX will only air the show 4 times a year as 2 hour specials. Maybe this move will open up Saturday
nights for some REAL competition and entertainment among the networks.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/fox...john-walsh-is-shopping-it-around/#more-132461

 

[Iowan]

Not again! In 1996, John Walsh announced on Rosie O'Donnell's talk show that America's Most Wanted was leaving after that summer, only to return later that fall. Now it's leaving AGAIN?

Surely, there MUST be a better alternative. Here are some ideas: Instead of ending the show, put it on My Network TV or syndicate it (if anyone remembers the 30 minute AMW spinoff Final Justice...)

 

[gregg75]

He should call the CW or MY NETWORK TV, they would probably be happy to have him!

 

[vchimpanzee]

This show can't go off the air. It's a public service.

I can't recall if I personally have ever seen an episode, but that's not important.

 

[ShawnHill1]

FOX will only air the show 4 times a year as 2 hour specials. Maybe this move will open up Saturday
nights for some REAL competition and entertainment among the networks.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/fox...john-walsh-is-shopping-it-around/#more-132461

It was inevitable once Fox got its hand on the Pac-12 college football package in the new contract (I believe they're also going to air Big 12 games in prime time as well), and even moreso since they're carrying more MLB games in primetime (this past weekend being an example).

 

[microbob]

At least Tru TV could pick it up if either CW or My Network pass on it

 

[imhomerjay]

How would killing off AMW open anything up? Nothing about the available audience has changed as a result, and if that show wasn't making money, it says something about the economic viability of programming in that slot.

 

[recto101]

How about more prime-time Nascar or Prime-Time Baseball taking over the AMW spot.

 

[Markieo]

I remember the first time AMW got cancelled. It was replaced with a Brian Bosworth series that was so bad it was cancelled after one week!

Doesn't FOX ever learn from it's mistakes? ???

 

[gregg75]

How would killing off AMW open anything up? Nothing about the available audience has changed as a result, and if that show wasn't making money, it says something about the economic viability of programming in that slot.

FOX had such substancial ratings on Saturdays that most networks had thrown in the towel. Now,
maybe they will do something worthwhile. It's all in that post about Saturdays being worthless on TV
from a couple months ago. FOX obviously has something "better" in mind, but will it work? Or will
the other networks step forward? Regardless, wait and see if Saturday's don't get better because of
this!

 

[imhomerjay]

I almost think that was serious. Fox had substantial ratings? No, they didn't even make money on the show anymore, and it isn't exactly the costliest hour of TV. They had cheap filler, just not as cheap as COPS.

What Fox has in mind is precisely what the other networks already know: encores are more cost effective.

There's no one at ABC, CBS or NBC suddenly rethinking Saturday nights because the AMW audience is suddenly in play.

 

[azumanga]

What Fox has in mind is precisely what the other networks already know: encores are more cost effective.

Apparently, what's stopping Fox from moving Cops to another night (or MyNetworkTV) having an entire evening of reruns or movies, like the other networks?

Nevertheless, I won't be surprised if AMW comes back once more as a weekly program -- demand from law enforcement, the FBI and loyal viewers led to Fox bringing the show back after it was canned the first time.

 

[imhomerjay]

Cops won't move to another night becaus watching drunken fools do stupid things isn't going to cut it on another night. It's bargain basement filler that makes some cash with a small audience and syndication. They're content with one's performance, not the other...that's enough reason.

Much can change in15 years. Just because it was brought back that long ago doesn't mean they will decide to continue losing money on it.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

What Fox has in mind is precisely what the other networks already know: encores are more cost effective.

Apparently, what's stopping Fox from moving Cops to another night (or MyNetworkTV) having an entire evening of reruns or movies, like the other networks?

Nevertheless, I won't be surprised if AMW comes back once more as a weekly program -- demand from law enforcement, the FBI and loyal viewers led to Fox bringing the show back after it was canned the first time.

Also the shows that replaced AMW when it was cancelled the first time had even lower ratings, now they're just putting reruns in that slot

 

[nomadcowatbk]

Cops won't move to another night becaus watching drunken fools do stupid things isn't going to cut it on another night. It's bargain basement filler that makes some cash with a small audience and syndication. They're content with one's performance, not the other...that's enough reason.

Much can change in15 years. Just because it was brought back that long ago doesn't mean they will decide to continue losing money on it.

They still run 20 year old COPS reruns

 

[gregg75]

I almost think that was serious. Fox had substantial ratings? No, they didn't even make money on the show anymore, and it isn't exactly the costliest hour of TV. They had cheap filler, just not as cheap as COPS.

What Fox has in mind is precisely what the other networks already know: encores are more cost effective.

There's no one at ABC, CBS or NBC suddenly rethinking Saturday nights because the AMW audience is suddenly in play.

But their Saturday night ratings were a constant winner............and that I think was a hold up for the
other networks to be more competitive. We'll see who's right (me or you) by November, when the dust has settled!!!!!

 

[Nate Wesley]

FOX will only air the show 4 times a year as 2 hour specials. Maybe this move will open up Saturday
nights for some REAL competition and entertainment among the networks.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/fox...john-walsh-is-shopping-it-around/#more-132461

It was inevitable once Fox got its hand on the Pac-12 college football package in the new contract (I believe they're also going to air Big 12 games in prime time as well), and even moreso since they're carrying more MLB games in primetime (this past weekend being an example).

Saturday nights may be the 'dead spot' for scripted programming, but they've proven to be great for the sports bar crowd, primarily for the stay-at-home-HDTV-sports-bar crowd. ESPN Saturday Night Football (on ABC) has now become Disney's highest profile CFB telecast. You've seen CBS Sports enthusiastically move one or two SEC on CBS games to Saturday nights, not to mention its dabbling in primetime MMA specials.

Fox Sports, not really a stranger to Saturday night CFB with regional/national Pac-10 games on the Fox Sports Net channels, apparently sees fresher ad dollars to be made on occasion. I'll welcome it if only because I don't want more sports leaving free OTA TV.

I'm not terribly worried about America's Most Wanted or Cops, because those shows will easily find life on other networks or in weekly syndication.

 

[nomadcowatbk]

FOX will only air the show 4 times a year as 2 hour specials. Maybe this move will open up Saturday
nights for some REAL competition and entertainment among the networks.

http://www.deadline.com/2011/05/fox...john-walsh-is-shopping-it-around/#more-132461

It was inevitable once Fox got its hand on the Pac-12 college football package in the new contract (I believe they're also going to air Big 12 games in prime time as well), and even moreso since they're carrying more MLB games in primetime (this past weekend being an example).

Saturday nights may be the 'dead spot' for scripted programming, but they've proven to be great for the sports bar crowd, primarily for the stay-at-home-HDTV-sports-bar crowd. ESPN Saturday Night Football (on ABC) has now become Disney's highest profile CFB telecast. You've seen CBS Sports enthusiastically move one or two SEC on CBS games to Saturday nights, not to mention its dabbling in primetime MMA specials.

Fox Sports, not really a stranger to Saturday night CFB with regional/national Pac-10 games on the Fox Sports Net channels, apparently sees fresher ad dollars to be made on occasion. I'll welcome it if only because I don't want more sports leaving free OTA TV.

I'm not terribly worried about America's Most Wanted or Cops, because those shows will easily find life on other networks or in weekly syndication.

People will stay at home to watch big sports events live but will record scripted shows (if they were to put them on again) and go out

 

[imhomerjay]

But their Saturday night ratings were a constant winner............and that I think was a hold up for the
other networks to be more competitive. We'll see who's right (me or you) by November, when the dust has settled!!!!!

Wow, it really was serious. If AMW was winning something worthwhile, you know, makimg money, which is the objective after all, it wouldn't have been cut back. And if it had just run it's course but still been a valuable time slot with a significant audience, it would 't have been replaced by reru...er, encores.

Fox is a big winner with American Idol, yet the other networks program against it. CBS is a big winner with some of it's procedurals, yet the others program against it. ABC is a big winner with Dancing with the Stars, yet the other networks program against it. So the other networks were "holding up" because of a show that "won" with such a huge audience as to still not be profitable any more? Yeah, sure, that's logical. :

 

[DToTheJ]

I remember the first time AMW got cancelled. It was replaced with a Brian Bosworth series that was so bad it was cancelled after one week! Doesn't FOX ever learn from it's mistakes? ???

Well, they canceled "Family Guy" and brought it back... :