Decline of other cable networks

[sctvman]

Uh....except that FX has run some great original series these past few years, like The Shield (final season starting soon), Rescue Me, and Nip/Tuck. They just premiered a new series called The Riches, with Eddie Izzard and Minnie Driver. I haven't checked it out yet, but it's worth at least one look just for Izzard alone.

YOU'RE RIGHT ON THE MONEY, MAN!
Yes, fX did have some great shows including "Hart to Hart," "The Fall Guy," and "Vega$." However, being a clone of the Fox Network, fX had to get younger. I like "M*A*S*H," but airing the show ten a day didn't help the network as well. With increased competition from USA, TBS, TNT, and other network, FX was very smart to produce original programming that would attract young male viewers. I don't watch FX as much as I should, but "the Shield," "Nip/Tuck" and "Dirt" are great shows. I did watch "the Riches" and it was a fair show, but a little slow for me. I think these shows establish FX as a leading and cutting-edge cable network. USA maybe #1 because of WWE Wrestling, but their shows are not that entertaining to me compared to FX or even TNT.

 

[ercjncpr]

If you wanna go all the way back, I can recall in 1980 when USA's satellite channel was leased out to several different services:

Calliope (a Nickelodeon clone) aired in the early morning hours
C-Span was only on for 5 hours per day leasing from USA
On the weekends, they aired the original BET, the original MSG net from New York and something called The English Channel which aired Canadian, British and Australian news and documentary shows

 

[ercjncpr]

Anyone remember ARTS, the Alpha Repertory Television Service, which was all classical music and fine arts programming with NO commercials? How about CBS Cable (almost the same thing). And NBC's The Emntertainment Channel. Of course A&E came from the merger of that one and ARTS. I can also recall when Nickelodeon was a non commercial service for pre school ages. And in 1980 ESPN was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network airing movies and Las Vegas nightclub shows in addition to sports.

Also remember when HBO and Showtime were on only from 5pm to midnight? I can recall seeing annual shareholders meetings of big companies like GE, which leased the satellite time from Warner Bros. (HBO) during the latter network's down time.

 

[D-Oradio]

To the poster who said turn to VH1 Classic, well they USED to be good, now they are reruns of VH1 shows like Greatest this and that, Best Albums, and all sorts of behind the music type shows with music videos restricted to late at night and early in the morning most of the time now, But this was the path with their others channels and soon VH1 Classic will be a replica on VH1. This so so damn unfortunate.

 

[BRNout]

Anyone remember ARTS, the Alpha Repertory Television Service, which was all classical music and fine arts programming with NO commercials? How about CBS Cable (almost the same thing). And NBC's The Emntertainment Channel. Of course A&E came from the merger of that one and ARTS. I can also recall when Nickelodeon was a non commercial service for pre school ages. And in 1980 ESPN was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network airing movies and Las Vegas nightclub shows in addition to sports.

Also remember when HBO and Showtime were on only from 5pm to midnight? I can recall seeing annual shareholders meetings of big companies like GE, which leased the satellite time from Warner Bros. (HBO) during the latter network's down time.

ARTS is still out there - and it is available free to any cable system that wants it, thanks to a grant from some very wealthy organization (can't recall which - Carnegie comes to mind?) that promotes the arts. Unfortunately, few cable systems make room for it anymore. Too many infomerical and shopping channels that just MUST get the bandwidth.

As for the rest of this thread, I must echo the prevailing sentiment. So many of the cable channels really stink now. I remember being so eager for my cable system to add TV Land and thinking it was just the greatest because Nick at Nite had gone down the tubes (remember them showing Car 54?). Now it's almost impossible to find classic shows and cartoons. It's interesting that Family Guy and the Simpsons often have subtle (or not so subtle) references to classic shows that you can't find on TV anymore - like That Girl or Hogan's Heroes. Heck, even classic films are limited to TCM and an occasional early morning showing on AMC.

You know, every friggin' channel is geared toward the 12-35 year old bracket and they make me (who is barely north of 40) feel as if I should reach for the Geratol and eating tapioca! It's ridiculous that even still-young people should be put out to pasture thanks to the whims of Madison Avenue. Frankly, much of TV started sucking around the time that Seinfeld ended it's first run in 1998. Since then, its all been downhill - and fast.

And, they wonder why the audience is shrinking. Remember: younger people don't watch TV or listen to the radio as much as their parents do (or did). So just wait, we'll all get the last laugh on this debate over demos because the idiots at the agencies are all pursuing larger bites of a shrinking pie. Just as the last typewriter manufacturers did.

 

[Markxxx]

The thing is it is bottom line. And it's not just TV it is everything. When I worked at Starwood, we did a study project with scripts for reservation. You know the reservationist takes control of the call and refuses to deviate from the script.

I HATE this. I really hate it. So we tired it on three seperate times for 2 month periods over 3 years. We found by sticking to the script and NOT letting the customer have any say our sales increased by 41%. Do you know HOW many more sales that is and how much revenue that is.

Sure a few customers complain about how annoying it is when the reservationist follows a script, but so what we lose one or two customers and gain 41% MORE sales.

This is the new marketing. It works. The attitude is I know "Roseanne" sells. I don't need to hire any sales people. Savings is $100,000 in salaries and benefits because if I try to put on "Vegas" I have to sell it.

Then when "Roseanne" tanks they copy something else. Copying produces results.

And to those who complain the answer is "Buy the DVD if you like the show."

But it's NOT just TV it is everything that is marketed that way.

Sales matter and the consumer is so used to being told what to do now companies know that for every customer lost they can gain 2 or 3 more by sticking to what they know.

 

[captex]

i myself had enough of the programs shown on all stations ( cable and broadcast networks), i began to buy dvd's of older programs like mission impossible, wild wild west, hogans hereos, the untouchables, star trek, alias smith and jones, hill street blues and began to watch from time to time. other programs that was on :
perry mason, the fugitive, cartoons, pretty good movies, star trek, wild west, hawaii five-o,twilight zone,alfred hitchock hour, the honeymooners, hogans hereos, hart to hart, hunter, trapper john md, the flintstones, the jetsons. in the 1980's our cable company expanded thier lineup like usa, a&e and others were putting on good programs. then in the 1990's they began to putting on junk programs that is getting worse today.

 

[ercjncpr]

If you have noticed about TV Land, they have a marathon like That Girl and Star Trek, and for one, they don't show That Girl ever again after that, and then for Star Trek, they shuffled that show around like a deck of cards so basically you can't tell when it is on and I have seen in the listings they have done that at least half a dozen times already.

Yes, it is getting tiredsome of seeing Nick at Nite and TV Land going to pot, but then that is what we buy TV shows on DVD for, so that we don't have to watch their repetitive programming all the time.

They show those online at tvland.com, because in the perfect world of tv land, EVERYONE has broadband internet! ;D

 

[ixnay]

I wonder when the deterioration of RFD TV will start? I'd miss Trains & Locomotives on Monday nights (or whenever). ;D

ixnay

 

[DToTheJ]

Anyone remember ARTS, the Alpha Repertory Television Service, which was all classical music and fine arts programming with NO commercials? How about CBS Cable (almost the same thing). And NBC's The Emntertainment Channel. Of course A&E came from the merger of that one and ARTS. I can also recall when Nickelodeon was a non commercial service for pre school ages. And in 1980 ESPN was the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network airing movies and Las Vegas nightclub shows in addition to sports.

Also remember when HBO and Showtime were on only from 5pm to midnight? I can recall seeing annual shareholders meetings of big companies like GE, which leased the satellite time from Warner Bros. (HBO) during the latter network's down time.

As a poster above mentioned, ARTS still exists, though I've seen some PBS stations use it as filler. NYC's WNYE/25 airs it in the late night hours, for example.

As proof that HBO wasn't originally a 24/7 operation: There is an HBO sign-off somewhere on YouTube.

 

[rwells2265]

I wonder when the deterioration of RFD TV will start? I'd miss Trains & Locomotives on Monday nights (or whenever). ;D

I recently discovered RFD-TV after having ditched cable and indentured myself with Dish Network. I remember laughing about having it at first, but after watching the likes of Trains & Locomotives, the old Porter Wagoner Show episodes, I quickly ate my words. I like having it around. T&L, for my money, is more compelling than any of the cowdung which passes for 95% of network and cable TV nowadays!

Most of RFD's programming doesn't have a bug, either, and they seem content with their specialized niche. But my only worry is that opening their big theater in Branson will cause 'em to follow the others and sell out.

I'd love to see RFD-TV pick up some other classic TV on the side. But that's me daydreaming again.

--Russell

 

[azumanga]

As a poster above mentioned, ARTS still exists, though I've seen some PBS stations use it as filler.

You're confusing it with "Classic Arts Showcase", an arts-related cable channel unrelated to A&E:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Classic_Arts_Showcase

 

[MACK184]

An earlier poster mentioned the channel "ION" I've tried to figure out just WHAT they are programming and to who. The channel doesn't make any sense to me, and I can't find any compelling reason to watch it. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions??

 

[jcs]

An earlier poster mentioned the channel "ION" I've tried to figure out just WHAT they are programming and to who. The channel doesn't make any sense to me, and I can't find any compelling reason to watch it. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions??

Last I heard, ION is airing nostalgic shows, including "The Wonder Years" (started April 2--yes!) and "Alice". It's got a lot of things TVLand and Nick at Nite got rid of. Those networks don't know what they're missing!

 

[Apollo7979]

An earlier poster mentioned the channel "ION" I've tried to figure out just WHAT they are programming and to who. The channel doesn't make any sense to me, and I can't find any compelling reason to watch it. Anyone have any thoughts or opinions??

On the surface, it appears like they are appealing to the 25-49 crowd by playing programs that mainly ran from the late 70s through early 90s. What I find confusing are their commercials. They're always pushing products that are, without a doubt, geared toward the 50+ demo (life alert bracelets, Tempur-Pedic beds, life insurance for those over 50, etc.). With the advertising in place, you'd expect to see programs mirroring Nick at Nite circa 1986 instead of the programs currently airing on the network.

 

[Legend City]

They added a new channel to my cable, not sure the name, but they are airing "China Beach" "Courtship of Eddie's Father", "Mayberry RFD", "I'll Fly Away", "77 Sunset Strip", "Combat", "Surfside Six" and others.

Its great! Especially Eddie's Father, imagine a show where the father is not seen as a stereotyped buffoon, the kid is not a slogan spewing brat and the stories from 1971 stand up quite well (even if the wardrobe doesn't).

Its good to see these shows again!

 

[Tim L]

They added a new channel to my cable, not sure the name, but they are airing "China Beach" "Courtship of Eddie's Father", "Mayberry RFD", "I'll Fly Away", "77 Sunset Strip", "Combat", "Surfside Six" and others.

Its great! Especially Eddie's Father, imagine a show where the father is not seen as a stereotyped buffoon, the kid is not a slogan spewing brat and the stories from 1971 stand up quite well (even if the wardrobe doesn't).

Its good to see these shows again!

That would be the American Life Network. Formerly known as Goodlife Network and even earlier called the Nostalgia Network. That is one channel I miss not having on Dish Network..Though if I went back to Time-Warner Cable, I wouldnt have RFD TV either.

 

[Markxxx]

And, they wonder why the audience is shrinking. Remember: younger people don't watch TV or listen to the radio as much as their parents do (or did). So just wait, we'll all get the last laugh on this debate over demos because the idiots at the agencies are all pursuing larger bites of a shrinking pie. Just as the last typewriter manufacturers did.

Good point, but the problem is the over 40 crowd simply doesn't make the impulse purchases the younger set does. No point running anything if the people won't buy what you're selling. It doesn't matter if you get every person over 40 watching your show, the rating doesn't count, it's the demographic. And you want to get the demographic that is going to BUY. Older folks are busy saving for big ticket things like cars, houses, and retirement.

 

[anotherguyTN]

They added a new channel to my cable, not sure the name, but they are airing "China Beach" "Courtship of Eddie's Father", "Mayberry RFD", "I'll Fly Away", "77 Sunset Strip", "Combat", "Surfside Six" and others.

Its great! Especially Eddie's Father, imagine a show where the father is not seen as a stereotyped buffoon, the kid is not a slogan spewing brat and the stories from 1971 stand up quite well (even if the wardrobe doesn't).

Its good to see these shows again!

That would be the American Life Network. Formerly known as Goodlife Network and even earlier called the Nostalgia Network. That is one channel I miss not having on Dish Network..Though if I went back to Time-Warner Cable, I wouldnt have RFD TV either.

ALN only has classic shows during prime time like ION. The rest of the time they're filled with talk and cooking shows. At least they aren't all infomercials the rest of the time like ION. Here is a link to their schedule: http://www.goodtv.com/schedule.php

What I'd like to see happen would be for ALN and RTN to merge and become a national classic TV network that could really compete with TV Land.

 

[BobbyNBC10]

When I got Dish Network in July 1997, one of the things I wanted it for was so I can watch Game Show Network (GSN). At that time, they showed reruns of favorites like The Price Is Right, Match Game, Family Feud, Wheel, Jeopardy! ,The Joker's Wild and Tic Tac Dough. That was cool seeing many of my favorites back.

Now he we are in 2007, and GSN has since lost TPIR, and WOF and the Barry & Enright shows, and they just recently dropped the 11pm-Mid. ET/PT showings of Match Game and replaced with repeats of FF when Richard Karn from Home Improvement MC'd it before John O'Hurley took over in 2006. Also, the B&W G-T shows get shown on late Sunday night/early Monday morning now as do the rarities, including color versions of What's My Line and To Tell The Truth.

I wish GSN would dump Dog Eat Dog and The Amazing Race so we can see WOF and TPIR again and I Hope NBC Universal gets off it's duff and lets GSN have Concentration so we can see all versions of the show!

Now I mainly play PC Game show versions of my favorite shows more than I do watch GSN. If we had our own version of GSN we'd go back to what it was and have all the classics, including WOF, TPIR and Concentration. I only watch GSN if Match Game is on Saturday and Sundays along with FF-Dawson and Combs and when Password Plus and Jeopardy and Press Your Luck are on.