Movies Replacing Network Programming

[Mario500]

Moments ago, I learned WEAR-TV in Pensacola, Florida pre-empted ABC's programming between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM last night to air the movie "Noel", which was released in 2004. The Mobile Press-Register did not have the movie in the TV listings.

WEAR-TV has pre-empted network programming this way in the past. Does one of your local stations have similar programming practices?

 

[MarcB]

Sometimes, but it's usually for infomercials i.e. St. Jude's Hospital. Like they can't show that any other time of the day.

 

[dave73]

That hasn't happened in Chicago, since the networks own the stations. So that sounds like something that affiliates might do. The closest that WGN-TV does is pre-empt CW programming on some nights to air sports programming. They'll air any pre-empted shows either in the overnight hours, or on the weekend (if there isn't any sports programming on Saturday & Sunday evenings as well). I know WGN prefers to air sports programming that they own, instead of having to pay WCIU to air it.

 

[DToTheJ]

Three words: Billy Graham Crusade!

 

[kms575]

Moments ago, I learned WEAR-TV in Pensacola, Florida pre-empted ABC's programming between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM last night to air the movie "Noel", which was released in 2004. The Mobile Press-Register did not have the movie in the TV listings.

WEAR-TV has pre-empted network programming this way in the past. Does one of your local stations have similar programming practices?

...I'd be furious. ABC has some great stuff on a Wednesday night. Two words....modern family. Maybe the good folks in NW Florida don't agree.

 

[LKellerIII]

In San Francisco, all of the stations except Fox are O&Os - so no, it doesn't happen. anymore. NBC Bay Area (KNTV) now has the contract for the SF Giants, so they'll prempt network progamming for baseball, but that's it.

Years ago, when Westinghouse owned KPIX (CBS), the station was infamous for pre-empting network programming...especially threatrical movies that management deemed too violent. For example, in the late 70s, KPIX pre-empted the network TV premiere of the Charles Bronson film Death Wish.

 

[ShawnHill1]

Reading on a couple other boards, I think even on the Texas TV board here, there was a bit of an uproar most recently that WFAA, Dallas-Fort Worth's ABC affiliate, delayed the initial airings of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Disney's Prep and Landing" back on December 8th, airing them overnight that following Saturday.

 

[onairb]

In San Francisco, all of the stations except Fox are O&Os - so no, it doesn't happen. anymore. NBC Bay Area (KNTV) now has the contract for the SF Giants, so they'll prempt network progamming for baseball, but that's it.

Years ago, when Westinghouse owned KPIX (CBS), the station was infamous for pre-empting network programming...especially threatrical movies that management deemed too violent. For example, in the late 70s, KPIX pre-empted the network TV premiere of the Charles Bronson film Death Wish.

KRON, then owned by the San Farncisco Chronicle, and an NBC affiliate, was also somewhat notorious for pre-empting network shows, although they didn't do it often until the late '80s/early '90s. The independent KOFY channel 20 cleared many CBS, and later NBC, shows that the two affiliates pre-empted.

 

[LKellerIII]

In San Francisco, all of the stations except Fox are O&Os - so no, it doesn't happen. anymore. NBC Bay Area (KNTV) now has the contract for the SF Giants, so they'll prempt network progamming for baseball, but that's it.

Years ago, when Westinghouse owned KPIX (CBS), the station was infamous for pre-empting network programming...especially threatrical movies that management deemed too violent. For example, in the late 70s, KPIX pre-empted the network TV premiere of the Charles Bronson film Death Wish.

KRON, then owned by the San Farncisco Chronicle, and an NBC affiliate, was also somewhat notorious for pre-empting network shows, although they didn't do it often until the late '80s/early '90s. The independent KOFY channel 20 cleared many CBS, and later NBC, shows that the two affiliates pre-empted.

That's right - and if I remember correctly, KBHK 44 (then an indy) cleared Death Wish when KPIX refused it, so Bay Area viewers got to see the film anyway. All KPIX really accomplished was to make a statement about violent movies being inappropriate, but I guess Westinghouse management felt strongly about the issue at the time.

If I remember correctly, KICU clears the NBC programming when KNTV is running baseball, which is interesting considering they do the same for Fox programs from sister station KTVU.

 

[jal41]

Moments ago, I learned WEAR-TV in Pensacola, Florida pre-empted ABC's programming between 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM last night to air the movie "Noel", which was released in 2004. The Mobile Press-Register did not have the movie in the TV listings.

WEAR-TV has pre-empted network programming this way in the past. Does one of your local stations have similar programming practices?

WSB-TV/Atlanta preempts for about an hour 2 to 3 times a month for local programming, but not movies. Preempted programming is shown at 2:05 AM. Since WSB-TV is a top performer, the network lets them get away with it.

Around 2000, WGCL did preempt the network movie many times in favor of a local one. One time, CBS' showing of "Vegas Vacation" was preempted by WGCL in favor of "Ghostbusters II". At one point, they were about as bad as WSB-TV. This practice has since stopped, and WGCL generally clears everything (As a poor performer, they don't have as much clout...although CBS' options in Atlanta are few). WXIA only preempts on Saturday nights about twice a year or so, as well as for Falcons preseason (NBC is shifted to sister WATL). WAGA (Fox O&O) never preempts (search on this board about WAGA and WXIA's preemption scares in the past).

WEAR-TV is owned by ultra-conservative Sinclair, and is located in an ultra-conservative market. Do the math.

 

[oldiesfan6479]

Any CBS affiliate that pre-empts Tuesday at 8/7 Central
shall have its affiliation immediately revoked.

There wouldn't be one dumb enough to do this, would there?

 

[pqgeorge]

Any CBS affiliate that pre-empts Tuesday at 8/7 Central
shall have its affiliation immediately revoked.

There wouldn't be one dumb enough to do this, would there?

I recall former NBC affiliate (now CBS O&O) WBZ-TV refused to air "Dirty Harry" starring Clint Eastwood. Instead, WBZ-TV aired some cheesy thriller movie with Joan Crawford ("Mother Dearest"). I recall the disclaimer quite well...... "Because of mature subject matter, the movie "Dirty Harry" will NOT be aired this evening......". Fortunately, most NBC viewers in Greater Boston were able to watch "Dirty Harry" on Channel 10 (WJAR-TV), in Providence with no trouble at all. Westinghouse had a tendency to ban such movies on their O&O TV stations.

 

[EricStein]

I recall a couple years ago that KPHO-TV Phoenix pre-empted an hour of CBS Sunday night prime time for two infomercials (unfortunately, it wasn't Viva Laughlin that was pulled! ;D), including one from the infamous Kevin Trudeau. I couldn't see any station go lower than that for some extra advertising revenue.

 

[nathannah]

Milwaukee used to be a heavy market for pre-emptions, with every station except for WITI in the 80's when it was CBS doing pre-emptions, with the most infamous being WTMJ/NBC leaving "The Tonight Show" to indie WVTV, which had to be a major insult to Johnny Carson (and which regularly creamed "Trapper John" repeats on TMJ).

Now the only time the other stations participate in pre-emptions? ESPN/NFL Network Packer games (the market is free of sports pre-emptions due to FSN Wisconsin and indie WMLW cornering the entire sports market), and maybe a few local specials here and there in which only repeats are pre-empted (or 'special' news broadcasts which are only special in the Nielsen sense of avoiding complete annihilation by Packers broadcasts in the sweeps books).

But WTMJ still does it, especially on Saturday nights. Awful mid-1990's TV movies air instead of NBC's rerun block, or even worse, infomercials for Time-Life. During the football season, they would even cut off the Notre Dame alma mater and postgame show to race to their newscast in order to get to the informercials faster. They also pre-empted all of "Face the Ace" either because it was a bomb in the making or they knew anything, even an infomercial would get better ratings.

 

[DToTheJ]

Reading on a couple other boards, I think even on the Texas TV board here, there was a bit of an uproar most recently that WFAA, Dallas-Fort Worth's ABC affiliate, delayed the initial airings of "A Charlie Brown Christmas" and "Disney's Prep and Landing" back on December 8th, airing them overnight that following Saturday.

Boy, Charlie Brown just can't get a break in DFW. First, getting pushed back a week due to President Obama, and now this! Good grief!

 

[jal41]

UPDATE: Apparently, this same movie aired this evening on WGCL here in Atlanta, bumping CBS primetime to overnights. The CBS Atlanta local time/temp/logo bug was present, so it wasn't bought time.

I think this may be a syndicated offering linked to a charity or religious organization. I remember a couple of years ago with another movie this was the case. It is produced by an Atlanta based company called Convex Group, which holds various technology patents. "Noel" was famous for the launch of disposable DVDs that become unplayable after 48 hours after opening the package.

 

[Mario500]

"Frosty the Snowman" and "Frosty Returns" aired at 8:00 PM and 8:30 PM on WGCL-TV in that order. "Medium" and "Numb3rds" will air between 1:35 AM and 3:35 AM.