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Pax TV To Rebrand as "i"

J

Joseph_Gallant

Guest
Broadcasting and Cable is reporting (registration may be required) that Pax TV will be rebranded "i" (that's how they'll call it, the lower-case letter i). The quotation marks around the letter i will not be part of the network's logo, according to the article.

The company will change it's name from Paxson Communications to "i" this Friday (July 1st), although the article reports that both the "Pax" and "i" brands may appear on-air for a little while after that time.

The article claims that some of the current Pax programs would be seen on a "digital multicast platform". I personally think it will only be short-term, until Pax/"i" has "burned-off" shows it had rights to. I think that eventually, once Pax/"i" has "burned-off" their old shows, the digital multicast platform will probably be either a timeshift or alternate airtime for programs on "i".

And based on the article, the "i" will stand for "independent producer" and not "infomercial".

It appears that independent producers will be able to buy airtime on the renamed network to show their programs, and sell the commercial time within those programs.

I must say that I am pleased. There are many independent producers who'd like a shot at getting their shows on the air. If "i" works out the way the article seems to suggest that it would, it might be one of the best things to have happened to commercial television in a long time. We might see a lot of "new blood" producing programs that might just create a "buzz"!

Hopefully, this will work. For it to do so, Pax/"i" must commit itself to selling airtime to producers with real programs and not infomercials, especially in prime-time.

Links To Additional Articles:

South Florida Business Journal.

Business Wire (includes the new "i" logo).
 
Noxin comments:

> I think that this is all a big hoax to fool NBC.
> The "i" will stand for infomercials.

Noxin:

I hope your fears will turn out to be wrong.

The basic idea of "i" is something the industry has needed for a long time. I really hope that it will work.
 
> Noxin comments:
>
> > I think that this is all a big hoax to fool NBC.
> > The "i" will stand for infomercials.
>
> Noxin:
>
> I hope your fears will turn out to be wrong.
>
> The basic idea of "i" is something the industry has needed
> for a long time. I really hope that it will work.
>

Basically, the whole idea of "i" tends to be tricky. Espcecially with a 500 Channel universe the media prophets were prediciting. Let us hope that "i" will not become a joke.
 
> And based on the article, the "i" will stand for
> "independent producer" and not "infomercial".

C'mon guys. You think a religious zealot like Bud Paxson is going to allow "independant" producers and points of view -- what a joke! It will be all infomercials and Chritian right wing nuts!

NBC won't fall for it, look for shopNBC to take over in 6 months.
 
Well, the "i" sure isn't standing for info...NBC news info that is, so it will be interesting to see how they do...I hope to see more than "i"nformercials. (-:<P ID="signature">______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"
</P>
 
> > And based on the article, the "i" will stand for
> > "independent producer" and not "infomercial".
>
> C'mon guys. You think a religious zealot like Bud Paxson is
> going to allow "independant" producers and points of view --
> what a joke! It will be all infomercials and Chritian right
> wing nuts!
>
> NBC won't fall for it, look for shopNBC to take over in 6
> months.
>
6? Three sounds good!...but who says they'll take it over? They'll more likely launch their own channel, seperate from ShopNBC and mess over "i" if infomercials 24/7 really is the plan.
(depending on the different reasons, and number of times people actually tune into an infomercial or shop channel, respectfully.)<P ID="signature">______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"
</P>
 
At least for now, let's give Pax/"i" the benefit of the doubt.

If the concept works, it could be a "breath of fresh air" in television programming.

Let's hope that the concept does work.
 
> At least for now, let's give Pax/"i" the benefit of the
> doubt.
>
> If the concept works, it could be a "breath of fresh air" in
> television programming.
>
> Let's hope that the concept does work.
>

What we will probably see:

Any wrestling promotion that can afford it (TNA could use a TV home, and some of the others with regional TV might bite on it.)
Preachers, preachers, preachers!!! (Hey, but they might get that "Pastor Greg" show, which I am interested in seeing)
The occasional health scammer/conspiracy loon/other similar whackaroon with a talk show.
The National Lacrosse League, USAR stockcars, and other sports entities that often pay for time elsewhere (Not that that would be so bad)
Handicapping-hotline touts
And of course, everyone's favorite, infomercials.

The 'i' concept isn't exactly new, it's basically what America One's already doing, only on better signals. I don't expect to see anyone clamoring to produce quality television for this, but who knows? If they got a piece of the sports pie, it'd still be an improvement.
 
> C'mon guys. You think a religious zealot like Bud Paxson is
> going to allow "independant" producers and points of view --
> what a joke! It will be all infomercials and Chritian right
> wing nuts!

I wouldn't go that far. However, if it is a system where independent producers would be able to purchase the time for their shows, then Bud could has right of refusal if the content is not within his liking.

What would be good is if it aired NWA: TNA. The WWE's little sister needs a home.

I wonder if Bud made a cheap bid for the Miss America pagent? <P ID="signature">______________
Robert Charles Pickering
Lakeland, Florida</P>
 
> > C'mon guys. You think a religious zealot like Bud Paxson
> is
> > going to allow "independant" producers and points of view
> --
> > what a joke! It will be all infomercials and Chritian
> right
> > wing nuts!
>
> I wouldn't go that far. However, if it is a system where
> independent producers would be able to purchase the time for
> their shows, then Bud could has right of refusal if the
> content is not within his liking.

Bud Paxson would air hardcore porn if the price was right. "Right" in that case would have to equal all the lost profit from preachers who yanked their support, though.

>
> What would be good is if it aired NWA: TNA. The WWE's
> little sister needs a home.

I'm surprised that deal hasn't been made already after FSN/WGN fell through. It'd be a natural, and I'm sure they could get the Monday-just-before-RAW slot they want . . .
 
Remember, Bud used to call his stations "inTV." This is no different. Anyone who thinks there will be anything to "i" other than informericals and cheap-o time buys is simply dreaming.



> Well, the "i" sure isn't standing for info...NBC news info
> that is, so it will be interesting to see how they do...I
> hope to see more than "i"nformercials. (-:
>
 
> Hopefully, this will work. For it to do so, Pax/"i" must
> commit itself to selling airtime to producers with real
> programs and not infomercials, especially in prime-time.

Hope all you want, but Bud is one of those religious zealots, so my guess is that the station is going to wind up being a mix of Satan's Infomercials (aka pay for pray) and standard infomercials. Sure there may be some real programmes thrown in.
Wait isn't there a network already like this?
What is it called?
PAX!<P ID="signature">______________
WCBS = We're Crazy Buffoons and Schmucks
<a href=http://chuck.spotteddogs.org/tv/>Spotted Dog TV Talk - for all your non-news TV Talk</a></P>
 
> Basically, the whole idea of "i" tends to be tricky.
> Espcecially with a 500 Channel universe the media prophets
> were prediciting. Let us hope that "i" will not become a
> joke.

Unless the producers have a way to self-promote their programs effectively using different forms of media, shows on the new "i" will probably not be ones that generate buzz by themselves. This would be a good way for merchants (like a Home Depot-produced home improvement show, for example), websites (WorldNetDaily TV?), and magazines to bring programs to TV, but I don't see the point for anyone who doesn't have the money to self-promote their own programs.
 
"i"??? Thats the golden ticket! It won't suck now! Thats all it needed, a new name.

Now, in an effort to gain the attention of ladies, I will change my name to Studly Longshanks McMoneybags.
 
So does this mean that Milwaukee's WPXE will be changing it's call letters to something else in the future?<P ID="signature">______________
-Paul</P>
 
> Remember, Bud used to call his stations "inTV." This is no
> different. Anyone who thinks there will be anything to "i"
> other than informericals and cheap-o time buys is simply
> dreaming.

I gotta agree. I think Mr. Gallant may be a little optimistic about i.
I don't see Hollwood producers running to West Palm Beach to get their shows on i. Howard Stern isn't going to revive Son of the Beach there. Independent producers is another term for informercials and God Squads. I hope I am wrong.
 
> > Remember, Bud used to call his stations "inTV." This is no
>
> > different. Anyone who thinks there will be anything to "i"
>
> > other than informericals and cheap-o time buys is simply
> > dreaming.
>
> I gotta agree. I think Mr. Gallant may be a little
> optimistic about i.
> I don't see Hollwood producers running to West Palm Beach to
> get their shows on i. Howard Stern isn't going to revive
> Son of the Beach there. Independent producers is another
> term for informercials and God Squads. I hope I am wrong.
>
It's a shame some company can't do a sponser show in the fifties. Where they have host and do skits or advice and sell the product thru the show,

I know it wouldn't be a hit but at least it'd be different.<P ID="signature">______________
Once I figured out the meaning of life....Then I forgot to write it down.</P>
 
So, if they simulcast a program with E!, would it qualify as an E/I program? Sorry! Bad joke! :(
 
> So, if they simulcast a program with E!, would it qualify as
> an E/I program? Sorry! Bad joke! :(
>

Knowing Paxson, it doesn't take much for a program to qualify as E/I.
 
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