They preempted that for this?

[Sammi Brie]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

KSL-TV 5 in Salt Lake City does not run SNL due to content. However, they do run their prime-time specials, which basically offer the same content. SNL can be seen in the market at CW KUCW.

...KSL-TV, owned by Bonneville (a business arm of the Mormon church), also passed on NBC's God, The Devil & Bob, which instead went to KJZZ-TV/14 (co-owned with the Utah Jazz NBA franchise), then the UPN affiliate in Salt Lake City. God, The Devil & Bob was also rejected by WNDU-TV/16 South Bend, then owned by (Catholic) Notre Dame University, passing it along to a digital sub-channel of CBS affiliate WSBT-TV/22, the CBS affiliate there...

Not for content, but because they had a pre-existing Saturday night sports show from their CBS days. KSL, oddly enough, aired The Book of Daniel. (That one was preempted by a few NBCs: WTVA, WSMV, and six Nexstar NBC affiliates from Indiana to Texas. The second episode got preempted in Michigan for an auto show. One of the stations that picked it up, KWBF-Little Rock (ironically Nexstar sister KARZ), actually got threats and had to hire security guards.)

 

[searadiofreak]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

KSL-TV 5 in Salt Lake City does not run SNL due to content. However, they do run their prime-time specials, which basically offer the same content. SNL can be seen in the market at CW KUCW.

...KSL-TV, owned by Bonneville (a business arm of the Mormon church), also passed on NBC's God, The Devil & Bob, which instead went to KJZZ-TV/14 (co-owned with the Utah Jazz NBA franchise), then the UPN affiliate in Salt Lake City. God, The Devil & Bob was also rejected by WNDU-TV/16 South Bend, then owned by (Catholic) Notre Dame University, passing it along to a digital sub-channel of CBS affiliate WSBT-TV/22, the CBS affiliate there...

Not for content, but because they had a pre-existing Saturday night sports show from their CBS days. KSL, oddly enough, aired The Book of Daniel. (That one was preempted by a few NBCs: WTVA, WSMV, and six Nexstar NBC affiliates from Indiana to Texas. The second episode got preempted in Michigan for an auto show. One of the stations that picked it up, KWBF-Little Rock (ironically Nexstar sister KARZ), actually got threats and had to hire security guards.)

So you are saying KSL doesn't run SNL because of an old agreement to run sports? I disagree. It is SNL content that drove that decision, pure and simple. KSL would probably not publically admit it, but come on everyone knows what is going with this situation.

 

[firepoint525]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

And that station covers a four-state area, and used to get mail from two other states! I was aware of the SNL hour delay, and I thought that that was actually the result of a compromise, and that they originally weren't going to carry it at all! I don't ever remember them not carrying it in the late '70s, because I was still young, and that would have been past my bedtime, anyway.

Indeed, WPSD-6/Paducah, Ky. completely preempted SNL, as of June 1978, when we moved to Cape Girardeau, Mo. One night during their 'viewer mail' segment of the 6 PM newscast, they addressed one viewer's complaint, and their response was to play 'the morality card.'

ANYway, our house in Cape was on a hill - with a nice 30' TV mast and rotor, to boot. I aimed that puppy to the north, and watched SNL on KSD-TV (KSDK) channel 5 out of St. Louis. Snowy picture, but still quite watchable.

I believe it was the beginning of 1979 when WPSD finally added SNL, on the one-hour delay. I do know they were airing it by February '79, as I clearly remember watching it the night before the big blizzard.

PS - As for the other two states, one would have to be Arkansas. WPSD was carried on cable systems in the extreme NE Ark. towns of Corning, Piggott and Rector. The other state would almost have to be Indiana. But their main coverage area covered chunks of Ky./Ill./Mo./Tenn. That market sure is an odd one, isn't it?

The other state, in addition to Arkansas, is indeed, Indiana. Referring to that viewer mail segment that you mentioned, if you ever watched that on an even remotely regular basis, you would know that they had what they referred to as a "regular contributor" out of Evansville, Indiana. I remember her extreme left-wing views. What I didn't understand was why she was watching channel 6 out of Paducah when there was already an NBC affiliate right there in Evansville, over 100 miles from Paducah! ??? I also remember the letter from the viewer in Piggott, AR, but was not aware that WPSD was on cable there. (Maybe WPSD was trying to impress us by reading letters from viewers in these far-flung states!) Arkansas would be the only state in their coverage area that does not actually border Kentucky.

When WPSD preempted St. Elsewhere, I watched it (also grainy) on channel 5 out of Memphis.

Indeed an interesting market. Too far south for St. Louis, too far north for Memphis, and too far west for Nashville.

 

[charlestondxman]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

My ABC still does some ridiculous preemptions of programming even today. Since they started as ABC (1996), they've preempted primetime dozens of times for lame programming.

Last night, a new episode of "Cougar Town" (a decently-rated show) was preempted. Not by a news-worthy special. By a informercial for a local spine institute! They do this at least three times a year, preempting one of their primetime shows to air a 30 minute commercial for them. They even show ads and treat it like a real program.

They also preempt "AFV" on Sunday nights to show an older movie, and yearly have at least three news specials on different topics. These are always hour specials.

WCSC, our CBS, used to preempt primetime all the time for ACC and College of Charleston basketball.

 

[mleach]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

Back to the topic, a friend of mine in the DFW Metroplex told me at the time that the local ABC was not running NYPD Blue (this was early in the series when the show got attention by actors displaying their tokus').

I believe pretty much all of the ABC/Belo stations at first had taken a pass on NYPD Blue, it wasn't just Dallas' WFAA.

 

[71dude]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

KDKA in Pittsburgh pre-empted As the World Turns through most of the 70's and 80's for local programming. They also did the violent-movie pre-emption thing in the mid-70's, they aired Eyewitness Magazine/Channel 2 Pittsburgh in place of the 8:30 or 9:30 CBS sitcom on Saturdays (including the first season of Alice), Mondays or Wednesdays. They almost didn't show the last episode of The Bob Newhart Show, but changed their minds at the last minute. They dumped most of the last season of WKRP, they didn't carry Square Pegs, Enos or Mr. Merlin, and they aired Pirates and Penguins games in prime time (Dr. Quinn got bumped a lot).

WPXI dropped Diff'rent Strokes after four seasons (and Silver Spoons) to air Hee Haw. Reruns of The Cosby Show would occasionally pre-empt first-run prime-time shows.

WTAE didn't carry GMA at first, and then only the first hour. They dumped the daytime soaps in the 70s and General Hospital even in its heyday was delayed until 9:30 the next morning. They showed Cheers reruns in primetime and delayed Nightline to air old sitcoms.

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

This reply is a spin-off of my Happy Birthday greetings to Nia Peeples on the Dec. 10 TDITVH thread, although this example was a hour delay--but if the station had their way it could have resulted in one:

I distinctly recall back in the 1990-91 season that then-St. Louis ABC affiliate (and Fox since 1995) KTVI-2, which had gained the local rights to Arsenio Hall's then-popular talk show, planned to bump Nightline 90 minutes to midnight in order to air that and "The Party Machine with Nia Peeples" (which followed Arsenio on many of his stations). ABC was upset with KTVI's programming plans--and IIRC wasn't there a threat that "Nightline" would go unseen in St. Louis as a result? In the end "Nightline" was sandwiched at 11:30 between Arsenio and Nia by 1991.

 

[hipman2]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

Some crazy San Diego TV pre-emptions of note.

In 1971-72, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour aired on CBS from 7:30-8:30. CBS affilliate KFMB passed
on it I guess because they wanted the 7:30 half hour for syn-fin or whatever and filled the 8pm with something
else. Channel 39 an independent carried the show instead.

In 1976, NBC channel 10 delayed Chico and the Man, that aired at 9:30pm Wednesdays, a week later to air
at 7:30pm. The Dumplings aired on channel 6 instead of channel 10 at 9pm instead. Channel 10 ran a movie.
I'm not sure if channel 6 aired whatever NBC aired at 10pm Wednesdays.

In 1978, in a totally bizarre time shift, an advance feed for Welcome Back Kotter and Operation Petticoat was offered to Western ABC affiliates such as channel 10 in San Diego, which aired it at 4pm Sundays, but on some Sundays, it aired at 1pm at least one time I remember. KABC 7 aired the block at 6pm Sundays. Both stations followed Monday Night Football at about 9pm with syndicated movies to 11pm, instead of the comedy block that they elected to air a day earlier.

In 1978, KFMB 8 ran public affairs Fridays at 8pm and shifted Hulk or Wonder Woman to Saturdays at 5pm.

In 1987, KGTV aired the first season of Full House Sundays at 11:30pm instead of Fridays at 8pm, opting to run something like the first-run comedy sitcom She's The Sheriff with Suzanne Somers. What kid could be up at that hour to watch Full House?

In 1975, KFMB 8 ran The Jeffersons Saturdays at 7pm a week after it aired on CBS normally at 8:30pm. KFMB ran the syndicated Candid Camera in the time slot.

One pre-emption that still boggles my mind to this day. On the Wednesday before the Gubernatorial election in 1978, KGTV pre-empted the popular Eight is Enough in favor of a debate between the California governor candidates. Totally unbelievable.

In 1988, the first week of the Summer Olympics in Seoul, KGTV preempted the entire ABC schedule from 9-11pm Mon-Fri in favor of Morton Downey Jr. and other picked shows. On a Tuesday night, I drove to Los Angeles to catch the SCTV reunion special on KABC 7. I guess SCTV never had a fan base in San Diego.

There are plenty of such pre-emptions in the 60s. I can't recall any, but I remember channel 10 ran Science Fiction Theater on Thursday nights. Not sure if the NBC shows channel 10 pre-empted were shifted to other times.

 

[Ultimajock]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

In 1978, KFMB 8 ran public affairs Fridays at 8pm and shifted Hulk or Wonder Woman to Saturdays at 5pm.

One pre-emption that still boggles my mind to this day. On the Wednesday before the Gubernatorial election in 1978, KGTV 10 pre-empted the popular Eight is Enough in favor of a debate between the California governor candidates. Totally unbelievable.

...commercial television stations once had management that gave a damn about how their audience was governed? Geez, that is totally unbelievable ;D ...

 

[bpatrick]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

I seem to recall that KFMB didn't carry "Captain Kangaroo,"
giving the 8-9 AM slot to a local show, "Sunup San Diego."

 

[LKellerIII]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

In 1978, KFMB 8 ran public affairs Fridays at 8pm and shifted Hulk or Wonder Woman to Saturdays at 5pm.

One pre-emption that still boggles my mind to this day. On the Wednesday before the Gubernatorial election in 1978, KGTV 10 pre-empted the popular Eight is Enough in favor of a debate between the California governor candidates. Totally unbelievable.

...commercial television stations once had management that gave a damn about how their audience was governed? Geez, that is totally unbelievable ;D ...

Really! Trying to offer people important information instead of syrupy melodrama. Truly irresponsible!

And for anybody who cares, California's once and soon-to-be future Governor Jerry Brown would have been the Democrat in that debate.

 

[BRNout]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

In 1978, KFMB 8 ran public affairs Fridays at 8pm and shifted Hulk or Wonder Woman to Saturdays at 5pm.

One pre-emption that still boggles my mind to this day. On the Wednesday before the Gubernatorial election in 1978, KGTV 10 pre-empted the popular Eight is Enough in favor of a debate between the California governor candidates. Totally unbelievable.

...commercial television stations once had management that gave a damn about how their audience was governed? Geez, that is totally unbelievable ;D ...

I know - imagine that!?! Unfathomably irresponsible!

At least we know that the Jersey Girls demo is represented here on the board. ;D

 

[firepoint525]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

Most of the pre-emptions mentioned here were for programs from years ago. But I happened to be channel-surfing one recent Saturday night here in Nashville, and noticed that channel 4 (WSMV) was running a Time-Life infomercial in place of whatever NBC was ordinarily running on Saturday night. It made me realize that Saturday night really IS a low viewership night if an NBC affiliate can make more money by running an infomercial in prime time!

 

[hipman2]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

I seem to recall that KFMB didn't carry "Captain Kangaroo,"
giving the 8-9 AM slot to a local show, "Sunup San Diego."

For about four years from 1974-78, channel 6 carried Captain Kangaroo. SunUp flowed better between the CBS Morning news and the 9am game show lineup CBS was offering.

 

[LKellerIII]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

I seem to recall that KFMB didn't carry "Captain Kangaroo,"
giving the 8-9 AM slot to a local show, "Sunup San Diego."

For about four years from 1974-78, channel 6 carried Captain Kangaroo. SunUp flowed better between the CBS Morning news and the 9am game show lineup CBS was offering.

I grew up in LA, but we got San Diego TV clearly from our rooftop antenna. If I remember correctly, the host of Sun Up in the early 1960s was a young guy named Regis Philbin. Regis later did a lot of local TV in LA.

 

[Tim from Springfield IL]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

Most of the pre-emptions mentioned here were for programs from years ago. But I happened to be channel-surfing one recent Saturday night here in Nashville, and noticed that channel 4 (WSMV) was running a Time-Life infomercial in place of whatever NBC was ordinarily running on Saturday night. It made me realize that Saturday night really IS a low viewership night if an NBC affiliate can make more money by running an infomercial in prime time!

Hard to believe--that would have been unthinkable not too long ago, circa 1985-93 on NBC back when the network had strong Saturday night ratings with the likes of the last few seasons of "Facts of Life," "Golden Girls," "227," and "Empty Nest" on that night.

 

[Limp73]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

I remember as a teenager in the early 70s, NBC pre-empted the last quarter of a certain football game (AFL I think...before the merger with NFL as my memory serves me) for a TV movie entitled "Heidi" based on the children's book.

The following evening David Brinkley reported that the switchboards at 30 Rock were overwhelmed with disgruntled football fans complaints! Not happy campers to put it lightly.

 

[retrothoughts]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

When "Star Trek" premiered, WICS/WICD in Springfield/Champaign, Ill., didn't think much of it and in its place put on reruns of "Wagon Train."

Ironic, if not moronic, given that creator Gene Roddenberry originally described Star Trek as a "Wagon Train to the stars".

 

[BRNout]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

I remember as a teenager in the early 70s, NBC pre-empted the last quarter of a certain football game (AFL I think...before the merger with NFL as my memory serves me) for a TV movie entitled "Heidi" based on the children's book.

The following evening David Brinkley reported that the switchboards at 30 Rock were overwhelmed with disgruntled football fans complaints! Not happy campers to put it lightly.

What they did was cut away from the Jets - Raiders (1968) game with something like 1:30 left to go. The NY Jets were up by 3 points and had the ball. So, some knuckleheads at NBC in New York figured the game was over and they flipped the switch to the rather boring looking kids' movie, Heidi. Well, the Raiders proceeded to score twice (thanks to buffoonery on the part of the Jets) in a :30 period and won by 11 points. Remember that this was back when the Jets on their way to becoming Super Bowl champs going on to shock the nation thanks in no small part to their QB, Joe Namath. The Raiders had Darryl Lamonica as QB and George Blanda as the backup QB/kicker. Quite a lineup - and an excellent game.

Needless to say, NBC had to do a mea culpa - Brinkley actually showed the last minute of the game on Nightly News (in case you missed it) and such a thing never happened again. Interesting thing: Curt Gowdy and whoever his sidekick were did not seem to be aware that someone pulled the plug as that replay had them announcing to what they thought was a national audience.

This is why Sunday night shows often start late on NFL weekends - though FOX wisely came up with the OT idea as a buffer. It's now in each network's NFL contact that they MAY NOT pull the plug and must cover the game in its entirety...at the minimum in it's home market. They can switch away from blowouts, as long as its not in a primary or secondary market for one of the teams that is playing.

 

[rwells2265]

Re: Most Inexplicable Network Program Pre-Emption

I could almost write a whole book on WBRC's pre-emptions and
delays just during the four years (1969-73) I lived in Birmingham,
but I'll ask about something that happened after I left, and I think
Russell Wells can answer this: given the powerhouse that was ABC's
Tuesday-night lineup in 1977-78, why did Ch. 6 see fit to air "Gunsmoke"
at 8 PM (CT) and delay "Three's Company" and "Soap"?

My take: I don't think the "morals" of the viewing area played that big a role; instead, it was all about the "morals" of WBRC management. Those of us familiar with Alabama know that Montgomery and Birmingham, for being 90 miles apart, might as well be 900 inasmuch as culture and politics go. Birmingham, while no "swinger" hotbed like Dallas, was nowhere near as repressive as Montgomery. Yet, their ABC station, channel 32 (then WKAB), aired most of the ABC schedule in pattern without a peep.

Of course, in this neck of the woods, "Gunsmoke" was a sure gamble - and WBRC could sell ALL the avails! :

*********
Meanwhile on Red Mountain, next door at Channel 13, in the '70s they were far more faithful to the NBC schedule. The only big spots were bumping Carson by an hour (more on that in a minute), and not airing SNL in its first couple of seasons. I do not recall any posturing by its management. If I recall, 13 tended to bump those late-late programs without regard to content.

The odd thing here is, prior to 1980, then WAPI-TV was owned by Newhouse, which also owned local newspaper The Birmingham News. By what I understand, Newhouse was a more conservative company than WBRC then-parent Taft. But the viewer would never know this by what they saw from each station.

Channel 13 was sold to Times-Mirror, and it was then 13 ramped up preemptions and such.

As for 13's treatment of Johnny Carson, I know this has been discussed elsewhere in an earlier thread on this board, but I'll go into it again to save those with a life from digging for that haystack needle ;D:

In the '60s it took a number of years before 13 picked up The Tonight Show ... WBMG-42 (WIAT) aired it soon after signing on in 1965. 13 carried it some time in the late '60s, but did so on a one-hour delay in order to shoehorn an "extra hour" of prime time to emulate the EST zone. 13's late news aired at 11, followed by Carson. This four-hour prime time spread allowed 13, back when it had first choice of both NBC and CBS on the buffet, to air more hit programs from both - further consigning 42 into even more of a stepchild status.

But when 13 and 42 each aligned with one network, 13 continued the one-hour delay. The 10 PM slot was now home to off-network reruns, and all the advertising gravy that went with it.

--Russell