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V66 What if?

Suppose V66 (WVJV,the mid 80's music video channel in Boston (Now WUTF) had NOT sold to Home shopping so soon?

I believe it would have continued to play videos but started to air non music programming aimed at a younger audience.

It may had bet channel 5 for rights to Star Trek:TNG!

Today I believe it could have been a My Network TV affiliate and be in Hi-Def (It was the first Stereo channel)

Comments?
 
chitchatjf said:
Suppose V66 (WVJV,the mid 80's music video channel in Boston (Now WUTF) had NOT sold to Home shopping so soon?

I believe it would have continued to play videos but started to air non music programming aimed at a younger audience.

It may had bet channel 5 for rights to Star Trek:TNG!

Today I believe it could have been a My Network TV affiliate and be in Hi-Def (It was the first Stereo channel)

Comments?
Who I remember that station, when it sign on, Wou Wou Ginsburg was there and maybe JJ Wright, when on for a while then they started an independent to compete with 38, 56, and 68. They had a good lineup, too bad that they did not make it.
 
FRM-Yankey said:
chitchatjf said:
Suppose V66 (WVJV,the mid 80's music video channel in Boston (Now WUTF) had NOT sold to Home shopping so soon?

I believe it would have continued to play videos but started to air non music programming aimed at a younger audience.

It may had bet channel 5 for rights to Star Trek:TNG!

Today I believe it could have been a My Network TV affiliate and be in Hi-Def (It was the first Stereo channel)

Comments?
Who I remember that station, when it sign on, Wou Wou Ginsburg was there and maybe JJ Wright, when on for a while then they started an independent to compete with 38, 56, and 68. They had a good lineup, too bad that they did not make it.

The Channel 66 construction permit (originally a Worcester allocation) was dormant for many years. Originally it was to be WGTR-TV with an all-news format. It never made it to the air. Then it was WZTZ (never made it to the air). Finally, in 1985 after several long delays and CP extensions (I believe it was to be the last one the FCC would provide), John Garabedian got the station (by then WVJV-TV) on the air. It was pretty much all Music Videos in Stereo (Boston's first Stereo TV station). It was easy to air, very cheap to keep and maintain. Once the novelty wore off, however, they started doing some live call-in shows and actually got stuff like "The $10,000 Pyramid", "American Bandstand" and a other few syndicated shows. Back then, (FCC rules stated then) the operator of a station had to keep the license for at least 1 year before they could try to sell it. Garabedian sold it within 18 months of their original airdate to the Home Shopping Club. WVJV was probably an investment for its' principals. Once they sold WVJV, I believe they got a lot more money back, than the original amount of money they paid to get it on the air.
 
The thing about home shopping and infomercials is they are very profitable.

Even if you could make a profit running music vids would you? I mean if you make $1,000/week profit by running music vids or $20,000/week running infomercials or home shopping, what would you, as an owner do? If you're a corporation with stockholders you don't even get an option.

So it's not merely about making money, it's making the MOST money
 
when my kids were growing up and about 6-8 y.o, V66 entertained them a lot, almost as much as the cartoon shows of the day. One now is really into music.
It would have given 27 and 68 a good run for its money as the best 4th indie in the Boston area. I can't remember the last time I even watched 66 ota or on cable.
 
vibe said:
when my kids were growing up and about 6-8 y.o, V66 entertained them a lot, almost as much as the cartoon shows of the day. One now is really into music.
It would have given 27 and 68 a good run for its money as the best 4th indie in the Boston area. I can't remember the last time I even watched 66 ota or on cable.

The problem is that no market (outside of LA) was able to support four independent stations in the mid-eighties. So "best 4th indie" was just an invitation to lose money at the time.
 
T.T. Your probably correc reg your assessment of 66. I wasn't into the business side of radio in the 80's. Still not. But 66 had a signal that penetrated large parts of adjacent markets (Manchester, Providence for openers). Don't know if it still does becasue I don't watch shopping or pray per views when watching OTA on my Forrest Gump HH TV (soon to go the way of the dinosaur) unless I wish to dodge the skeeters in Canada or the rattlers in Mexico.
But I can't speak either Spanish or Canadian...
 
radiodouble said:
Will said:
V66 paid for John Garabedian's fleet of aircraft.

everyone elevates this guy like he's the second coming...in reality, whatever this guy touched, he never truly made impact. be it radio, tv or on-line.

Yeah, nobody carried "Open House Party." ::)
 
You had to dredge up that extremely awful Patriots song from the Super Bowl XX era? Somebody shoot me now! :(
 
I don't know what was worse; the video or the results of that game (and i'm a big pats fan).
I did almost bet some serious buck$s on the Giants straight up earlier this year. Just had the feeling. I wanted the Pats to win and I would have 'won" either way. Would have had me a HDTV with the winnings. Instead iIsaved my $$ and took the extended family out for a chicken dinner (which was appropriate).
But like the last post we had some cool moments with V66 before we got cable. They certainly earned their name, not like the other V today.
 
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