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Whatever happened to Saturday nights?

A

AuntPresident

Guest
I was just reading an article from USA Today about how all the TV networks have essentially given up the ghost on Saturday night, what with reruns of "CSI", "Lost", "My Name Is Earl", etc. The article mentioned the classic shows that were big hits on Saturdays, from "Perry Mason" to "Gunsmoke" to "The Love Boat", along with the mother of all Must-See lineups on CBS in the early 70s ("All In The Family", "M*A*S*H", Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Carol Burnett). Some shows that weren't mentioned, like Lawrence Welk and Gleason, were on Saturdays for a gazillion years as well. Is the conversion of Saturday night into a video cutout bin no big deal, or a troubling spot on the X-ray for network TV?
 
Is the conversion of Saturday night into a video cutout bin no
> big deal, or a troubling spot on the X-ray for network TV?

As expensive as programming is to produce these days and networks giving up on successful shows because of budget and not ratings ("7th Heaven) the networks are probably just as happy to plug the holes with re-runs on Saturday nights as produce new entertainment shows. Fox runs fresh "Cops" and "America's Most
Wanted." CBS has "48 Hours Mystery" all shows that are relatively cheap to produce and probably wouldn't gain much for them on another night.
 
> Is the conversion of Saturday night into a video cutout bin
> no
> > big deal, or a troubling spot on the X-ray for network TV?
>
>
> As expensive as programming is to produce these days and
> networks giving up on successful shows because of budget and
> not ratings ("7th Heaven) the networks are probably just as
> happy to plug the holes with re-runs on Saturday nights as
> produce new entertainment shows. Fox runs fresh "Cops" and
> "America's Most
> Wanted." CBS has "48 Hours Mystery" all shows that are
> relatively cheap to produce and probably wouldn't gain much
> for them on another night.
>

CBS was the last network to drop original scripted programming from Saturday nights (The District was cancelled at the end of the 2003/2004 season). NBC tried reviving "Hunter" in its old Saturday night timeslot, but I think it lasted all of two airings. The last time any of the networks really competed on Saturday was the early-90s and then NBC had it pretty much locked up with its Carsey-Werner comedies ("Golden Girls", "Empty Nest", etc) and "Sisters" (CBS was counter-programming with "Touched By An Angel" and "Walker, Texas Ranger").

Every article I've read in the last several years always makes mention that more people are going out on Saturday nights than in the past.

It's also interesting to note that about the same time the networks gave up on Saturday, they started programming Sunday's more aggressively (rather than running the "woman in jeopardy" movies of the week like they did through most of the 80s and early 90s).
 
"Golden Girls" and "Empty Nest" were done by Witt-Thomas-Harris, not by Carsey-Werner, FYI. You were thinking about "The Cosby Show."
 
> "Golden Girls" and "Empty Nest" were done by
> Witt-Thomas-Harris, not by Carsey-Werner, FYI. You were
> thinking about "The Cosby Show."
>

I think they also did "Benson" (ABC 1980-86) and "Soap" as well. As for other Saturday night programming, did NBC ever air "Dif'rent Strokes" on Saturdays around 1983-84?<P ID="signature">______________
The 2006 New York Yankees...on to title #27!</P>
 
> > "Golden Girls" and "Empty Nest" were done by
> > Witt-Thomas-Harris, not by Carsey-Werner, FYI. You were
> > thinking about "The Cosby Show."
> >
>
> I think they also did "Benson" (ABC 1980-86) and "Soap" as
> well. As for other Saturday night programming, did NBC ever
> air "Dif'rent Strokes" on Saturdays around 1983-84?
>

I remember that sometimes ABC could run a P.I. spot on Saturday nights, mainly this is because they are not like regular prime-time and all its shows are re-runs from another night.
 
> > > I think they also did "Benson" (ABC 1980-86) and "Soap" as
> well. As for other Saturday night programming, did NBC ever
> air "Dif'rent Strokes" on Saturdays around 1983-84?
>
Yes, NBC had a sitcom-heavy lineup throughout the '80s.
'Diff'rent Strokes' and 'Silver Spoons'were on Saturday in the early '80s, along with 'Mama's Family'.
Later, 'Facts of Life' and 'Gimme a Break' aired on that night. And '227' and 'Amen' were featured later in the decade, as well.
 
> I remember that sometimes ABC could run a P.I. spot on
> Saturday nights, mainly this is because they are not like
> regular prime-time and all its shows are re-runs from
> another night.

That was likely your market's affiliate and not the network itself.
<P ID="signature">______________


</P>
 
I probably mentioned this some time ago, but I wish to note that back when I was a teenager (yes, this was during the 1970's!), during the heyday of "All In The Family", "Mary Tyler Moore", et. al. on Saturday nights, my family and most of my neighbors stayed home on Saturday nights. Today, most of my neighbors are out on Saturday nights (although I am usually still home on Saturday nights, but that's because my current girlfriend works on Saturday nights).

Nowadays, very few people between 16 and 55 are home on Saturday nights. Most people between 16 and 55 who are home on Saturday nights probably watch local sports (games of hometown Major League Baseball teams during the Spring and Summer; games of hometown NHL and NBA teams during the Fall and Winter), usually on regional cable sports networks.

Maybe the networks should consider programming to those demographic groups who are home on Saturday nights. I'm susprised a broadcast network hasn't thought of running a children's block between 8 and 10 (ET/PT) on Saturday nights.

Except for the fact that they (at least for 2006/2007) won't program prime-time on Saturdays, the new CW network would be in the best position to run a prime-time block of children's programs on Saturday nights. With the 50% Warner Brothers ownership, the CW could move a couple of the most popular Kids' CW (formerly known as Kids' WB) shows from Saturday morning to Saturday nights, and pair those shows up with an hour of classic Warner Brothers' cartoons.
 
Fridays Could Be Next (Was: Re: Whatever happened to Saturday nights?)

In the past couple of years, TV viewership on Friday nights has also started to plunge.

And the reason is the same: As has been the case on Saturday nights, more and more people are going out on Friday nights, leaving fewer people home on Fridays to watch TV. I suspect the major culprit for the nosedive in Friday-night viewership is movies. Most theatrical movies start playing on Fridays, and in fact, most TV spots for movies about to open in theatres mention the day the movie opens twice during the spot ("On February 17th..." at the very beginning of the commercial and "Opens February 17th" at the end of the commercial). Thus, people are incrasingly conditioned to see a movie the first night it begins playing at the Friendly Neighborhood Multiplex.

During the Fall in Texas (and to a lesser extent elsewhere), local high-school football games lure people away from their TV sets on Friday nights.

Unlike on Saturdays, the networks are still (for the moment) programming first-run scripted programming on Friday nights. But that may change if the number of people home and watching television on Friday continues to decline.

In fact, I feel that if NBC's drama series "Las Vegas" doesn't do well in it's new Friday-night timeslot (the show will be seen on Fridays starting on March 3rd), the network may decide to abandon first-run scripted entertainment on Friday nights, which may lead other networks to follow suit in the next two or three years.

Although occassional network sports broadcasts on Saturday nights have gotten decent ratings, it should be noted that the World Series (except for make-ups of rain-outs) has never had games played on Friday nights. A couple of years ago, the NBA Finals were moved away from Fridays, moving from the traditional Sunday/Wednesday/Friday scheduling to Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday, perhaps to avoid placing games on the two lowest-viewership nights of the week.

As has become the case with Saturday nights, an increasing percentage of those who do stay home on Friday nights watch local sports telecasts on regional cable sports networks (games of the hometown Major League Baseball team during the Spring and Summer and games of the hometown NBA team during the Fall and Winter; there are few NHL games played on Friday nights).

So enjoy the choices you have for prime-time TV on Friday nights this season. A few years hence, network Friday night schedules may be divided-up between third-run movies, reruns of prime-time shows from earlier in the week, and newsmagazine shows.
 
Re: Fridays Could Be Next (Was: Re: Whatever happened to Saturday nights?)

> During the Fall in Texas (and to a lesser extent elsewhere),
> local high-school football games lure people away from their
> TV sets on Friday nights.
>
> Although occassional network sports broadcasts on Saturday
> nights have gotten decent ratings, it should be noted that
> the World Series (except for make-ups of rain-outs) has
> never had games played on Friday nights. A couple of years
> ago, the NBA Finals were moved away from Fridays, moving
> from the traditional Sunday/Wednesday/Friday scheduling to
> Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday, perhaps to avoid placing games on
> the two lowest-viewership nights of the week.

My theory on the World Series is a protection of high school sports on Friday nights (which is being threatened by the occasional Friday college game now on ESPN.) When I was growing up, the World Series started on Wednesday afternoon, then played Thursday. Friday was a travel day, then Saturday, Sunday, Monday at the other ballpark, closing with a Wednesday, Thursday if needed after a Tuesday travel day.

The NBA finals may be more of a ratings issue.
 
> Nowadays, very few people between 16 and 55 are home on
> Saturday nights. Most people between 16 and 55 who are home
> on Saturday nights probably watch local sports (games of
> hometown Major League Baseball teams during the Spring and
> Summer; games of hometown NHL and NBA teams during the Fall
> and Winter), usually on regional cable sports networks.
>

Don't forget the explosion in home theaters. As they continue to become more elaborate and increasingly popular, Saturday night also can be a big movies-at-home night, drawing more of the audience away.

On the flip side of the lack of original programming is that I enjoy sampling some of the shows I haven't seen since I often go to bed early during the week.


> Maybe the networks should consider programming to those
> demographic groups who are home on Saturday nights. I'm
> susprised a broadcast network hasn't thought of running a
> children's block between 8 and 10 (ET/PT) on Saturday
> nights.

I think the parents of those kids are already programming for the kids at home with movies & videos. It's far more economical to get some extra miles from the shows you've already paid for.
 
Re: Fridays Could Be Next (Was: Re: Whatever happened to Saturday nights?)

I suspect
> the major culprit for the nosedive in Friday-night
> viewership is movies. Most theatrical movies start playing
> on Fridays, and in fact, most TV spots for movies about to
> open in theatres mention the day the movie opens twice
> during the spot ("On February 17th..." at the very beginning
> of the commercial and "Opens February 17th" at the end of
> the commercial). Thus, people are incrasingly conditioned to
> see a movie the first night it begins playing at the
> Friendly Neighborhood Multiplex.

Yet, movie attendance (with the exception of a few blockbusters) is at an all-time low.
I think that DVDs, premium cable, movies-on-demand, and the internet are more likely culprits in the demise of weekend television.
 
Re: Fridays Could Be Next (Was: Re: Whatever happened to Saturday nights?)

Why doesn't the networks do some research and find out who is at home on Friday and Saturday nights and program to them. My guess is married folks 40+ are home most Friday and Saturday nights (sure they go out some weekend nights, but certainly not all or even most as many married families have children and budgets and a limited amount of "partying" money available to spend). Why not program for that "older" group that the networks generally ignore the rest of the week. Surely they can get a sizable audience and spot load by targeting the actual folks who'd like to sit and watch TV on a Friday or Saturday night.
 
Re: Fridays Could Be Next (Was: Re: Whatever happened to Saturday nights?)

> I suspect
> > the major culprit for the nosedive in Friday-night
> > viewership is movies. Most theatrical movies start playing
>
> > on Fridays, and in fact, most TV spots for movies about to
>
> > open in theatres mention the day the movie opens twice
> > during the spot ("On February 17th..." at the very
> beginning
> > of the commercial and "Opens February 17th" at the end of
> > the commercial). Thus, people are incrasingly conditioned
> to
> > see a movie the first night it begins playing at the
> > Friendly Neighborhood Multiplex.
>
> Yet, movie attendance (with the exception of a few
> blockbusters) is at an all-time low.
> I think that DVDs, premium cable, movies-on-demand, and the
> internet are more likely culprits in the demise of weekend
> television.

Don't forget something that has especially lured younger males away from TV, or even movies (whether in theaters, on video, or anyplace else), on weekends -- video games. The ever increasing realism, complexity, and intensity allowed by such consoles as Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Sony's upcoming PlayStation3 have made video games a very enticing "interactive" alternative to TV and movies. Why see a TV show or movie in which someone else is playing a daring car thief when you can fire up Grand Theft Auto and thus give yourself the chance to play a daring car thief?<P ID="signature">______________
This is AirwaveSurfer, reminding you that portions of this post have been prerecorded.</P>
 
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