WHAT'S THE BEST WHEEL OF FORTUNE & JEOPARDY STRATEGY ?

[gregg75]

Most stations air these game shows in the hour before prime time.

1. Which do you think is best, Jeopardy following Wheel or Wheel following Jeopardy?

2. Do you think Wheel on one station and Jeopardy on another diminishes the "power" of both?
Does a split station showing actually work?

3. Aren't these shows most effective when aired together?

 

[gregg75]

Just speaking from my gut and observations......

I think most stations air them in a block together with Wheel shown first. To me this is the most
logical block.

Splitting them up between 2 stations seems to be a gamble. Atlanta just split them up. They were
both on MY Network TV. Now Wheel is on at 7PM and Jeopardy is on sister station NBC 11 at 7:30
following a 30 minute local news show.

I think their plan is to help out the NBC lineup, as Jeopardy replaces TMZ or something similar that
had lower ratings. They seem to have hopes that this will give the NBC shows a boost. I'm not convinced
that splitting them up was such a great idea.........seems that strategy could lose just as much as it
gains.

 

[SCart79]

I don't have time to watch "WOF" or "Jeopardy, but I would prefer "Jeopardy" because you learn more from that show.

 

[LKellerIII]

I don't have time to watch "WOF" or "Jeopardy, but I would prefer "Jeopardy" because you learn more from that show.

The SF Bay Area has always had both shows together on the same station - the NBC affiliate for about a decade, then it switched to the ABC O&O for about that last 15 years. Jeopardy at 7:00 and Wheel at 7:30, and both shows have maintained strong popularity for what - probably 25 years now, I think. So that seems like a good "strategy" for the producers - to me.

After so many years, with so many alternatives to watch on my DVR - I'm not particularly a devotee of either show, both I'm more a Jeopardy guy - I probably watch 3 or 4 a month. As somebody said above, you learn a lot from that show.

I don't think I'd watched an episode of Wheel all year until the holiday rerun season - when I was forced to watch regular TV after I'd exhausted all of the saved shows on my DVR. Good show - I was entertained. But if I don't see it for another year, I'll be fine with that.

 

[cd637299]

We had a similar thread on Wheel & J! a while back....I was not sure if I asked my question properly.....

Isn't there still "cross-promotion" for each other's shows during commercial breaks? And, if so, what happens to these promos if 2 separate stations (in the same market) are airing one of these shows? (Edit: Even in the case of a duopoly like above, airing on separate co-owned stations, especially with cross promotion, would not seem to make as much sense. Not many folk know who owns what station, and IMO it would add to the confusion.)

Although I don't watch much anymore, Wheel-first-and-then-Jeopardy seems to work best. Few stations air it the other way around, and I suppose enough research has determined what's the best 1-2 punch.

cd

 

[landtuna]

I am a regular "Jeopardy" viewer and have not noticed any cross-promotion for "WOF" during breaks or otherwise.

 

[cd637299]

^ Know what? You may be right----at least in your case, *if* Wheel is shown first. I thought I saw promo clips for upcoming J! shows, which may have meant to be aired that same night. If Wheel was first, there likely would not be a promo for it during J!, if it had already aired!

(I thought there were promos for J! where at least one category was teased at us. Am I right? I don't drink, BTW.)

cd

 

[onairb]

I don't have time to watch "WOF" or "Jeopardy, but I would prefer "Jeopardy" because you learn more from that show.

The SF Bay Area has always had both shows together on the same station - the NBC affiliate for about a decade, then it switched to the ABC O&O for about that last 15 years. Jeopardy at 7:00 and Wheel at 7:30, and both shows have maintained strong popularity for what - probably 25 years now, I think. So that seems like a good "strategy" for the producers - to me.

After so many years, with so many alternatives to watch on my DVR - I'm not particularly a devotee of either show, both I'm more a Jeopardy guy - I probably watch 3 or 4 a month. As somebody said above, you learn a lot from that show.

I don't think I'd watched an episode of Wheel all year until the holiday rerun season - when I was forced to watch regular TV after I'd exhausted all of the saved shows on my DVR. Good show - I was entertained. But if I don't see it for another year, I'll be fine with that.

In the Bay Area, Wheel and Jeopardy! switched from KRON to KGO on February 10, 1992, when KRON (then the NBC affiliate) and KPIX (CBS) began experimenting with 'early' prime time.

 

[DToTheJ]

...Wheel-first-and-then-Jeopardy seems to work best. Few stations air it the other way around...

Unless it's the Central time zone, where "Wheel" usually airs right before primetime starts at 7 PM...

 

[anotherguyTN]

In Memphis WREG carries Jepopardy at 3:30 PM and WMC carries Wheel at 6:30 PM. WMC carried Jeopardy at 4 PM until several years back when they started carrying Oprah at 4 PM.

WBBJ in Jackson, TN carries Jeopardy at 11 AM and Wheel at 6:30 PM.

 

[justpassingthough]

We had a similar thread on Wheel & J! a while back....I was not sure if I asked my question properly.....

Isn't there still "cross-promotion" for each other's shows during commercial breaks? And, if so, what happens to these promos if 2 separate stations (in the same market) are airing one of these shows? (Edit: Even in the case of a duopoly like above, airing on separate co-owned stations, especially with cross promotion, would not seem to make as much sense. Not many folk know who owns what station, and IMO it would add to the confusion.)

Although I don't watch much anymore, Wheel-first-and-then-Jeopardy seems to work best. Few stations air it the other way around, and I suppose enough research has determined what's the best 1-2 punch.

cd

I've never lived in a market that aired "Jeopardy" after "Wheel", so I think you're going off of your own observations. Does someone want to count which airs earlier more often?

 

[bpatrick]

I am a regular "Jeopardy" viewer and have not noticed any cross-promotion for "WOF" during breaks or otherwise.

WABC carries "Jeopardy!" at 7 and "Wheel" at 7:30, and there's always a promo for "Wheel" just before
Final Jeopardy! Vanna will say, "Wheel Of Fortune, weeknights at 7:30," and Pat will finish, "on ABC7."
(That's after they tell you what, if any, the theme of that week's shows is.) WTVD is also an ABC o&o
and also carries "Jeopardy!" first; they too, do a "Wheel" promo before Final Jeopardy! but with a staff
announcer mentioning the time and channel.

But if you mean something like Alex promoting "Wheel" or Pat and Vanna promoting "Jeopardy!", never happens.
Alex does do a spot where he invites you to contact "Jeopardy!" for tickets if you want to be in the audience,
or there's that New York Times thing with the selected "Jeopardy!" clue from that day's show. But that's all
I can think of in terms of promos.

As for which comes first, in North Carolina the two shows air back-to-back on the same channel in every market;
"Jeopardy!" is on first in Charlotte (WCNC) and Raleigh/Durham (WTVD); "Wheel" is on first in Greensboro (WFMY),
Greenville/New Bern/Washington (WITN), and Wilmington (WECT). In South Carolina, "Wheel" is on first in all
markets; likewise, in Virginia.

The mention of WBBJ reminded me that KTVT Dallas/Ft. Worth airs "Jeopardy!" at 11 AM and "Wheel" at 6:30 PM.

 

[vchimpanzee]

As for which comes first, in North Carolina the two shows air back-to-back on the same channel in every market;
"Jeopardy!" is on first in Charlotte (WCNC) and Raleigh/Durham (WTVD); "Wheel" is on first in Greensboro (WFMY),
Greenville/New Bern/Washington (WITN), and Wilmington (WECT). In South Carolina, "Wheel" is on first in all
markets; likewise, in Virginia.

The mention of WBBJ reminded me that KTVT Dallas/Ft. Worth airs "Jeopardy!" at 11 AM and "Wheel" at 6:30 PM.

I have my chloice of times to watch. I have WCNC and WFMY on my cable system and can pick up WFMY over the air, though the signal can be iffy. I tape from WCNC if I'm not watching but always make sure to watch if I can, just in case something goes wrong. I wouldn't want to miss it if WFMY isn't showing it at all.

I never watch "Wheel" except maybe at the beach when I'm waiting for "Jeopardy" to come on.

 

[crainbebo]

KGO in San Francisco is another station that airs J! at 7, and WOF at 7:30. My local KOMO 4 has aired WOF followed by J! since at least 1985 or 86. KNDO 23 in Yakima, WA (NBC) has aired Wheel and J! for a long time as well.

-crainbebo

 

[bpatrick]

As for which comes first, in North Carolina the two shows air back-to-back on the same channel in every market;
"Jeopardy!" is on first in Charlotte (WCNC) and Raleigh/Durham (WTVD); "Wheel" is on first in Greensboro (WFMY),
Greenville/New Bern/Washington (WITN), and Wilmington (WECT). In South Carolina, "Wheel" is on first in all
markets; likewise, in Virginia.

The mention of WBBJ reminded me that KTVT Dallas/Ft. Worth airs "Jeopardy!" at 11 AM and "Wheel" at 6:30 PM.

I have my chloice of times to watch. I have WCNC and WFMY on my cable system and can pick up WFMY over the air, though the signal can be iffy. I tape from WCNC if I'm not watching but always make sure to watch if I can, just in case something goes wrong. I wouldn't want to miss it if WFMY isn't showing it at all.

I never watch "Wheel" except maybe at the beach when I'm waiting for "Jeopardy" to come on.

Same here. I have a choice of "Jeopardy!" at 7 on WTVD or at 7:30 on WFMY; I usually watch it at 7. And I never watch "Wheel" unless I'm in Myrtle Beach (nothing to do with Vanna being from there) because my stepmother likes it, and it's on WBTW before "Jeopardy!".

 

[searadiofreak]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the strategy of putting Jeopardy on right before the evening local news. ABC7 WLS in Chicago does this. Not sure, but the thinking may be that Jeopardy attracts the same kind of demo that would follow local news, plus the slot in between the double jeopardy round and final jeopardy is perfect for a news tease. I remember a few years back watching the street level WLS newscast, and the anchors were playing along off the air trying to see who was right on "final". I believe WLS runs Wheel after there last evening newscast, at 6:30.

 

[ShawnHill1]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned the strategy of putting Jeopardy on right before the evening local news. ABC7 WLS in Chicago does this. Not sure, but the thinking may be that Jeopardy attracts the same kind of demo that would follow local news, plus the slot in between the double jeopardy round and final jeopardy is perfect for a news tease. I remember a few years back watching the street level WLS newscast, and the anchors were playing along off the air trying to see who was right on "final". I believe WLS runs Wheel after there last evening newscast, at 6:30.

It's been like that on WLS since the early-to-mid 80s when the two shows came to syndication; Jeopardy! at 3:30, news at 4, World News at 5:30, more news at 6, and Wheel at 6:30.

 

[Nate Wesley]

The simplest and best 'strategy' is whatever works for both the show and its subscribing station. In the Montgomery, AL market, WAKA-TV 'CBS 8' has used Jeopardy! as the 9:30 am (CST) lead-in to The Price is Right for years. The station saves Wheel of Fortune for its post-local news slot at 6:30 pm.

 

[Bluenoser]

In Canada, CBC used to run them back-to-back at 7 until last fall...the times changed due to Coronation Street running for an hour at 6:30 (CBC O&Os air local news 5-6:30). Wheel now airs at 4:30 as a lead-in to the news, with Trebek following Corrie at 7:30.

 

[gregg75]

So, I guess there is no strategy. Everybody seems to like what THEIR station does in
THEIR town and thinking outside the box and looking at the big picture is unimaginable
for most on here IMO.