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

[bostonmediaguy]

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.

No, it's the fact that each marketplace is different. In Boston, for example, Jeopardy! is higher-rated than Wheel. Therefore, it airs at 7:30 PM, leading into prime.

If I remember correctly, Wheel is the better rated of the two in New York; it airs at 7:30 PM.

This cookie-cutter approach to local television is what is wrong with the industry; one size does *not* fit all.

 

[charlestondxman]

Back to back is probably the best strategy in Eastern and Pacific time. Our local WCBD has done that for over 25 years. As long as I can remember, Wheel has been at 7 and Jeopardy! at 7:30 leading into primetime.

Wheel here is probably the higher-rated of the two shows, but both shows have had the lead in the ratings (or at least 2nd) for most of their time.

Wheel has enough viewers that they traveled here in '07 to do 3 weeks of shows, and they sometimes do contestant searches here too. Still, even with all the money it makes, they can't afford to air it in high definition.

 

[crainbebo]

Back to back is probably the best strategy in Eastern and Pacific time. Our local WCBD has done that for over 25 years. As long as I can remember, Wheel has been at 7 and Jeopardy! at 7:30 leading into primetime.

Wheel here is probably the higher-rated of the two shows, but both shows have had the lead in the ratings (or at least 2nd) for most of their time.

Wheel has enough viewers that they traveled here in '07 to do 3 weeks of shows, and they sometimes do contestant searches here too. Still, even with all the money it makes, they can't afford to air it in high definition.

No, WOF is in HD, and I've seen KOMO's HD in Seattle not too long ago, with an HD broadcast...J! too IIRC

-crainbebo

 

[charlestondxman]

I was talking about the local station WCBD. Wheel and Jeopardy have been HD for several seasons, yet we haven't even gotten a peep of it. Other stations in smaller markets than us have it.

 

[Nate Wesley]

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.

Or...maybe your gut feelings need to be gut checked:

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.

Many station operators obviously do something different (and most who replied simply related what their local markets did instead of dismiss your idea outright). But that's okay, I'm sure there are other forums you'll find some gut buddies on this topic.

 

[imhomerjay]

Come now, we know facts and logic are difficult concepts at times for some folks.

 

[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.

Or...maybe your gut feelings need to be gut checked:

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.

Many station operators obviously do something different (and most who replied simply related what their local markets did instead of dismiss your idea outright). But that's okay, I'm sure there are other forums you'll find some gut buddies on this topic.

Well the question was.....What do you think is the best strategy......not what are they doing in your town? My gut feelings were right. Most stations air Wheel first and Jeopardy last. Some folks comprehend questions and others (like you) try to make it personal with personal JABS and name calling which is best reserved for a grade school playground.

 

[bpatrick]

True, most stations in the Eastern and Pacific time zones
air "Wheel" first; if I had them and also a strong news block,
I'd want to hold the audience with "Wheel" right after the news.
Some of the stations that carry "Jeopardy!" first (my ABC station,
WTVD, is one) already had "Wheel" at 7:30 when they got "Jeopardy!";
some, like WFTV Orlando, put "Wheel" at 7:30 because CBS affiliate
WCPX (now WKMG) had been carrying it at 7:30. But as someone
pointed out, there are markets where "Jeopardy!" is the stronger of
the two (doesn't surprise me that Boston is one), and they would appear
to be markets likely to carry "Jeopardy!" at 7. And I can think of
only one in the Central and Mountain time zones which carries the two in tandem:
KMGH Denver airs "Jeopardy!" at 6 and "Wheel" at 6:30. I think "Jeopardy!" is a
case of counterprogramming, since the local newscasts on KCNC and KUSA are stronger
than KMGH's; "Wheel" is up against a 6:30 local news on KCNC and "ET" on KUSA and leads
into primetime.

Bottom line: as in every other programming decision, what is going to be the most
effective for the station? Station managers and PDs are human, after all, and there's
no set formula that says one or the other has to air first. (It's like I used to wonder, back
in the '70s, why there was so much variation in the times the network news aired; for
example, I'd get ABC on WLOS at 6 and on WXIA at 6:30. A PD once told me, "Every
station is different.")

And as for thinking outside the box, I recall that I was in favor of ABC's trying something
like the CBC's "The National"/"The Journal" at 10 PM if Jay Leno's primetime show had made it.
We know the outcome, but at the time I thought it was a good idea. And I'm also wondering
if the time is coming when ABC, CBS, and NBC will follow Fox's lead and end primetime at 10,
giving that back to the affiliates for local news?