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Why does WPRI start Jeopardy early?

K

kramie13

Banned
Last Friday, because WBZ aired Patriots All-Access during the 7 PM hour, I used WPRI as my "backup" station to watch Jeopardy. However, while the program guide lists Jeopardy starting at 7:30 PM, the station started the episode at 7:29 PM, more than 30 seconds ahead of schedule. As a result, my DVR recording did not have Johnny Gilbert's iconic "THIS... is ... Jeopardy!" nor did it have the contestant introduction. While I didn't miss any of the clues, I was blind to who the 2 new contestants were, as well as the defending champion's number of wins and current cash winnings to date.

So why would this station start the show ahead of schedule? How does this benefit the station, or more importantly, the viewers?
 
kramie13 said:
Last Friday, because WBZ aired Patriots All-Access during the 7 PM hour, I used WPRI as my "backup" station to watch Jeopardy. However, while the program guide lists Jeopardy starting at 7:30 PM, the station started the episode at 7:29 PM, more than 30 seconds ahead of schedule. As a result, my DVR recording did not have Johnny Gilbert's iconic "THIS... is ... Jeopardy!" nor did it have the contestant introduction. While I didn't miss any of the clues, I was blind to who the 2 new contestants were, as well as the defending champion's number of wins and current cash winnings to date.

So why would this station start the show ahead of schedule? How does this benefit the station, or more importantly, the viewers?
Click to expand...
LOL, my local stations don't get it right half the time either, this might be an automation fail as opposed to them choosing to start early. If WPRI has a newscast with a clock in the corner, compare it to your cable-box's time. You may be surprised to learn that the station believes it's 7:30 when it's 7:29. Fun fact: KUSA had the opposite problem a few years back where it was almost always late.
 
I noticed that myself! This started because for years and years, they would air the lottery drawing just before Wheel, and then the second drawing before Jeopardy! On the nights they had it. But now they have both drawings between Wheel and Jeopardy! In the same segment. So that’s why this happened. However, I occasionally watch them on WPRI on Saturday because sometimes they show the weekend reruns and WBZ doesn’t, and they do start it on time.
 
Aside from starting the shows early, if you live in Bristol County (or RI for that matter) I would actually use WPRI as my primary source for those shows. They have always seemed much more faithful to them, except for starting them early. They don’t have nearly as many pre-emptions, and they don’t have the station logo bug in the corner throughout the show. However, I’m not even sure this belongs in the Boston-Manchester TV section since this is a Providence station we’re talking about, which is in a different market.
 
Why would a lottery drawing of all things force a show to start ahead of schedule? What's wrong with airing another commercial or two until the clock reads 7:30? It gives the station a little more ad revenue (and helps pay the bills).
 
I would think that the RI Lottery pays for that airtime? You get the CT Lottery in 3 segments during the 10 pm hour on channel 20 (CW):

PLAY 3 and PLAY 4
(minute of ads)
CASH 5
(first segment of sitcom or news bumped from sister FOX station)
LOTTO! or LUCKY FOR LIFE*

*How it was until July, when L.F.L. became nightly and dropped the on-camera host.
 
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