Will KXAS Show all of the Jerry Lews MDA Telethon this year!!!

[salemjedi54]

If you like to watch the local portion of the MDA Telethon on KXAS, then lets pettion them to show the telethon on Digital channel 5.2.

 

[eskipper411]

whoa whoa whoa whoa stop right that channel is reserved for one thing and one thing only WEATHER and anyways they usually show it on 5.1 anyways.

 

[Slambang]

I think KXAS is more concerned with their revenues, and soap operas/syndie being them more money than Jerry Lewis, which is a sad state of affairs at they used to run from 11p-6p with this thing in past years. I always remember watching that on labor day as a kid, "Live From The Southern Palace, At Six Flags". Recently they moved out to Lone Star Park and I think are allowed a short time before all the straights come in and start playing the ponies....

 

[Mediafrog+]

All this is a sign of the times. Here in Houston KPRC/2 didn't run much of the actual show last year. Telethons, as a money raising effort, have been fading away the past number of years. Too expensive to produce, and the effort is lost amongst hundreds of channel options. And the charities have found other ways to finance themselves.

I suspect that when Jerry Lewis is no longer around, the MDA telethon, for better or worse, will probably come to a quiet end.

 

[OnTexasTime]

With the coming of digital, I would like to see local stations have (as in this case) a 5.3 channel that could be used for special programing like the Telethon. It could also be used to stick with live helicoptor feeds when not everyone is concerned the event and wants them to return to regular programming.

 

[Slambang]

All this is a sign of the times. Here in Houston KPRC/2 didn't run much of the actual show last year. Telethons, as a money raising effort, have been fading away the past number of years. Too expensive to produce, and the effort is lost amongst hundreds of channel options. And the charities have found other ways to finance themselves.

I suspect that when Jerry Lewis is no longer around, the MDA telethon, for better or worse, will probably come to a quiet end.

And the sad part, that may happen. I knew someone with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), which is the one most commonly referred to by jerry in his telethon speeches. It makes me sick that TV stations, esp. alot of the NBC affiliates, would rather run with their programming instead of giving back to the community just one day of the year. As for running it on a digital subtier channel, that is a distinct possiblity that will occure.

 

[arnoldevns]

It's pretty simple: times change. The Jerry Lewis telethon just isn't the kind of draw that it use to be. Most of the potential audience doesn't know Lewis for anything other than the telethon. Variety show entertainment isn't that popular anymore either. More importantly, the internet has allowed groups like MDA to raise money more effectively year round and probably get to a lot of their potential donors before the telethon ever hits air.

But the most obvious change is in the economics of local TV. Profit margins are lower and the bottom line matters far more than it use to. Stations are not willing to give up as much time for charity. Doing the 11p-6p bit would probably cost enough money in overtime etc, that it would cost KXAS a job or two more in the next round of layoffs.

 

[salemjedi54]

I just want to see the local portion of the telethon. I know WGN shows most of it, but I want to see whats happening in DFW. I don't want to see it at 5am.

 

[jeffdfw]

KXAS will begin broadcasting the telethon at 5AM on September 1. It is that way in a lot of markets. http://www.mda.org/telethon/findyourstation.html :-\

 

[salemjedi54]

KXAS will begin broadcasting the telethon at 5AM on September 1. It is that way in a lot of markets. http://www.mda.org/telethon/findyourstation.html :-\

I know that, my problem is, why not show it on Digital 5.2 or on the kxas website for those folk who want to see it from the beginning. Could KXAS produce and show the beginning and the local cutaways on 5.2.

 

[jeffdfw]

Would they really lose a lot of revenue from 10:30p - 5:00a on a Sunday night anyway???

 

[Slambang]

Not really. Again, they could run the national feed from 10:30p til 5a, then go w/ local coverage. Then at noon, switch it to 5.2 for the remander. Im also looking at the schedule, at least KXAN in austin has the stones to start it properly in prime time on sunday night, that says alot for KXAS and their commitment to charity.

 

[bpatrick]

Does the Deutsche Bank golf tournament air Labor
Day weekend? I think that as of last year it had moved
from ABC to NBC (ABC's out of golf except for the
British Open), so I would expect KXAS to carry the
tournament instead of the telethon if the tournament
is on.

Also, doesn't KXAS have a duopoly with KXTX? Why
doesn't Channel 39 run the telethon? We have a situation
in Charlotte where WSOC (ABC) and WAXN (Ind.) have one,
and most of the telethon airs on WAXN.

 

[bhayes1016]

Also, doesn't KXAS have a duopoly with KXTX? Why
doesn't Channel 39 run the telethon?

KXTX is now Telemundo.

 

[arnoldevns]

KXAS will begin broadcasting the telethon at 5AM on September 1. It is that way in a lot of markets. http://www.mda.org/telethon/findyourstation.html :-\

I know that, my problem is, why not show it on Digital 5.2 or on the kxas website for those folk who want to see it from the beginning. Could KXAS produce and show the beginning and the local cutaways on 5.2.

No, I doubt they could do that. My guess is that their contract with the telethon requires them to show whatever they're going to show on the main KXAS channel. If they put it on 5.2, the whole thing would have to be on 5.2. I'm sure the MDA folks and channel 5 wouldn't want that.

Furthermore, the expense of producing a show just for the web or 5.2 is the same as producing it for KXAS. With far fewer eyeballs watching, what would be the point? It would be a huge waste of money.

 

[bpatrick]

It's getting tougher to get clearances; CBS has the
U.S. Open Tennis, NBC has the Deutsche Bank golf
tournament (I think), and ABC affiliates stick with
their soaps and "The View" (and a lot of them have
Oprah as well).

Also, I think the caliber of entertainment has gone
down. Time was when Sammy Davis Jr. and Liberace
always showed; regardless of what you think of them
personally, they knew how to put on a show. And you
might even see Frank Sinatra, arguably the king of all
Vegas-style entertainers. They're all gone now,
and I think Jerry has gone more to Branson, MO-style
entertainment. It doesn't work for me.

And with Jerry's health problems in recent
years it's been left more and more to Ed McMahon and
Casey Kasem, neither of whom is getting any younger.

Every year I keep thinking that I'm seeing the last one;
Jerry is 82 now. I agree that when Jerry goes, the telethon
will probably go with him.

 

[azumanga]

Also, I think the caliber of entertainment has gone
down. Time was when Sammy Davis Jr. and Liberace
always showed...And you might even see Frank Sinatra...
They're all gone now, and I think Jerry has gone more to
Branson, MO-style entertainment. It doesn't work for me.

And with Jerry's health problems in recent
years it's been left more and more to Ed McMahon and
Casey Kasem, neither of whom is getting any younger.

Ever since the deaths of many of the Rat Pack members and most of the telethon evergreens (including Henny Youngman), the quality of the telethon has practically been reduced to has-beens, never-was'es and never-will-bes. And even most of the new generation stars and acts, such as Britney Spears, stay away. In 1990, they tried to appeal to the younger generation by revamping the telethon, but ended up going back to the original formula the following year.

I still watch the telethon, but mainly only for the opening and the closing.

Every year I keep thinking that I'm seeing the last one;
Jerry is 82 now. I agree that when Jerry goes, the telethon
will probably go with him.

Jerry keeps promising that the telethon will continue until a cure for Muscular Dystrophy is found. Though chances are the 35 neuro-muscular diseases targeted by MDA will outlive Jerry -- and the telethon. Once Jerry dies, his shoes will be very hard to fill.

 

[Prais]

With all due respect....
"Give back to the community?" Ha ha. This is a pet peeve of mine.

The telethon is PAID TIME. NO station GIVES ANYTHING. The telethon was originally placed on labor day weekend because it was a "low ratings and low revenue" time that could be purchased by mda CHEAP.

I am NOT his final judge, but I DO have (and can have) an opinion, and I DO have experience dealing with him and his cause. Jerry is a great bs artist and can "sell" his cause, and it is a GOOD cause. Jerry is an actor, skilled in his craft. THAT is a good thing. "Emotion" sells well on tv- and continues to do so after 40 years.

Plain and simple; A tv station is a money machine, hungry for programming. If it PAYS it plays. If YOU owned one, YOU would note the demand, and NEVER give anything away, either. The fundraising will eventually move to the internet when it can no longer be justified on tv.

Showing children that are hurting SELLS. Really, I hope they find a cure so the world is a better place. Then we can move on to stopping HUNGER - a MUCH more widespread, but just as painful problem.

....and so the telethon (WAY past its prime) can go off.

 

[salemjedi54]

Im not debating why the telethon is in existance. I just want to see the national and local portion on KXAS or on their digital channels. I don't want see it at 5 am on Monday morning.

 

[arnoldevns]

Just a hunch here, but I think the hurricane is going to blow the telethon completely off of KXAS tomorrow. I can't imagine them running the telethon from 5a-1pm while everyone else is showing the destruction of New Orleans and the hundreds of thousands of evacuees streaming into our state.

Maybe I'm wrong. If the stick with Jerry, it'll kill their news credibility with many viewers.