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Post by caseyabell on Jan 20, 2015 8:02:52 GMT -5
This should be of huge interest to folks around here. I just posted this entry at Game Show Follies... Dream comes true
For years the game show Interwebs have dreamed about GSN2, a channel that would show only the golden oldies. Well, GSN had better things to do, like trying to get one channel widely distributed in the U.S. But a classic game show channel is finally about to launch. Fremantle will debut Buzzr TV as a digital multicast channel on Fox's owned and operated stations in 17 top markets this summer. Looks like it will be similar to MeTV and Antenna, multicast operations that showcase old shows. Only now our little genre is getting a nostalgia channel. The network is getting shopped to other stations at NATPE. I've got two quick reactions. Will Fremantle's lawyers now attempt to shut down all the classic game shows on YouTube? (Answer: I dunno.) And how will this affect GSN's current weekday morning block of the old shows? (Answer: my guess is that the block gradually goes away, which is what's been happening for years, anyhow.) GSN has always gotten modest ratings for the old shows, so I don't expect Buzzr TV to be a Nielsen behemoth. But the network will have minimal operating expenses, so it doesn't have to draw a huge audience to make some money. And at last the game show Interwebs will have a network they can call their own.
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Post by tpirrules1972 on Jan 20, 2015 9:09:26 GMT -5
Unfortunately, I'll be waiting here in NEPA. We're not an O&O. But we do have MeTV and it seems to be doing all right, so hopefully that success will help Buzzr come here in the future.
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Post by caseyabell on Jan 20, 2015 9:10:48 GMT -5
The channel's being shopped around, so a station in your area might pick it up. Especially if they have some room on their digital subchannels.
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Post by thekid965 on Jan 20, 2015 12:53:31 GMT -5
Columbus, sadly, seems pretty full-up on subchannels. There is one station, WCSN, that's really just a tier of eight subchannels (including some unique ethnic services) that BuzzrTV might appear on; unfortunately, it's an extremely low-power signal that doesn't even cover the entire market. That's typical out here for whatever reason, as Columbus-based TV and radio stations, with a few notable exceptions, have never been especially powerful ones with good range. And this despite the fact Columbus is on a floodplain with almost perfectly level terrain for miles around; it's not like there are any mountains or valleys here to screw with aerial reception. Behind the spoiler cut is the current Columbus broadcasting landscape: 4.1 - NBC (WCMH) 4.2 - Me-TV
6.1 - ABC (WSYX) 6.2 - This / MNTV
10.1 - CBS (WBNS) 10.2 - Antenna
17.1 - Telemundo (WDEM)
19.1 - Daystar (HD) 19.2 - Daystar (SD)
23.1 - Bounce (W23BZ) 23.2 - Azteca America
28.1 - Fox (WTTE) 28.2 - GetTV
32.1 - MundoFox (WCSN) 32.2 - Cozi 32.3 - Dalmar TV (Somali-language ethnic programming) 32.4 - TV-AN (African ethnic programming) 32.5 - Guide US TV (non-Christian religious) 32.6 - Prime TV Network (an Internet broadcaster on terrestrial TV—seriously!) 32.7 - Soul of the South 32.8 - Infomercials
34.1 - PBS (WOSU) 34.2 - Ohio Channel / PBS alternate 34.3 - Create
44.1 - HSN
51.1 - TBN 51.2 - The Church Channel 51.3 - JUCE 51.4 - Enlace 51.5 - Smile of a Child
53.1 - CW (WWHO) 53.2 - Grit
The 32.x tier would be a likely home for BuzzrTV, but it's one of the worst-received stations in the market, with a signal that barely covers the city of Columbus itself, let alone any of its outlying suburbs like where I live. And most if not all the other stations in the market are shoestring operations with little if any money to be opening new subchannels; an exception is Grit, which only just began operations at the first of this year (and was originally supposed to be on one of Sinclair's other area stations).
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Post by tpirrules1972 on Jan 20, 2015 13:35:49 GMT -5
Well, if BuzzrTV has a chance here in NEPA, it'd be on the 22 or 28 tiers, where Nexstar-owned WYOU and WBRE are currently the sole occupiers. 16 tier, currently WNEP's, might be another shot. 16.1 WNEP (ABC) 16.2 WNEP2/AntennaTV
22.1 WYOU (CBS)
28.1 WBRE (NBC)
38.1 WSWB (CW) 38.2 MeTV
43.1 Daystar 43.2 Cornerstone TV 43.3 Christian Television Network
44.1 WVIA (PBS) 44.2 ? 44.3 Create TV
53.1 WQMY (MyNetwork TV) 53.2 Fox 53.3 CW
56.1 WOLF (Fox) 56.2 CW 56.3 MNTV
64.1 WQPX (Ion) 64.2 qubo 64.3 Ion Life 64.4 Ion Shop 64.5 QVC; over the air 64.6 HSN
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Post by phimat37 on Jan 20, 2015 14:54:51 GMT -5
I'd only hope that it can be brought to DirecTV if it comes to my area. I haven't even been thinking of a Classic Game Show Network, it came to my mind in the past, but nothing to obsess about. And just when they tell us about the launch about a Classic Game Show Network (BuzzrTV), there will be some problems for some people who have satellite, like DirecTV, which is what I have.
DirecTV and satellite could pick up channels such as MeTV, but the local stations around here that provide the "sub-stations" such as MeTV, don't even try to put it on DirecTV. At least I don't think they try. Stations, around here especially I think, are caught up in cable, which is what these sub-stations get put on mostly, is cable, and of course, over the air.
I've e-mailed the president of DirecTV over the weekend about putting MeTV in my area, which of course, they'd have to talk to the local station, it's a lengthy process I'd imagine. I've emailed the local station, they haven't been too helpful either, and I've tweeted DirecTVService, they haven't been helpful either. I'm not obsessing over that, it's almost like a penalty though for having satellite. I pay a lot for satellite as it is, but we're not paying the sum for cable that isn't worth paying like DirecTV is, with their customer service, etc.
So, here's my beef.
Pros: If you have cable/over the air, then you most likely get the channel if I understand correctly.
Cons: Most likely, if you have satellite, you won't be able to watch the channel. You have to purchase a digital box (over the air), Comca$t, or other cable. I've been there many times, DirecTV or the local channel doesn't put the "sub channel" on DirecTV. It's the same for Dish, I assume.
I wonder what the deal is with Cable though... I know local channels can have it put on DirecTV, as DrecTV can put any channel it wants basically. Puzzles me, but that's the way these channels are "marketed".
Sorry I went on that bit of a rant folks, I'm just trying to figure things out in my head and post what I think here.
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Post by caseyabell on Jan 20, 2015 15:16:34 GMT -5
A few more important updates from my blog... UPDATE: Stories are popping up all over the place about this new channel. Ominous news for the game show Interwebs: Hollywood Reporter says that Steve Harvey's Family Feud will "eventually" join Buzzr TV. I can already hear the usual complaints about too much Steve - and "modern junk" in general - on the channel (wink). More wild-blue speculation. Maybe this new competitor to GSN - that's what it is, after all - will finally spur Sony to put modern-day Wheel of Fortune on their own game show network. Things are getting interesting in our little genre. It's good for this blog's business! And I continue in my comments on the post... To be honest, I think this new subchannel will soon start adding more current game shows. They're already talking about Karn and O'Hurley Feud on the channel, with Harvey Feud "eventually" to follow. In other words, Buzzr TV will soon find out what GSN already knows. You can't run a game show network on oldies alone, or even primarily on oldies. One more comment... Don't know the situation with satellite. My cable system offers many digital subchannels. In the DFW area the Fox station is an O&O, so I'm pretty sure I'll get the subchannel when it debuts.
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Post by tpirrules1972 on Jan 20, 2015 15:29:25 GMT -5
Well well well...from that HR article:
So...what does that mean for GSN too? Thought it was made clear that CBS banned Price reruns. Is it cleared here because Buzzr is a Fremantle-owned channel?
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Post by caseyabell on Jan 20, 2015 15:38:16 GMT -5
"So...what does that mean for GSN too? Thought it was made clear that CBS banned Price reruns. Is it cleared here because Buzzr is a Fremantle-owned channel?"
Funny you should mention that. A commenter on my blog - oh, why be coy, it was Zach Horan - brought up TPiR, too. Obviously, Buzzr TV would love to get, say, last year's eps. But that might be a stretch, Mr. Moonves?
Barker eps, maybe? Going way back with Cullen? I guess we'll see. Gotta admit, from a purely selfish standpoint as a game show blogger, Buzzr TV is fantastic news. It's like being present at the creation on December 1, 1994. Can't wait to watch the channel develop.
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Post by phimat37 on Jan 20, 2015 15:38:34 GMT -5
Game shows are a niche genre. Like GSN when it started, BuzzrTV has a lot of growing up to do, and I don't think it can grow just on a sub channel. I don't know what the ratings are for these sub channels that run mostly classic shows. Most young people won't sit down and watch a classic TV show or game show.
I'm not sure, but in my judgement, I don't think subchannels are highly rated, maybe on Cable, but not over the air. I don't know how, for the most part, these subchannels only survive on cable. In some markets these subchannels are available on satellite, but in most cases, they're not I don't believe. DirecTV is one of the most popular distributors in the country, if not THE most popular among satellite providers.
I guess networks like MeTV are doing pretty good though.
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Post by caseyabell on Jan 20, 2015 15:40:29 GMT -5
"I guess networks like MeTV are doing pretty good though." A commenter on my blog asked how MeTV was doing. It averaged 510K viewers in prime time during the latest week (January 11-18). Hardly huge but respectable compared to most cable networks.
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Post by phimat37 on Jan 20, 2015 15:56:32 GMT -5
It's respectable for a network that airs classic shows all day long, but they do have a following from some young, and mostly older.
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Post by caseyabell on Jan 20, 2015 16:13:39 GMT -5
That 510K is a prime time number, not a total day number. I've seen nights when GSN has done that kind of number in prime time, or better. For January 5-11 GSN averaged more than 400K in prime time. If Buzzr TV could get hold of last year's TPiR and put it in prime time, I could see the channel doing some business. But who knows if anything like that will happen? Anyway, it's about time that GSN got some competition from another game show network.
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Post by wildjackmonroe on Jan 20, 2015 18:30:01 GMT -5
OMG YES!!! This is totally gonna fill my void of no GSN. And I live in an area with a Fox O&O so I'm pretty much guaranteed to get it.
MeTV and Antenna are continuing to get new affiliates (and those, based on their Facebook pages are by viewer demand to local TV stations) so I would gather they're doing well. There really can't be enough options with subchannels IMO. The more variety and choices, the better. Especially if we're talking over-the-air. With this addition, I'd more than likely would never need cable or satellite again. GSN was the only channel I was really missing. Just about every other show I watch that airs on cable can be seen online for free or for a reasonable price on official network websites and Hulu without the hassle of a cable bill and a cable company every month.
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Post by thekid965 on Jan 20, 2015 18:44:05 GMT -5
One interesting thing about multicasting networks: They don't—yet—live and die quite so much by ad revenue as do their counterparts in cable and primary broadcast networks. A simple glance at the typical commercial spots on the likes of Me-TV, This, and Antenna will tell you that much: Advertising for these channels mostly features barter-style stuff (think "Billy Mays"), local promos for programming carried on the primary "point-one" channel, and the odd PSA in addition to trailers for network programming.
What I'm trying to stress here is that Buzzr, though it relies on ad revenue like any other commercial broadcast/cable network in existence, may not be as reliant on it as GSN is, given its status as a subchannel network. Fewer advertisers to make happy means less emphasis being placed on ratings, which generally means that Buzzr may have a bit more freedom to schedule so-called "classics" compared to GSN, probably bringing it closer to what GSN was in the early 2000s in terms of where and when series 20+ years of age could theoretically air.
Obviously it's still not going to be all oldies all the time, and I do hope nobody seriously believes this will be the case. That's simply not going to happen. Also, being a broadcast network Buzzer must comply with FCC regulations regarding a minimum amount of E/I programming per week, so I hope nobody's too upset when the channel begins airing the sort of nature/wildlife shows and educational cartoons that now define "Saturday morning TV" for the modern generation.
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