Buzzr TV - Classic Game Shows

[applcin]

Buzzr launched today. On the schedule are shows like Match Game, Super Password, Card Sharks, Press Your Luck, Let's Make a Deal, Tattletales...some old, old stuff like I've Got a Secret, To Tell The Truth and What's My Line are on overnight. Monty Hall and Wayne Brady do some segments together in between. I think I saw Sharon Gabet in a Family Feud clip during a promo. Wiki says shows are from 1950s-2000s. It also says Fremantle's library has 154 series and about 40,000 episodes so, hopefully, the schedule will change every now and then.

The link of affiliates: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buzzr#Affiliates

[cct]

Can I ask a question...how do stations like this make money?

I mean GSN started as the Game Show Network, and claimed it couldn't make enough money off these old shows, what makes Buzzr think it can?

I don't understand how some of these cable stations stay alive?

[Dave_01]

I'm a fan of older game shows and my city (Houston) is one of the affiliates. Unfortunately, Comcast here hasn't yet added it. So I'm out of luck for the foreseeable future.

[applcin]

CCT, here's an article that may help to answer that:

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-classic-tv-new-life-20150401-story.html#page=1

This is an over-the-air channel, like Antenna TV, COZI, etc. It's not cable.

[cct]

Thank you, applcin, that article really did help explain.

Personally, I'm glad that these shows are airing somewhere. I know a lot of people enjoy watching them. It does hearken back to a time when programming was for everyone.

[KMan101]

Over-the-air is different than cable. Networks like TV Land and Game Show Network ultimately dumped their classic shows because they can't make money. Over-the-air isn't concerned about that and it's not about the ratings. It's refreshing. (Well, I shouldn't say they DON'T want to make money but it's different).

[KMan101]

That article just made me smile. I adore that these shows are getting love again and that there are people out there who cherish them and obsess over what episodes to air during a holiday marathon and they understand when fans wonder why, such as the article said, Hazel was moved from 7am to overnight. I love it. I've wanted niche networks like this for a loooong time. I'm glad to see they've become more and more popular and they recognize that there IS a demand for these shows.

[applcin]

I hope they can get more game show folks to do promo spots or just segments about their memories, like Me-TV does with "Watch me on Me-TV" or what Buzzr is doing now with Monty. I know so many of the hosts have passed away but even the celebrity contestants would be cool. Like Shirley Jones & Marty Ingels from Tattletales.....they must be one of the few couples left from that show that are both alive and not divorced.

Now that the stations have all these substations, there are actually places to show the stuff that's been sitting in the vaults.

It is funny how the article talks about how TPTB get feedback when the schedule changes. I've been on the Facebook pages when Me-TV and Antenna TV change their schedules and shows around (like Me-TV has now revamped its prime time for the "Summer of Me") and they do get a lot of reaction. Lately, the Me-TV viewers have been complaining a lot that Saved By The Bell doesn't belong in primetime or on the schedule, period.

I'm still holding out hope (especially with Retro showing The Doctors and Weigel putting Dark Shadows on some channel at some point) that more classic soaps will find their place somewhere. A show like Edge of Night would fit the mold perfectly. Proctor & Gamble managed to be ahead of the times some years back when they streamed EON and AW online through AOL. If only there could be a marriage between P & G and one of these channels.

Just watching Match Game '78. George Kennedy looks pretty much the same now as he did 37 years ago, lol.

[KMan101]

I agree about Edge of Night. It would fit perfectly on Retro with The Doctors. And yeah, the streaming idea was ahead of it's time, of course, and unfortuntely. Sigh. I'm really not sure why they don't try it again now but I guess they just don't care.

[dragonflies]

I saw something on Facebook and I think TV Land renamed their page "TV Land Classics" Someone did throw shade saying "I thought you dumped all classic tv" lol

[All My Shadows]

They never dumped all classic TV, but they clearly switched focus. "TVLand Classics" would have been a redundant term back in the day.

I want Buzzr!! GSN used to be such a fun channel, but now it's so repetitive with huge blocks of the same shows day in and day out. I'd gladly trade Bounce for Buzzr. We just got GRIT, and I like done of their movies as well as The Rookies, but they stretch their picture too much.

[applcin]

Buzzr seems to be doing repetitive blocks of shows as well, like you're seeing the same episodes at night that were on during the day.

[DramatistDreamer]

I think with the cord-cutting and the never cable trends holding steady OTA programming has become very popular again. And with corporations like Sony (Get TV) and CBS (Decades) now partaking in OTA programming, it's definitely seen as another revenue stream, if not a flat out profitable business.

I just hope there continues to be opportunity for more independent minded and independently owned networks, I don't want to see a TV broadcast equivalent of Clear Channel with the same heavy rotation of programming day after day.

And Gawd yes, I'm hoping in my heart that someone can convince those P&G nags to open up their soap vaults to re-broadcasts ( a la Dark Shadows and The Doctors). I'll take As The World Turns, Edge of Night and Guiding Light for the Win!

[All My Shadows]

I wouldn't mind Buzzr's version of repetition. I can deal with a block of episodes from the morning being repeated in the afternoon or at night -- that would actually be preferable for me since I work every day during the week. GSN kills me with endless marathons of Steve's Family Feud, Deal or No Deal, Baggage, etc.

I would of course love to see more soaps on these channels (though I'm severely behind on The Doctors and will probably just skip ahead to wherever they are now). I just hope they'd stick with them for the long haul. Me-TV doesn't shake their schedule up TOO much, so that would be ideal.

[applcin]

I call GSN The Family Feud Network now.

I like Tattletales being back. Dick Gautier was such a hottie, lol. Aw....Anne Meara proposed to Jerry in front of the Flatiron Building. Poor Bobby Van, died too young. Elaine is married to Neil Simon now.

I wish they had put some of the old b & w games on at primetime but I get that they probably want something more people could remember or relate to now.Will just have to record some.