MyNetworkTV
It was bad enough combining UPN and the WB into one new network -- the CW. But the biggest misstep was what happened to stations that did not join the CW. Regrouped by Fox Entertainment Group into a sixth broadcast network called MyNetworkTV, the company launched a bizarre plan to stock the network exclusively with original low-cost English-language telenovelas. The programming flopped out of the gate, and today MyNetworkTV largely airs syndicated programming and repeats.

http://reporter.blogs.com/best_of_2000s/top-10-biggest-tv-biz-blunders-of-the-decade.html

At least by their programming, they are not making pretenses of being more than what they are.

NBC on the other hand..:rolleyes:

MyNetworkTV experimented with the very first primetime English-language telenovella series, airing six in all with aggressive no-repeat scheduling: 'Fashion House', 'Desire', 'Wicked Wicked Games', 'Watch Over Me', 'American Heiress' & 'Saints & Sinners'. MyNetworkTV innovated with the very first primetime broadcast martial arts series, 'IFL Battleground'.

When 'WWE Friday Night Smackdown' was without a broadcast home, MyNetworkTV stepped in and carried forward with the long-running series now watched weekly by 3.5 million loyal viewers.

MyNetworkTV picked up 'The World Music Awards' who were without a broadcaster, and debuted a new awards show, 'The World Magic Awards' which honours the best in worldwide magic.

MyNetworkTV and ION continue to be the only broadcast networks offering a continuing primetime theatrical movie series, a broadcast tradition dating back to the early sixties. The 'My Thursday Night Movie' franchise has now been running for three-and-a-half seasons. So far this season, six of the ten theatricals shown have been broadcast network premieres.

With their programming services strategy for the 2009-10 season, a strategy that partners the network with major syndicators, MyNetworkTV has been enjoying increased ratings on a year-over-year basis with an ad-share formula that is very advantageous to their affiliates.

Perhaps The Hollywood Reporter was being sloppy in their fact-checking before they reported that "today MyNetworkTV largely airs syndicated programming and repeats". They must have overlooked the fact that 'WWE Friday Night Smackdown' accounts for 28 hours of original content over the first 14 weeks, 6 of 10 movies were broadcast premieres (12 hours), almost all of the 'Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader' episodes have been brand new (13 hours) and about half of the 'Deal or No Deal' episodes new (6.5 hours) too, and there have been two brand new specials (4 hours). So all said, after 14 weeks and 140 hours of the new season, MyNetworkTV has aired 63.5 hours of new content, or roughly half of their schedule time.

The CW is to me a much bigger blunder than MyNetworkTV. MNTV was pretty much created as a means of News Corp. to I guess, recoup their losses when UPN folded up. I just never saw MNTV as something that had big aspirations (mostly because a not a lot of money was poured into it from the start) to be like ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox. The CW on the other hand, could've been something big, but do in large part to mismanagement by Dawn Ostroff (who thinks that we need an over-the-air version of her old stomping grounds, Lifetime) has really hurt its chances.

When 'WWE Friday Night Smackdown' was without a broadcast home, MyNetworkTV stepped in and carried forward with the long-running series now watched weekly by 3.5 million loyal viewers.

That probably is what caused it to be "one of the biggest TV blunders", if not the biggest! No wonder I like to call the network "CryNetworkTV"! :lol: :crybaby:

The CW is to me a much bigger blunder than MyNetworkTV. MNTV was pretty much created as a means of News Corp. to I guess, recoup their losses when UPN folded up. I just never saw MNTV as something that had big aspirations (mostly because a not a lot of money was poured into it from the start) to be like ABC, NBC, CBS or Fox. The CW on the other hand, could've been something big, but do in large part to mismanagement by Dawn Ostroff (who thinks that we need an over-the-air version of her old stomping grounds, Lifetime) has really hurt its chances.

I agree. The CW is nothing but a huge joke. My Network TV always was and always will be completely irrevelant.

The CW is the only network I watch in primetime now. I'll be back to FOX next month for Idol, but other than that...and I can't think of anything I watch on ABC/CBS/NBC primetime. NBC, actually, is pretty useless to me because I don't even watch Days of our Lives.

I think NBC is the biggest TV blunder of the past decade (XFL, Jeff Zucker, the Jay Leno/Conan thing of 2009, decimating their soap lineup...need I go on?)!! :o :mad:

I think NBC is the biggest TV blunder of the past decade (XFL, Jeff Zucker, the Jay Leno/Conan thing of 2009, decimating their soap lineup...need I go on?)!! :o :mad:

If I'm not mistaken, Sunday Night Football is the only NBC show in recent years (i.e. post-Friends and Frasier) to even get close to the top ten in the ratings on a regular basis.

If I'm not mistaken, Sunday Night Football is the only NBC show in recent years (i.e. post-Friends and Frasier) to even get close to the top ten in the ratings on a regular basis.
If that's true, it wouldn't surprise me. They still have hits like The Office and 30 Rock, but I don't know if they are in the Top 10 regularly.

AFIK, 30 Rock has never been a top 10 hit........critical fave, yes, but never a mass appeal hit.

AFIK, 30 Rock has never been a top 10 hit........critical fave, yes, but never a mass appeal hit.

30 Rock has never been a top 30 hit. I don't even think its been a top 50 hit. It's a critical darling, sure, and IMO, its NBC's best comedy and the only one worth watching. But, it's audience has been one of the smallest for continually-renewed shows in the past 4 years.

Thanks, Jude and Julie, for confirming!