Does anybody know why Encore all of a sudden started running Murphy Brown in a fake 16:9? It looks terrible as the show was shot in 4:3 and has been airing in 4:3. This just started a couple of weeks ago and even the 5PM rerun episodes which ran properly the first time are airing this way. None of the other Encore TV series are being run this way.

I've seen TBS do this to Full House too, if movies can be preserved in their original aspect ratio on DVD then why can't old TV shows do so as well right?

if movies can be preserved in their original aspect ratio on DVD then why can't old TV shows do so as well right?
Yeah, it's annoying. Part of the problem is that a lot of people either don't know the difference or just don't care.

There were several other episodes in earlier seasons they also aired in fake widescreen. I've been recording all the episodes since season 2 began.

Pivot also airs "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" in fake widescreen...it's so annoying.

It's even more annoying when you don't get these channels in HD.

You can't just take a 4:3 show and make it widescreen without cutting off part of the picture. Its like movie fans always complained how 4:3 cut out the sides. Well, now all of the heads are being chopped off. Well, at least we got the majority of the run properly. I'll just have to go back and transfer my VHS tapes for the last season and a half of episodes.

This seems to be the latest trend with a number of TV channels,and I agree it looks ridiculous.They're tampering with the picture by cutting off the top and/or bottom of it. As already mentioned I think most people either don't notice or care,as long as it has that widescreen look.

Hmm, I have an old TV and haven't noticed parts of the picture being cut off. On other channels that do it for HD yes but not on Murphy Brown.

Hmm, I have an old TV and haven't noticed parts of the picture being cut off. On other channels that do it for HD yes but not on Murphy Brown.

When is the last time you looked? They just started doing this a few weeks ago.

When is the last time you looked? They just started doing this a few weeks ago.I haven't seen every episode but have still been watching most of them. Some of them I see live and some are on demand, don't know if that makes a difference.

Yeah, it's annoying. Part of the problem is that a lot of people either don't know the difference or just don't care.

they think people are afraid of black bars

they think people are afraid of black bars
Since I have DIRECTV and the channel isn't offered in HD, I actually HAVE black bars on the top, bottom, and sides.

I emailed and let them know how much I do not like this, but got no answer.

This seems to be the latest trend with a number of TV channels,and I agree it looks ridiculous.They're tampering with the picture by cutting off the top and/or bottom of it. As already mentioned I think most people either don't notice or care,as long as it has that widescreen look.
Not only that but sometimes they'll take a 4.3 image and stretch it to fit a 16.9 widescreen making the people on TV look short and squat.

Not only that but sometimes they'll take a 4.3 image and stretch it to fit a 16.9 widescreen making the people on TV look short and squat.
Yeah I've seen that,and that's much worse .It's totally unwatchable.Not to mention the many other problems with how the picture is presented or picture quality that never existed before flatcreen/high def tvs became popular.

By the way,yesterday I took a look a 2 episodes of it On Demand,and they looked fine.I guess the fake HD is something Encore is doing when they air the show on the channel.Keep in mind I hardly watch Murphy Brown,and I only looked at 2 episodes so I could be wrong about other episodes they show On Demand.

I have FIOS and I don't think its available on my On Demand.

Since I have DIRECTV and the channel isn't offered in HD, I actually HAVE black bars on the top, bottom, and sides.

Same here. The worst example of that being when they play In Living Color on FXX. I quit watching Murphy when season 9 hit in the reruns. So, I haven't seen the black box effect on that show yet.

I have no idea why they try and reformat shows that are airing on a non-HD version of a station. It's a bit silly.

I have no idea why they try and reformat shows that are airing on a non-HD version of a station. It's a bit silly.

"consistency", same reason why Ted Turner colorized movies, they think people won't watch things in B&W or with bars on the sides even if they originally saw them that way

By the way,yesterday I took a look a 2 episodes of it On Demand,and they looked fine.I guess the fake HD is something Encore is doing when they air the show on the channel.Keep in mind I hardly watch Murphy Brown,and I only looked at 2 episodes so I could be wrong about other episodes they show On Demand.

Where do you find it on your TV On Demand? I have FIOS and I can't find it.

We have Comcast.With them I just hit the On Demand button on the remote control,click on Encore,click on TV series. Murphy Brown along with the other TV series they show are right there. However they don't have the full series of Murphy Brown for some reason On Demand.

We have Comcast.With them I just hit the On Demand button on the remote control,click on Encore,click on TV series. Murphy Brown along with the other TV series they show are right there. However they don't have the full series of Murphy Brown for some reason On Demand.

I did find it but it doesn't have all of the episodes. Do you know if they rotate them or if they just keep the same ones up?