Yesterday I was checking out the morning radio show on a station out of Washington DC, they talked about the old tv shows. Recently same conversation was said on the tv section of radioinfo.com .

How are the ratings for TV Land, Hallmark, Nick@Nite and the other channels that feature classic tv?

reason I ask, Washington DC's WUSA-TV currently airs The Lucy Show and Cheers in its 10am block. However WUSA is dropping both shows the Fall ( maybe eariler ) in favor of Crossing Over with John Edward
while FOX's WTTG-TV 5 is dropping some of its reruns in favor of a "Live at 5" newscast. The dj went on to say that WUSA took a "huge drop" in viewers when they went from airing talk shows to "granny tv". They gave the figure in the around the 35 percent range though I did read elsewhere it was nearly 60%.

On radioinfo it was said that thanks to its "modern" line-up, Nick@Nite is having the best ratings they ever had and that in the future you will see less and less older shows like Lucy, beaver, Dragnet, That Girl, ect... and more 90s shows like Family Matters, Roseanne, King of the Hill, and the 70s show ( which is coming to DC 5-6 days a week on the local UPN station there ).

One poster actually predicted by 2004 , there will be no tv shows from the 50s & 60s on the air in any form because of poor demographics , meaning they cant make money. He pointed out the current trend in radio, so many fans of oldies are getting too old so many oldies radio stations are now playing more and more Chicago, Bee Gees, Abba, Billy Joel, even Billy Idol and less Elvis, Beatles, Chubby Checker, let alone Dino, Desi, and Billy. The oldies station in Washington Dc recently went from being "oldies 100" to "Big 100" for that very reason.

I hope this prediction doesnt end up being true. I know a lot of people who still enjoy Lucy and the Bev, even Mr. Ed and Car 54.
I just hope we dont see the day when "classic tv" means last year's episodes of Friends or King of the Hill or the day when The Simpsons comes to TV Land or Who wants to be a Millionaire on Game Show Network. Not that I have anything against these shows but I just have a hard time believing that so many folks are turned off by anything older than 1990-from what I heard yesterday many folks in broadcasting believe it.

I hate to say it, but I can see a day when Black And White classic shows will be a thing of the past.

Networks like TV Land and N@N, thought to be a safe haven for the classic shows, are just like any other network...they need to make money. They all want to attract the younger viewers, the ones who now spend most of the money, so they need to air shows that appeal to them, shows they watched as a kid, and if that show happens to be "Cheers," a fairly recent show compared to "Gilligan's Island" or "Lucy," then that's what they'll do.
Local TV stations used to be the place where recent off network shows like "Cheers" or long running programs like "Simpsons" or "Frasier" could enjoy rerun status. But there will come a day when even those shows will be eclipsed by reruns of shows that appealed to a younger generation...the ones in the key demographic the ad guys lust for. So yes, they will become "classic" shows for TV Land.

Perhaps TV Land will have to create another network, devoted to the older shows, but unless that is profitable for them, then it will not happen...

Its been awhile since I posted anything new but after reading this...I agree, sadly I can see many b/w shows fading from view while many local tv channels dropping older reruns for news/ reality based shows like Big Brother or even get some star and do another show like what Ozzy & Sharon does for MTV.

I was talking to a man not too long ago who runs a tv station in Pennsylvania. They were a WB but will be turning into a Spanish station later on this year. Asked him his thoughts on the Washington station airing Lucy and he thought it was the most dumbest thing done in television. Sadly after reading a story about it in the Washington Times, guess WUSA feels the same way too.

Ironic.. he is a big fan of classic tv. Loves this site( though he doesnt post ), enjoys TV Land, even has a Jack Benny collection band he doesnt even like the stuff his own station puts out but according to him its MONEY !!! Shows like Maury Povich, Cheaters, Sex Wars, Springer, Queer as Folk, Six Feet Under, Friends, Drew Carey are the ones making the money, not the older ones. Sometimes I wish it could be the other way round.

I just hope TV doesnt end up like radio. A medium that does not care about anybody under 12 or above 45. Just try to find Radio Disney or the late Rosemary Clooney on FM , and not on some lower powered AM station!!! We just had a station here switch from "adult standards" like Sinatra, Perry Como, and Doris Day to "CHR top 40 ". Interesting how they switched formats going from Babara Streisand's Evergreen right into Linkin Park's "In the End". From there they became 93.7 Kiss FM.

Despite having over 2000 complaints, the station was clear about their decision. They simply dont care about older folks as its the generation X crowd that buys the stocks now and has the money to spend.

according to one of their employees..

"...we want to reach the 25 year old guy who has a goatee and sports tattoos all over and drives a PT Crusier and works hard for his money. Internet savy and buys stocks or a guy like "Steve" from those Dell Computer ads on tv. Someone who dont care about money but spends it anyway. We want the 23 year old girl with noserings and a pierced tounge. Her biggest concern is her lipstick. People who do and are not ashamed at having sex. They have the money right now. How can you sell to older Americans who only are thinking about retirement and their grandkids?".

I hope tv doesnt end up like radio but I think a better question is not "if" but "when".

AMC is another channel going modern I heard later this year by no longer showing anything b/w ( or cutting way back on them )and sticking with movies from the 70s & 80s even 90s. I guess expect more sex, foul language, and violence from...the new AMC.

Que Sera~ Sera~ !!

I kinda of agree here. I'm 19 and most shows from the 60's and 50's don't appeal to me. They use to when I was younger because my parents use to watch Nick at Nite all the time. But there are only a few shows from those decades that I like for example I Love Lucy which I think is the one 50's show that will last forever and Dick Van Dyke but I don't think that will last forever in reruns.

I'm 17 and most of the 50s and 60s sitcoms appeal to me much more than the majority of later years (with some exceptions like Diff'rent Strokes, Facts of Life, Frasier, etc.). I hope this is only an isolated doomsayer. Besides, I don't think TV Land, Hallmark and the otehrs will suddenly turn traitor in just 2 years!! Besides, I Love Lucy has been aroudn for 50. Same with Andy Griffith (only 10 less years) in syndication and station-exclusives. The 50s and 60s certainly aren't gone yet...

Well, I don't really have any information to back up my thoughts and feelings, except just a gut instinct. So...

There are **countless** cable stations out there, with their own genre of programming. There are old shows, new shows, weather shows, sports shows, travel shows, and multiple others. They all have some type of audience, no matter how small.

Unfortunately, you may be very right that some classic 1950s and 1960s shows are going to be gone from the air. Aside from TVLand and N@N, there really aren't many other stations airing classic shows. Of course they can be found on random stations, but not continuously.

I don't think shows like "I Love Lucy" or "Gilligan's Island" will ever go off the air. From what I understand, they haven't left since they ended their original run.

Hopefully, for the "Burns and Allens," "Father Knows Best," Hazel" and other similar shows that don't have a definite niche at this time -- there will be some way to view them.

I think that the technology will eventually reach the point that we will be able to "order" any show we want from the past or present. If you come home and want to watch the 1976 Bing Crosby Christmas special and it's July 4, you can do it -- probably for a minimal fee. On-demand has grown so much that I think people will become more apt to get the exact show that they want.

Along with this technology comes the internet. Shows will probably also be able to be viewed and saved on your computer one day. Although downloading music is still an "ask but don't tell" type thing, television will go to the same thing. T1 connections will be common within 10 years (if not sooner), so almost everyone will be able to get whatever they want in a short time.

As I said... it's just my thought and opinion. I hope that one day some of these things happen, because I would love to be able to watch "Burns and Allen" at any time, then switch over to "The Facts of Life." MYTV is probably not too far away... at least hopefully.

next....

Remember the Carol Burnett special late last year or early this year that drew 30 million viewers (perhaps more)? I don't believe classic TV is doomed. I see "Leave It To Beaver" and "The Andy Griffith Show" still airing 100 years from now.

And another thing...

The new "Rerun Show" can't very well do funny reruns if the audience doesn't know about the show. Although FOL and DS is classic to some, it's fairly new to the people now getting it on Hallmark (which excludes me :livid:).

So, I'm just saying that there are indications that old TV will be around for a bit.

I agree with jayman, and (surprisingly) James. If classic TV is going away, why are they showing all these reunions and clipfests? They are saying that in 2025, shows like NYPD and Friends are gonna be "granny TV." I think they should all know that there is a huge amount of people under 25 who care for the calssics, and hate the recent shows. I know for a fact that classic TV won't die down. It has been come a sign of Americanism. TVLand and Nick at Nite are now household terms. Just ask anybody to sing the Gilligan theme song, the Beverly Hillbillies theme song, the Three's Company theme song, and many many others, and no matter how old they are, they will definatly know what to sing. Classic TV is a way of life. Even celebrities love classic TV, as seen in the E! Sitcoms We Secretly Love special. A couple fo the That 80s Show stars used to watch ALF and Perfect Strangers all the time. A lot of stars liked Three's Company. And one person said they were up watching Kate & Allie one night! So I think classic TV will never ever go away. It;s gonna always be here, one way or another.

Originally posted by James
Remember the Carol Burnett special late last year or early this year that drew 30 million viewers (perhaps more)? I don't believe classic TV is doomed. I see "Leave It To Beaver" and "The Andy Griffith Show" still airing 100 years from now.

Very True, however I believe it was in USA Today that said that the networks will do much less in the retro department. Maybe thats a good thing though even though some of those specials like NBC's 75th birthday and the one celebrating CBS Television City 's 50th were very well done there were some that were not so good like the one Dick Clark did celebrating American Bandstand 's 50th ( its good to be modern but why show clips of a band like N'Sync on a show for which they never appeared on in the first place? .

Carol Burnett, Lucy & Desi, Andy & Barney, The Bradys, Gilligan, MASH, maybe Beaver and Bewitched ( and a couple of others )are all icons and they will be around for years to come in one form or another. However I dont think shows like Hazel, Dennis the Menace, Emergency, Alice, Bachlor Father, Burns & Allen, Real People, Dragnet, Donna Reed , Car 54 Where Are You, and My 3 Sons (at least the b/w ones ) and yes I Married Joan with Joan Davis, I dont think will be so lucky. Hope I'm wrong though.

I hope shows of the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s don't completely go off the air someday. I really like watching classic tv shows and I actually despise most of the shows that have aired in 2000 and on. I hope classic television will always be around. :( :) :talk:

:( I hope the classic television shows or movies never goes off completely. I know its rare to come across a teenager from 2002 that likes old shows and doesn't watch the new shows of 2002, but still the tv stations ought to have a bit of consideration for the people that do like classic tv.

Unfortunately, I think older shows are a dying breed. I remember the Scifi channel. When they first came about they showed a bunch of classic shows like 'The Incredible Hulk' and all the other old shows. Now you can hardly find any old shows on that channel. The two that comes to my mind that still airs on that station is 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Outer Limits'.

If this is all true, I'm glad I was such a tape nut and recorded all my favorite shows over and over again. Tv shows like 'Friends' just doesn't interest me or the shows they air now. jmo

Originally posted by Jenny

Unfortunately, I think older shows are a dying breed. I remember the Scifi channel. When they first came about they showed a bunch of classic shows like 'The Incredible Hulk' and all the other old shows. Now you can hardly find any old shows on that channel. The two that comes to my mind that still airs on that station is 'The Twilight Zone' and 'The Outer Limits'.


:( I've read about what used to be on Sci Fi and what they used to air is a lot better then what they air now..they've been getting more and more 1990s Sci Fi programs. Now all they show that's classic is Twilight Zone, Outer Limits, Dark Shadows, Voyage to the Bottem of the Sea, and once a week they air Time Tunnel.

I hope classic TV is going to stay on for a long time. Even when TV Land and Hallmark make people mad, at least they still air classic TV. Some shows from the present are watchable, but most of them are really bad and unwatchable. Nick @ Nite has been getting bigger ratings, but they're not what they used to be.

I found this on the main board when you come to SOL. This may be a little encouragement for us classic TV lovers!!


MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER WATCH BOTH TV LAND AND NICK AT NITE IN 2nd QUARTER
A Record 1.3 Million Watch Nick at Nite; Nearly 50% More Viewers Tune In To TV Land

New York, NY, July 2, 2002 - America’s appetite for Classic TV continues to rise as evidenced by record-breaking viewership on Nick at Nite and TV Land in 2nd Quarter.* Despite heavy competition from sweeps programming and the runaway hit, The Osbournes, an average of 1.3 million viewers tuned into Nick at Nite in 2nd quarter - the most in the network’s 17-year history. Over at TV Land, the network’s Total Day attracted an average of 429,000 viewers in 2nd quarter - the most in the network’s six-year history and a 46% increase over last year (294,000).

‘Our record-breaking audience delivery, coupled with the recent deluge of reunion specials on broadcast television, indicates what we’ve known all along - that quality classic television never goes out of style,’ noted Larry W. Jones, Executive Vice President and General Manager, TV Land & Nick at Nite. ‘We are even more encouraged by these numbers as it offers further proof that two Classic TV brands can survive and flourish.’

Among Nick at Nite and TV Land’s other ratings’ highlights for 2nd Quarter include:

NICK AT NITE

Nick at Nite is the most watched cable network during its hours of broadcast among Adults 18-34 with an average of 303,000 A18-34 viewers--+30% more than last year! (9pm-6am Sun-Thu, 10pm-6am Fri & Sat.).
Nick at Nite is averaging more Adults 18-49 (its core demographic) than ever before, an average of 583,000 (118,000 more than last year -- a 25% increase)
Nick at Nite attracting an average of 1.1 million households -- 144,000 more than last year (+16%).
Nick at Nite’s Adults 18-49 ratings are up 20% compared to 2nd Qtr ’01 (.6 vs. .5) and Households are up 9% (1.2 vs. 1.1).
2nd Qtr ’02 was the highest rated quarter among Adults 18-49 for Nick at Nite in five years.
During the Nick at Nite programming hours, Nick at Nite is in a three-way tie for #1 rated network among Adults 18-49 (up from #2 last year).
June marks Nick at Nite’s seventh consecutive month of year to year ratings growth among Adults 18-49.

TV LAND

PRIMETIME:

TV Land is averaging a .80 Household rating, up +14% from last year and +42% in delivery (577,000 vs. 406,000 last year.)
TV Land is attracting 386,000 Adults 25-54 in an average minute, 108,000 more than last year (+39%).
TOTAL DAY:

2nd Qtr ’02 was the most watched quarter in TV Land’s history for the network’s target demographic, Adults 25-54.
TV Land is attracting 239,000 Adults 25-54, -- 82,000 more than last year (+52%).
TV Land’s ratings are up +25% among Households (.5 vs. .4) and +50% among A25-54 (.3 vs. .2).



So... it's growing. GOOD DEAL!!!
:D :D

Originally posted by jayman75
I found this on the main board when you come to SOL. This may be a little encouragement for us classic TV lovers!!


MORE PEOPLE THAN EVER WATCH BOTH TV LAND AND NICK AT NITE IN 2nd QUARTER
A Record 1.3 Million Watch Nick at Nite; Nearly 50% More Viewers Tune In To TV Land

New York, NY, July 2, 2002 - America’s appetite for Classic TV continues to rise as evidenced by record-breaking viewership on Nick at Nite and TV Land in 2nd Quarter.* Despite heavy competition from sweeps programming and the runaway hit, The Osbournes, an average of 1.3 million viewers tuned into Nick at Nite in 2nd quarter - the most in the network’s 17-year history. Over at TV Land, the network’s Total Day attracted an average of 429,000 viewers in 2nd quarter - the most in the network’s six-year history and a 46% increase over last year (294,000).

‘Our record-breaking audience delivery, coupled with the recent deluge of reunion specials on broadcast television, indicates what we’ve known all along - that quality classic television never goes out of style,’ noted Larry W. Jones, Executive Vice President and General Manager, TV Land & Nick at Nite. ‘We are even more encouraged by these numbers as it offers further proof that two Classic TV brands can survive and flourish.’

Among Nick at Nite and TV Land’s other ratings’ highlights for 2nd Quarter include:

NICK AT NITE

Nick at Nite is the most watched cable network during its hours of broadcast among Adults 18-34 with an average of 303,000 A18-34 viewers--+30% more than last year! (9pm-6am Sun-Thu, 10pm-6am Fri & Sat.).
Nick at Nite is averaging more Adults 18-49 (its core demographic) than ever before, an average of 583,000 (118,000 more than last year -- a 25% increase)
Nick at Nite attracting an average of 1.1 million households -- 144,000 more than last year (+16%).
Nick at Nite’s Adults 18-49 ratings are up 20% compared to 2nd Qtr ’01 (.6 vs. .5) and Households are up 9% (1.2 vs. 1.1).
2nd Qtr ’02 was the highest rated quarter among Adults 18-49 for Nick at Nite in five years.
During the Nick at Nite programming hours, Nick at Nite is in a three-way tie for #1 rated network among Adults 18-49 (up from #2 last year).
June marks Nick at Nite’s seventh consecutive month of year to year ratings growth among Adults 18-49.

TV LAND

PRIMETIME:

TV Land is averaging a .80 Household rating, up +14% from last year and +42% in delivery (577,000 vs. 406,000 last year.)
TV Land is attracting 386,000 Adults 25-54 in an average minute, 108,000 more than last year (+39%).
TOTAL DAY:

2nd Qtr ’02 was the most watched quarter in TV Land’s history for the network’s target demographic, Adults 25-54.
TV Land is attracting 239,000 Adults 25-54, -- 82,000 more than last year (+52%).
TV Land’s ratings are up +25% among Households (.5 vs. .4) and +50% among A25-54 (.3 vs. .2).



So... it's growing. GOOD DEAL!!!
:D :D

I could see Tv Land growing, because it has so much of a variety. I'm scratching my head on the Nick at Nite one though. I would think people would get sick of seeing the same 4 shows each and every night?

I'm glad Tv Land is racking up ratings, because it really is a good channel. I've been a loyal watcher since I got the station, and I've seen so many of my favorite show come to the network and then leave to make room for other favorites. :D to TV Land! :)

With more people buying DVD players, there is more of a market to release TV shows from all eras on DVD. There are over 25 million who own DVD players, and that number is growing each and every day.

i have had a theory that nick at nite has been trying to move all of the older classic shows over to tvland and just show more current popular sitcoms. ot looks like that is what they are up to now. they will be adding 'coach' and 'roseanne' this fall. these are not not classics, there is nothing retro about them. they are just going in a different direction. i am the demographic the want (mid 20's, male, profesionsal) and i can tell you i wont be watching.
however, i think tvland is going strong. the retro thing is huge now and if they show things from before my time it is like new proraming.
everything on tv comes back again. although local stations just can't make money on old stuff, there is a market for everything on cable. i am not worried that these shows will go away for good.
look at a show like mr. ed. i was not alive when it was on new so i saw it for the first time on nick and night (and my local channel 27 in worcester ma.) in the 1980. i would love to see it again. it would be retro for for my childhood in a way.
i think there is hope for classic tv.