From a thread on another topic, what channels have lost their original identity? Examples from that thread were MTV and Independent Film Channel (IFC). I think there are several others...

I don’t wanna be cliche…but obviously TV Land. TBS is nothing compared to what it used to be too.

A&E used to be Arts and Entertainment Network. Now just a bunch of mediocre reality shows.

A&E used to be Arts and Entertainment Network. Now just a bunch of mediocre reality shows.
Thank you. What next, a reality show about how to wipe your ass?

You haven't seen the commercial advising us that ladies poop?

You haven't seen the commercial advising us that ladies poop?
^I heard that it was medically impossible for ladies to “use the John”.

:lol::lol::lol:

Also, WGN America, which is now the pathetic crap they call “NeWsNaTiOn” is definitely a classic idea of what NOT to do with a channel that you want to maintain identity with. Basically, it’s the same garbage WGN America that went downhill years ago, but has endless news shows in primetime instead. There’s still Blue Bloods, etc., so once again, why change the channel’s whole name, like’s it’s gonna change ratings?

TLC went from The Learning Channel showing educational programming to scripted reality. Discovery Channel went through a similar change.

There is way too many to mention...

TLC went from The Learning Channel showing educational programming to scripted reality. Discovery Channel went through a similar change.

Ah, yes--the "Discovery" Networks. Only HGTV and its two junior channels (DIY and Destination America) are still halfway decent. Even they are full of on screen garbage promos throughout all their shows; HGTV being the worst for those.

When HGTV was owned by Scripps it was much better.

MTV and VH1 - were all about Music Videos. They now air mostly Reality TV.
TVLand - classics from the 1950s to the 1990s. Even had retromercials. Now, it's half Andy Griffith/Roseanne/Two and a Half Men, half infomercials, and half the occasional Everybody Loves Raymond/Gunsmoke/Bonanza episodes
TLC - was educational, now it's reality crap as well

NICK
at
NITE


Lassie & My Three Sons & Donna Reed Show & Dennis the Menace & The Patty Duke Show & Make Room For Daddy & The Many Loves Of Dobbie Gillis & Car 54, Where Are You? & Mister Ed & Laugh-In & The Monkees & old Saturday Night Live & Turkey TV & I Love Lucy & The Dick Van Dyke Show & The Mary Tyler Moore Show & The Bob Newhart Show & Bewitched & I Dream Of Jeannie & The Munsters & The Brady Bunch & Happy Days & Laverne & Shirley & Summer Block Party Summers & old jingles and promos & Better Living Through Television & NICK at NITE Pixi Trixi & A man and woman set up a room and something strange happens & NICK at NITE’s Classic TV Rewinds & NICK at NITE Christmas Party & NICK at NITE New Years Countdown Marathon!!


Now today…


nick@niTe

FRIENDS & off the clock Programming & FRIENDS Thanksgiving Marathon & FRIENDS & Other Viacom Programming & FRIENDS & nickelodeon movies & FRIENDS & All Holiday Marathon with FRIENDS & FRIENDS & Special Programming blocks of FRIENDS & FRIENDS & Spongebob & FRIENDS & Renewing FRIENDS Contract & FRIENDS.

In my opinion every one of them!!!

None are as good as they were when they started :(

Game Show Network: they went from airing a range of Classic Game Shows to currently broadcasting All GSN Originals & Harvey Feud

Isn't the Weather Channel full of Reality crap now, too?

In my opinion every one of them!!!

None are as good as they were when they started :(

Hasn't AMC gone to junk Reality like the rest?

And maybe TCM stayed the same?

MTV: Music Television. Nowadays the M in MTV is meaningless.

A&E
Discovery
MTV
VH1
The Disney Channel
Cartoon Network
Boomerang
Comedy Central
NickatNite
TVLand
CMT
Hallmark
getTV
AMC
Headline News
Bravo
The Family Channel

MTV: Music Television. Nowadays the M in MTV is meaningless.Moronic TV

MTV

Before - Used to show music videos; stood for music televison
Now - Crappy reality shows about teen moms and other junk

TLC

Before - The Learning Channel
Now - Crappy reality shows about toddler pageants, 600 pound people, people with weird defomities, and parents exploiting their quintuplets

TVLand / Nick at Nite

Before: Reruns of classic black and white shows and older tv shows
Now - countless reruns of modern day sitcoms you can find on 50 other channels

Boomerang

Before - classic cartoons of 60s, 70s, and the 80s / black and white oldies
Now - dumping ground for shows not wanted on Cartoon network/ countless reruns of the same 10 episodes of Looney Tunes / Tom & Jerry

Nickelodeon

Before - Wide variety of different programming ranging from original animated series, slice of life sitcoms, sci-fi shows, drama shows, game shows, sketch comedy shows, reruns of off network cartoons, nick news, programming blocks. More diversity back then. Network promos, tv spots, and commercials were put together with effort and personality.

Now - countless reruns of Spongebob and the Loud House and crappy teen sitcoms. No diversity or variety in programming. Iconic splat logo is now a boring plain corporate logo. No longer called Nickelodeon, now it's Nick?

merlin mentioned Cartoon Network above. I'm not sure what it was like at its beginning, but it has morphed into a conglomeration of cheap, junk animation. It changes to different crap once in awhile when the ratings go even further into the toilet.

My guess is they started out with a lot of classic animation, and eventually moved that to Boomerang so they could make CN the mess it is now. Now from what I see above they're making a mess of Boomerang too.

Oh, yeah, TLC - another channel Discovery has ruined. And as mentioned earlier Discovery itself is also a mess.

Oh, and one I forgot to mention before is what used to be called ABC Family and before that was called The Family Channel. Now it's called Freeform and who knows what they're aiming for?

CMT - Country Music Channel is now the dumping ground for reruns of sitcoms.

merlin mentioned Cartoon Network above. I'm not sure what it was like at its beginning, but it has morphed into a conglomeration of cheap, junk animation. It changes to different crap once in awhile when the ratings go even further into the toilet.

My guess is they started out with a lot of classic animation, and eventually moved that to Boomerang so they could make CN the mess it is now. Now from what I see above they're making a mess of Boomerang too.


Cartoon Network started out with reruns of classic oldies cartoons from ranging Hanna Barebera to Tex Avery to Merrie Melodies to MGM mixed with 70s and 80s cartoons. Then in the late 90s they started their original cartoons like Dexters Lab, Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls. Then the network hit dark era from 2007-2008 with the verge of live action shows. And thus entered the lowest point of the network with that garbage CN Real era from 2009-2011 with a splurge of crappy live action kiddie reality shows. Every die hard Cartoon Network shudders in terror from that time period.

TVLand / Nick at Nite

Before: Reruns of classic black and white shows and older tv shows
Now - countless reruns of modern day sitcoms you can find on 50 other channels



Anyone who saw Nick at Nite in 80s or 90s, even into the early 2000s had to marvel at the creativity of their between-show promos and material. It's such a stark difference between then and now.

Early TV Land was the same way, with all kinds of neat stuff. Constant variety, always adding new creative things like retro-mercials, twice as nice mornings. Again, a night and day difference .

Both of these networks now just show a few shows, and run them into the ground. No time for anything creative--gotta devote it all to ads and a few lifeless promos. And of course add in the frequent off-the-clock schedules to annoy the viewer but please the advertiser.

Cartoon Network started out with reruns of classic oldies cartoons from ranging Hanna Barebera to Tex Avery to Merrie Melodies to MGM mixed with 70s and 80s cartoons. Then in the late 90s they started their original cartoons like Dexters Lab, Johnny Bravo, Powerpuff Girls. Then the network hit dark era from 2007-2008 with the verge of live action shows. And thus entered the lowest point of the network with that garbage CN Real era from 2009-2011 with a splurge of crappy live action kiddie reality shows. Every die hard Cartoon Network shudders in terror from that time period.

And they took the time to produce interesting programs like Toon Heads.

Isn't the Weather Channel full of Reality crap now, too?

weather channel went from doing weather around the clock to only 12 hrs a day weather as 8pm comes they switch to those Reality shows. and to get 24 hrs a day weather is to switch to Accu weather cable channel. as it seam back when NBCUniversal and their partner purchase weather channel from Landmark communcation i think that where the Reality shows at night and on weekend evening came in. and the new owner entertainment studios just conitunue the Reality shows

I remember back when the weather debuts they did a movie around 7pm eastern then few months later they started weather around the clock as they used to have a weather them for it shows like day planner, evening edition, weekend outlook, PM edition no wonder they got rid of so many weather channel employees and they made the Temp bar smaller where you can't hardly read it i guess they can make those Reality shows cheaper then what they could pay those employees to do the weather around the clock

Sundance

AMC used to be classic movies


I mean AMC still is good but nothing like the 80s and 90s AMC

Travel Channel- It used to be about traveling, taking cruises, finding good food,etc around the world.

Now it's ALL about 'ghost hunting' and 'paranoid' er 'paranormal' gobbledee gook. IOW, it should just change its name to Spook Central! I

truTV--(originally Court TV) probably with virtually no one watching, seems to be a network of stunts and jokes - more so-called reality TV.

For quite a while the History had gone down hill with Pawn Stars and few other non history type program but lately they have come back to what I once like. Food America makes, or Inventions. I do find them entertaining.