I need someone to help me with this. Certain cable networks like TBS and N@N show edited versions of different sitcoms. My question is why can't the cable networks show the original versionn if CBS, ABC, and NBC showed the orginal version which was also 30 minutes long.

I always thought it was so that networks like N@N couldget more time for commercials. For example, N@N showed Cheers uncut for the week it premiered. Then started showing cut versions for commercialtime. Who Knows?

Originally posted by Shelleys Lil stalker
I always thought it was so that networks like N@N couldget more time for commercials. For example, N@N showed Cheers uncut for the week it premiered. Then started showing cut versions for commercialtime. Who Knows?

But here is the part that's confusing-ABC, CBS, and NBC showed commercials also but still showed the original version. Maybe it's because they don't need to show as many commercials as cable networks.

Originally posted by SOLOMON


But here is the part that's confusing-ABC, CBS, and NBC showed commercials also but still showed the original version. Maybe it's because they don't need to show as many commercials as cable networks.

As time progresses, network shows have less and less time also. An average episode of "friends", for instance, is only 22 minutes long, compared to 25 episode "Three's Company" episodes 25 years before. As time progresses, the networks try to get more profit from them. Back in the '50s and '60s, some shows would only have one sponser so it would leave more time for the show.

In the end, it's all about money, money, money.