MeTV is going down the drain

[Charles Knox]

Originally Posted by Duster76

Hazel Anyway said:

"Really why can't Metv do what we've long been asking for and that is put on TV classics that are not already shown to death. How about Love That Bob or December Bride or Life with Elizabeth or Hawaiian Eye or Life of Riley or blah blah blah, I could go on & on with more real TV classics that are never shown anymore. I'd love to see the entire MeTV current primetime schedule scrapped and replaced with genuine unseen TV shows like the one's I mentioned. And as far as overnight crime shows, what's wrong with putting on some starting at 10 pm, 10 pm would be a perfect time for Cannon or Kojak or Mannix, then after an episode of Odd Couple then an episode of The Saint then Hawaiian Eye or have all of them on starting at 9 pm".


METV is about big hit series that have a lot of episodes and have been consistent performers in the rerun market. Again referring to the list of most watched networks in Variety for 2021 (article date 12/30/21), let's look at some of the other networks that broadcast older series on a regular basis:

23. METV
30. TVLand
56. Bounce
66. Start
76. Heroes & Icons
77. Cozi
84. Antenna
87. Up
85. Laff
97. Comet
103. Charge

The shows you mentioned, December Bride, Life With Elizabeth, Life of Riley, Love That Bob are nonstarters. Those shows have been out of circulation for decades The network would lose half its audience in no time. You have to be realistic. You may not like Hogan's Heroes, I don't like it either, you know who else doesn't like it, Neal Sabin the Vice Chairman of METV. Here's the problem, it is arguably the second most popular rerun of the 1960's. MASH is probably the most popular rerun series of the 70's and TAGS is without question the most popular rerun series of the 60's. That's why they stay on the schedule. There is no mystery here, people continue to watch these series in big numbers.

I guess the Odd Couple might reappear at some point although it has been gone for awhile. I've never seen Hawaiian Eye, has it ever been released on DVD? I guess it's a possibility for overnight Sunday's, but a more likely candidate would be the FBI.

I would have liked to have seen some type of TCM network developed for TV but I guess that ship has sailed, TCM is having its own troubles.

They started the channel (METV) to show the shows Nick at Nite aired regularly in the 90's. Unfortunately, people wouldn't watch shows like Mary Tyler Moore, Cheers Bob Newhart and etc in large enough numbers to keep them all in primetime.

[Duster76]

Originally Posted by Charles Knox

They started the channel (METV) to show the shows Nick at Nite aired regularly in the 90's. Unfortunately, people wouldn't watch shows like Mary Tyler Moore, Cheers Bob Newhart and etc in large enough numbers to keep them all in primetime.

That's an interesting point, Sabin addressed that in an interview that's linked somewhere on this site, he mentioned the fact that the shows you specifically mentioned were just not popular rerun shows. Obviously at this point METV would like to start gradually moving the demo numbers down a little by introducing 70's and 80's series but for the most part they don't have a lot of traction. Look at how low Antenna TV is in the rankings (84).

[TKMetal]

Originally Posted by Merry24

I don’t know about that.Me TV is coming off of a very great season with Me TV Sunday Block Marathon & A Very Merry Me TV.

They do carry alot of fantastic Programming. Although personally a lot of my favorites are on Decades.

Although I do agree some programming is questionable. The Saved By The Bell Sunday Morning binge?

The deal with that is Saved By The Bell qualifies as E/I programming, which broadcast networks are required to air so many hours of each week. With Saved By The Bell, MeTV can offer on brand programming instead of Green Screen Adventures or whatever. Many Weigel owned stations like WWME-CD (MeTV flagship) for example still run Green Screen Adventures and other Weigel produced E/I programs and only air the last two episodes of Saved By The Bell.

[Coffeecup]

Really why can't Metv do what we've long been asking for and that is put on TV classics that are not already shown to death. How about Love That Bob or December Bride or Life with Elizabeth or Hawaiian Eye or Life of Riley or blah blah blah, I could go on & on with more real TV classics that are never shown anymore. I agree with you Poster.

The sad part I think is, if you don't show programs such as the ones you mentioned, 20 years from now here we are in 2042 and the viewing audience would be far less inclined to watch them. It like hauling out Mary Pickford movies for my generation.

[stevea]

Originally Posted by Duster76

That's an interesting point, Sabin addressed that in an interview that's linked somewhere on this site, he mentioned the fact that the shows you specifically mentioned were just not popular rerun shows. Obviously at this point METV would like to start gradually moving the demo numbers down a little by introducing 70's and 80's series but for the most part they don't have a lot of traction. Look at how low Antenna TV is in the rankings (84).

This is key. Their overall ratings are great, but not in the key younger demo. I would argue that's mostly due to streaming, but I'm sure they know that.

[Merry24]

Regarding antenna tv they have their 80’s & 90’s programming in the evenings & Primetime and LateNights/overnights.


Unfortunately antenna tv is not doing anything spectacular regarding promotions. Or drawings themselves to be a 50’s & 60’s & 70’s Network. One of there top shows Bewitched is only airring in the mornings/afternoons.

[merlinjones]

[QUOTE=Coffeecup;6118126]How about Love That Bob or December Bride or Life with Elizabeth or Hawaiian Eye or Life of Riley or blah blah blah, I could go on & on with more real TV classics that are never shown anymore.

Hawaiian Eye is beautifully remastered and shown M-F prime time on MeTV+. I watch every night!

The Beverly Hillbillies is great through about season 5 (especially 1-3) and makes a compatible lead to Green Acres -- they should skip the last three seasons though for prime time (or at least restore them).

I would like to see MASH move to 10PM and free up the 7PM slot for Beaver (or if they could get Bewitched and Jeannie away from Antenna). MASH is too depressing for after work/happy hour.

[SarahBellum]

If they want to continue airing MASH and Andy Griffith forever, that's fine. But maybe move them to different time slots for a while. And I would like to see Twilight Zone moved to an earlier time. Currently, it airs too late for me to watch.

[merlinjones]

My most-watched oldies channels:

Me-TV (Leave it to Beaver, cartoons, Adam-12, Green Acres, Beverly Hillbillies, Twilight Zone, The Jetsons, The Flintstones, The Brady Bunch, Gilligan's Island, Star Trek, Batman, Lost in Space, Svenghoulie, Andy Griffith, The Three Stooges, Addams Family, Rifleman, The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, Bonanza, etc.)

Decades (Donna Reed, Petticoat Junction, Family Affair, I Love Lucy, The Lucy Show, Mary Tyler Moore, Bob Newhart, Cheers, Get Smart, Dick Van Dyke, Dick Cavett, various Binges)

Me-Tv+ (The Wild Wild West, Hawaiian Eye, Hawaii Five-0, 77 Sunset Strip, cartoons, Lost in Space, Mama's Family, The Big Valley, etc.)

H&I (Batman, Wonder Woman, Superman, Star Trek, Vegas, Baywatch, etc.)

AntennaTV (Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie, My Favorite Martian, That Girl, Father Knows Best, Partridge Family)

Cozi (The Munsters, Columbo, Six Million Dollar Man, Bionic Woman)

Movies! (various)

Buzzr (Match Game, Password, The Newlywed Game)

Would watch if they were on - Gidget, Monkees, The Flying Nun, The Ghost and Mrs Muir, HR Pufnstuf, Jonny Quest, The Mickey Mouse Club, Zorro, The Wonderful World of Disney, Josie & the Pussycats, Scooby Doo Where are You?, Here Come the Brides, Ozzie & Harriet, Nanny & the Professor, Shazam!/Isis, Super Friends, Pee Wee's Playhouse, Hollywood Squares (classic version), The Judy Garland Show, Dark Shadows (all eps)

Personally I wish the good oldies from Antenna and Cozi would move to the Weigel stations because in my market (LA) those are all broadcast in 720p HD

[just1paul]

Originally Posted by SarahBellum

If they want to continue airing MASH and Andy Griffith forever, that's fine. But maybe move them to different time slots for a while. And I would like to see Twilight Zone moved to an earlier time. Currently, it airs too late for me to watch.

I would like to see one episode of Perry Mason and only early in the evening.

[lowesman]

Why not try PUNKY BREWSTER? No one airs that.

[merlinjones]

Punky seems more like a Rewind show.

[Frank Gannucci]

I think I’m hoping that MeTV airs the Peanuts specials “It’s The Great Pumpkin Charlie Briwn” & “A Charlie Briwn XMas” after PBS couldn’t show them anymore.

My Aunt who’s in her 80s would love seeing them on TV again. I would love to explain to her that they are on MeTV (I would explain to her that that’s a digital broadcast network and not a cable channel and she does have it on WJLP in NJ and WZVNs digital sub channel channel 26-2.) (WZVN is my ABC station and she lives down here half the year in Naples, Florida.)

[merlinjones]

I would love to see all the Charlie Brown specials on Me-TV also, but apparently Apple-TV, which has licensed the rights, is holding on tight. It was Apple that allowed PBS to air the two shows after a public outcry, but they seemingly have locked it all down again.

Me-TV can show the theatrical films because Paramount/CBS owns the rights, a different ownership than the TV specials.

[Frank Gannucci]

It’s so sad that Apple is such a bad Apple. I would hope that this one bad Apple doesn’t spoil the whole bunch (aka people’s holidays.)