What Happened To Independent TV Stations? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

y2k3Joker · 10-27-2006, 12:47 PM

Does anybody know of any independant TV stations that show good old classic programming. It's becoming more and more frustrating to find every station on the grid affiliated with a Network - they all show the same programming.

I remember back in the day before there was UPN and WB and "I" network and whatever else is out there nowadays .... stations like WSBK, KTLA, WPIX, WOR, WGN, etc .... all had great stuff on at some time during the week. These days, it seems like they're all the same station except for some local news.

Curious to know, do any Independant stations still exist out there?

lazygrae · 10-27-2006, 01:04 PM

Aside from Chicago's METV, which I think should go nationwide, just these so far as I know:
KDOC (Los Angeles)
WBXH (Baton Rouge LA)
WFMZ (Allentown PA)
WBGNLP (Pittsburgh PA)

And some of them may have been bought out recently as I haven't looked at them for a while.

I guess it all comes down to dollars and cents. There seems to be agreement on this board that stations should show more old, seldom-seen, shows. But I suspect that in terms of the general population, that is not the case and it is more profitable for stations to air the same common, recent, stuff as everybody else.

y2k3Joker · 10-27-2006, 01:12 PM

Thanks Graeme for the list.

In Canada, I think the only ones we have is CKXT-TV (Sun-TV from Toronto) and CJON-TV (from NFLD)
All the other ones have been swallowed up by A-Channel, City-TV or Global.

lazygrae · 10-27-2006, 01:22 PM

Quote:

All the other ones have been swallowed up by A-Channel, City-TV or Global.

That A-Channel thing really pisses me off. When they were The NewVx family of stations they showed great stuff late night: the 1980s Dragnet that Lamont has been asking about, Harry and the Hendersons that I've seen a few request for lately, Munsters, Ironside, Marcus Welby, Emergency - all uncut! Then that stupid A-Channel took over and their programming went down the toilet.

Global used to be good too about 15 years ago - Barnaby Jones, Mod Squad, Room 222 were some shows I know they aired. Now it too sucks. I remember watching Barnaby Jones and knowing that I should be recording it, but was young and poor and didn't have the money to buy blank tapes, or the space to keep them. Been kicking myself ever since.

lazygrae · 10-27-2006, 01:33 PM

FYI, here are the zip codes and providers to use if you want to check Zap2It for listings, and websites:

90025 – KDOC, any provider, http://www.kdoctv.net/ - great website!
70801 – WBXH, Cox Communications
18102 – WFMZ, RCN Cable, http://www.wfmz.com/
15232 – WBGNLP, Local Broadcast, http://www.wbgn.com

Does anybody here get KDOC? Would like to hear from somebody with a dvd recorder who does.

Ireneparalegal · 10-27-2006, 01:36 PM

I live here in Southern Cali and get KDOC. I don't have a DVD recorder though, sorry.

loren · 10-27-2006, 02:29 PM

there was a station i used to get from minneapolis

i think its 29

i know that they played mary tyler moore twice a day for the last 6 months

since its my friends favorite show

they did the tivo thing and watche dthem after work every day

i cant verify if its truly still independant

lazygrae · 10-27-2006, 02:45 PM

Quote:

there was a station i used to get from minneapolis

KITN?

Lamont · 10-27-2006, 02:53 PM

the FEW indy stations in my area tend to be "urban" based
they cater to Black comedies
i guess the only way for an indy to make it is to find a niche market
the channels near me play a lot of SANFORD, GOOD TIMES, MOESHA, JEFFERSONS, GIRLFRIENDS, MARTIN, etc etc etc

y2k3Joker · 10-27-2006, 03:59 PM

Even the Sports Networks have suffered from buyouts and mergers with bigger Networks
Does anybody remember Classic Sports Network before it was bought out by ESPN?? Period between 1995-1997

Programming was much more original back then

loren · 10-27-2006, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by y2k3Joker

Even the Sports Networks have suffered from buyouts and mergers with bigger Networks
Does anybody remember Classic Sports Network before it was bought out by ESPN?? Period between 1995-1997

Programming was much more original back then

when they first showed up

they had numerous games from back in the day on

and all the nfl funny hilite shows

anymore espn classic is reruns of arlis, and old movies for the most part

but they know what advertisers want to spend their $$ on, so thats what they run

just like mtv, as soon as they stopped playing videos we all liked, they started the money making phase at mtv

its not for our entertainment, its to tell us what we should want to buy

my dad always called it the idiot box

WalrusIsPaul · 10-27-2006, 04:49 PM

classic sports before espn bought it seemed to be more on the CLASSIC then it is now,they have the knack for showing games that are only a yr or 2 old..i liked it better when thye showed baseball games from the 70s early 80s..not movies and the cant blame stuff thats on there now.

as for indy stations here in pittsburgh we get wbgn,which now has family ties,married with children,hawaii five 0 and mission impossible

debwalsh · 10-27-2006, 05:53 PM

WFMZ in Allentown has been shifting more and more to reality programming over the past few months. We used to have several independent stations locally, but several of them shifted to all religious programming, or Home Shopping Network knockoffs. We have a local station (WYBE) that's a PBS hybrid that shows a remarkable range of shows - and they aren't limited to English-speaking programming. I've occasionally found some interesting shows there.

All praise the wonders of the low-wattage station - that's where the treasure is to be found! :>

mhadley · 10-28-2006, 01:25 AM

I work at an old UPN station and I was going through the tape archives and my station does not show but has old betas of things like Taxi, classic Star Trek, Animanics, Sylvester/Tweetly mysteries etc and lots of old movies (TV edits though)..... that my boss said I could copy off for "personal use" (although I was warned that just because the tape is labeled something, there is no guarantee that is still what is on the tape).

lordsmurf · 10-29-2006, 04:16 PM

There are basically no such thing as independent operators anymore. Even most independent-looking stations tend to be owned by a major network. Very often, they get cast-off network programming that the main station doesn't want to show (Saturday morning cartoons, for example). And then they fill up the schedule with cheap re-runs of various shows.

It's not bad, but don't be fooled into thinking they are an indy.

10-27-2006, 12:47 PM	#1
y2k3Joker Why So Serious? Senior Member Join Date: Aug 28, 2003 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 1,256	What Happened To Independent TV Stations? Does anybody know of any independant TV stations that show good old classic programming. It's becoming more and more frustrating to find every station on the grid affiliated with a Network - they all show the same programming. I remember back in the day before there was UPN and WB and "I" network and whatever else is out there nowadays .... stations like WSBK, KTLA, WPIX, WOR, WGN, etc .... all had great stuff on at some time during the week. These days, it seems like they're all the same station except for some local news. Curious to know, do any Independant stations still exist out there?

10-27-2006, 01:04 PM	#2
lazygrae Archivist Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 30, 2003 Location: Canada, watching the grooviest gang of fuzz who ever wore a badge. Posts: 460	Aside from Chicago's METV, which I think should go nationwide, just these so far as I know: KDOC (Los Angeles) WBXH (Baton Rouge LA) WFMZ (Allentown PA) WBGNLP (Pittsburgh PA) And some of them may have been bought out recently as I haven't looked at them for a while. I guess it all comes down to dollars and cents. There seems to be agreement on this board that stations should show more old, seldom-seen, shows. But I suspect that in terms of the general population, that is not the case and it is more profitable for stations to air the same common, recent, stuff as everybody else.
	__________________ Have/Want list: www.chezgrae.com/videos.html Unofficial Mod Squad Home Page: www.chezgrae.com/modsquad/

10-27-2006, 01:36 PM	#6
Ireneparalegal LEGAL SPICE ;) Forum Legend Join Date: Jul 25, 2005 Location: OXNARD, CA - WHERE THE DALLAS COWBOYS TRAIN & PRACTICE Posts: 38,691	I live here in Southern Cali and get KDOC. I don't have a DVD recorder though, sorry.
	__________________ DALLAS COWBOYS ARE HERE AT TRAINING CAMP!!!

10-27-2006, 05:53 PM	#13
debwalsh Ancient Archivist Forum Regular Join Date: Mar 23, 2004 Location: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Posts: 504	WFMZ in Allentown has been shifting more and more to reality programming over the past few months. We used to have several independent stations locally, but several of them shifted to all religious programming, or Home Shopping Network knockoffs. We have a local station (WYBE) that's a PBS hybrid that shows a remarkable range of shows - and they aren't limited to English-speaking programming. I've occasionally found some interesting shows there. All praise the wonders of the low-wattage station - that's where the treasure is to be found! :>
	__________________ Deb Walsh Savage Traders Online!

10-27-2006, 01:12 PM	#3
y2k3Joker Why So Serious? Senior Member Join Date: Aug 28, 2003 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 1,256	Thanks Graeme for the list. In Canada, I think the only ones we have is CKXT-TV (Sun-TV from Toronto) and CJON-TV (from NFLD) All the other ones have been swallowed up by A-Channel, City-TV or Global.

10-27-2006, 01:33 PM	#5
lazygrae Archivist Frequent Poster Join Date: Sep 30, 2003 Location: Canada, watching the grooviest gang of fuzz who ever wore a badge. Posts: 460	FYI, here are the zip codes and providers to use if you want to check Zap2It for listings, and websites: 90025 – KDOC, any provider, http://www.kdoctv.net/ - great website! 70801 – WBXH, Cox Communications 18102 – WFMZ, RCN Cable, http://www.wfmz.com/ 15232 – WBGNLP, Local Broadcast, http://www.wbgn.com Does anybody here get KDOC? Would like to hear from somebody with a dvd recorder who does.

10-27-2006, 02:29 PM	#7
loren Member Senior Member Join Date: Feb 11, 2005 Posts: 1,516	there was a station i used to get from minneapolis i think its 29 i know that they played mary tyler moore twice a day for the last 6 months since its my friends favorite show they did the tivo thing and watche dthem after work every day i cant verify if its truly still independant

10-27-2006, 02:53 PM	#9
Lamont Lamont says Smile! Forum Veteran Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Deep in the Heart of Nowhere Posts: 5,217	the FEW indy stations in my area tend to be "urban" based they cater to Black comedies i guess the only way for an indy to make it is to find a niche market the channels near me play a lot of SANFORD, GOOD TIMES, MOESHA, JEFFERSONS, GIRLFRIENDS, MARTIN, etc etc etc

10-27-2006, 03:59 PM	#10
y2k3Joker Why So Serious? Senior Member Join Date: Aug 28, 2003 Location: Arkham Asylum Posts: 1,256	Even the Sports Networks have suffered from buyouts and mergers with bigger Networks Does anybody remember Classic Sports Network before it was bought out by ESPN?? Period between 1995-1997 Programming was much more original back then

10-27-2006, 04:49 PM	#12
WalrusIsPaul Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Mar 04, 2001 Location: Pgh,Pa.US Posts: 264	classic sports before espn bought it seemed to be more on the CLASSIC then it is now,they have the knack for showing games that are only a yr or 2 old..i liked it better when thye showed baseball games from the 70s early 80s..not movies and the cant blame stuff thats on there now. as for indy stations here in pittsburgh we get wbgn,which now has family ties,married with children,hawaii five 0 and mission impossible

10-28-2006, 01:25 AM	#14
mhadley Member Forum Regular Join Date: Dec 22, 2003 Posts: 572	I work at an old UPN station and I was going through the tape archives and my station does not show but has old betas of things like Taxi, classic Star Trek, Animanics, Sylvester/Tweetly mysteries etc and lots of old movies (TV edits though)..... that my boss said I could copy off for "personal use" (although I was warned that just because the tape is labeled something, there is no guarantee that is still what is on the tape).

10-29-2006, 04:16 PM	#15
lordsmurf Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Apr 08, 2005 Posts: 155	There are basically no such thing as independent operators anymore. Even most independent-looking stations tend to be owned by a major network. Very often, they get cast-off network programming that the main station doesn't want to show (Saturday morning cartoons, for example). And then they fill up the schedule with cheap re-runs of various shows. It's not bad, but don't be fooled into thinking they are an indy.