GSN, TLC, A&E, Syfy: It's the Great Cable Gobbledygook - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

TMC · 10-30-2009, 08:36 PM

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...pinion/columns

These days, it seems like nearly every niche cable channel is shaking up their identity to capture young viewers. That's why GSN is no longer the Game Show Network and why TLC isn't about "learning."

Quote:

By Lisa de Moraes
Friday, October 30, 2009

Starting Friday, the Weather Channel will interrupt its coverage of whatever tsunami, blizzard, hurricane or tornado is making life a perfect hell for folks in some neck of the world to bring you . . . an old movie.

And in January, GSN will divert its unending stream of vintage and new game shows to bring you the newest iteration of the Carnie Wilson Is Trying to Lose Weight Again reality series.

It's the latest round of highly targeted niche networks looking to beef up -- or young up -- their audience by veering off point. It seems to be a rite of passage played out over and over again.

Remember when the letters TLC stood for The Learning Channel and the network brought you educational and informational programming as opposed to Jon and Kate's divorce-o-rama? Remember when A&E stood for Arts & Entertainment and competed with PBS for sumptuous British-made crunchy-gravel period dramas like "Vanity Fair" and "Horatio Hornblower"? Or when AMC stood for American Movie Classics and aired movies that were actually "classic" and not cut up with commercial breaks? When Syfy was Sci Fi? When MTV meant Music Television and was the destination for medicated viewing of rock videos? Good times.

Sadly, those networks' original identities are long gone and they've become part of the Great Cable Gobbledygook, bringing us a steady stream of inexpensive reality series, reruns of broadcast TV series, old flicks, more reality series, an original scripted program or two, and did we mention reality series?

dakert · 10-30-2009, 10:47 PM

As long as GSN has classic games shows from 9am-4pm I am alright with that.

Its funny as I was watching a commercial for The Newleywed Game and noticed that Carnie Wilson was pleasoningly plump again after she had the weight loss surgery years ago. Now to find out she is doing a fat reduction reality show. I did sort of like Celebrity Fit Club on V-H1 years ago--whatever happened to that??

Marvo301 · 10-30-2009, 10:54 PM

It's getting almost impossible to tell these networks apart anymore!

dakert · 10-30-2009, 11:01 PM

Marv --You sure can tell its syfy with all its gobbledygook (rotten movies, tv shows)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marvo301

It's getting almost impossible to tell these networks apart anymore!

megamanj2004 · 10-30-2009, 11:42 PM

I knew as soon as GSN kept overkilling with those ads (nauseum) of Carfonso (Carnie Wilson & Alfonso Ribiero), I knew they were gonna do another b-s reality series, this time involving Carnie Wilson.

You'd think GSN would've learned their lesson 4-5 years ago when they tried to go into the reality department and FAILED miserably at that?!

Guess again!

They tried to do a reality series on Lingo host Chuck Woolery (about a year or 2 before they totally rebranded their logo and slogan) called Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned and look what happened to that?

Quote:

Last posted by dakert

As long as GSN has classic games shows from 9am-4pm I am alright with that.

Its funny as I was watching a commercial for The Newleywed Game and noticed that Carnie Wilson was pleasoningly plump again after she had the weight loss surgery years ago. Now to find out she is doing a fat reduction reality show. I did sort of like Celebrity Fit Club on V-H1 years ago--whatever happened to that??

Well, come November 9th, Super Password will be removed from the weekday sked and only be on weekends.

I think they're replacing SP w/ either more GSN Originals or Love Connection and/or Hollywood Squares w/ Tom Bergeron.

catlover79 · 10-31-2009, 01:01 AM

Syfy is still the stupidest name for a channel I've ever heard.

TMC · 04-30-2015, 03:38 PM

http://www.accessatlanta.com/ap/ap/e...me-heart/nk6RS

"It's kind of a relief to go back to something with a sense of purpose," says Discovery exec Marjorie Kaplan, who actually used the phrase "freak show" to describe TLC's old programming. "The further the brand went from being The Learning Channel, the harder it got for people to see the purpose."

mets82 · 04-30-2015, 04:25 PM

I do think the reason why this came to be is all of TLC's shows ran its course. Honey BooBoo. We know what happened there.

MikeLutton · 04-30-2015, 04:35 PM

miss old sci fi E!E true Hollywood stories biographys.tv land only new show I got to like was monstor myths legonds that was cool.

Tubehead · 05-03-2015, 06:51 AM

I quite watching syfy channel when they changed the named to syfy they quite showing classic sic fi shows now all they show is b sic fi horror flicks most of them are really fake looking. does any one knew what happened to Continuum? I stopped watching syfy channel after they got ride of Continuum and wear house 13 Continuum kind of remained me of sliders meets quantum leap

MrCleveland · 05-03-2015, 09:11 AM

I wish that The Walt Disney Company would release their Walt Disney Shows on Netflix, Hulu, or give it a Vault Disney Channel!

The Disney Channel is only focused on Teen Girls rather than families for the most part....

Patty Duke · 05-03-2015, 09:48 AM

GSN was airing Two episodes of Match Game weekdays, they have now removed one of them.

They need more classic game shows, I detest the new ones and the remakes of the classic ones.

icecream · 05-03-2015, 08:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mets82

I do think the reason why this came to be is all of TLC's shows ran its course. Honey BooBoo. We know what happened there.

That show deservedly has a bad reputation. But TLC has some merit. I enjoyed Outrageous 911 from last year, it's one of the funniest shows on TV. It's the one reality show I'd really like renewed.

icecream · 05-03-2015, 08:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patty Duke

GSN was airing Two episodes of Match Game weekdays, they have now removed one of them.

They need more classic game shows, I detest the new ones and the remakes of the classic ones.

GSN made me mad when they removed $25,000 Pyramid from the lineup this year. That's been a staple of their network for a long time.

Tubehead · 05-04-2015, 12:41 AM

i also don't like teen nick they gotten to kiddy they all show kid shows I do watch dark and josh some time they got ride of keen and kal show and all that show i wish they would bring back Doug i recently got the whole nickelodeon complete animated TV sereis my mom and dad got it for me last Christmas

10-30-2009, 10:54 PM	#3
Marvo301 I'm NOT a Blockhead! Forum Celebrity Join Date: May 17, 2002 Location: The Great White North Posts: 21,452	It's getting almost impossible to tell these networks apart anymore!
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10-31-2009, 01:01 AM	#6
catlover79 God Bless Val Forum Addict Join Date: May 29, 2006 Location: Bewitched in Ohio Posts: 70,376	Syfy is still the stupidest name for a channel I've ever heard.
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04-30-2015, 03:38 PM	#7
TMC Member Forum Idol Join Date: Jan 09, 2001 Posts: 125,034	TLC abandoning its "freak show" image in favor of programs with heart http://www.accessatlanta.com/ap/ap/e...me-heart/nk6RS "It's kind of a relief to go back to something with a sense of purpose," says Discovery exec Marjorie Kaplan, who actually used the phrase "freak show" to describe TLC's old programming. "The further the brand went from being The Learning Channel, the harder it got for people to see the purpose."

04-30-2015, 04:25 PM	#8
mets82 Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Mar 14, 2011 Location: Connecticut Posts: 5,058	I do think the reason why this came to be is all of TLC's shows ran its course. Honey BooBoo. We know what happened there.
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04-30-2015, 04:35 PM	#9
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,873	miss old sci fi E!E true Hollywood stories biographys.tv land only new show I got to like was monstor myths legonds that was cool.
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

10-30-2009, 10:47 PM	#2
dakert Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 10, 2007 Location: Altoona PA Posts: 3,411	As long as GSN has classic games shows from 9am-4pm I am alright with that. Its funny as I was watching a commercial for The Newleywed Game and noticed that Carnie Wilson was pleasoningly plump again after she had the weight loss surgery years ago. Now to find out she is doing a fat reduction reality show. I did sort of like Celebrity Fit Club on V-H1 years ago--whatever happened to that??

05-03-2015, 06:51 AM	#10
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	sci if or syfy sucks now I quite watching syfy channel when they changed the named to syfy they quite showing classic sic fi shows now all they show is b sic fi horror flicks most of them are really fake looking. does any one knew what happened to Continuum? I stopped watching syfy channel after they got ride of Continuum and wear house 13 Continuum kind of remained me of sliders meets quantum leap

05-03-2015, 09:11 AM	#11
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,222	I wish that The Walt Disney Company would release their Walt Disney Shows on Netflix, Hulu, or give it a Vault Disney Channel! The Disney Channel is only focused on Teen Girls rather than families for the most part....
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05-03-2015, 09:48 AM	#12
Patty Duke Good night, John Boy Forum Regular Join Date: Feb 09, 2013 Location: The Land of Milk and Honey Posts: 788	GSN was airing Two episodes of Match Game weekdays, they have now removed one of them. They need more classic game shows, I detest the new ones and the remakes of the classic ones.
	__________________ Hebrews 13:2 Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.

05-04-2015, 12:41 AM	#15
Tubehead Member Forum Veteran Join Date: Feb 12, 2007 Location: chattanooga.tn Posts: 5,139	teen nick i also don't like teen nick they gotten to kiddy they all show kid shows I do watch dark and josh some time they got ride of keen and kal show and all that show i wish they would bring back Doug i recently got the whole nickelodeon complete animated TV sereis my mom and dad got it for me last Christmas