Why Are Show Openers Altered in Syndication? - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

stevea · 06-13-2017, 08:09 PM

Why does this happen so much, and are there others I don't list below?

1. Grace Under Fire - altered in syndication for the first few seasons, removing Aretha Franklin's "Lady Madonna".

2. Married With Children - sometimes removes the Frank Sinatra song (maybe only on DVD releases).

3. Father Knows Best - had different openers in all 6 seasons, but only two altered ones are shown now.

4. My Three Sons - recently found that the original 12th season opener was shelved in syndication, leaving Dawn Lyn and Ronne Troup uncredited.

Edward216 · 06-13-2017, 08:25 PM

I don't know why they do it but I do know one you left out. At the beginning of the Cheers show opener, they've cut out about half of the show's theme song (Where Everybody Knows Your Name). I hate that since it's one of my favorite TV theme songs.

Ed.

MikeLutton · 06-13-2017, 08:25 PM

I like dvd opening credits extended long intros opening credits,i got double disked of married with children into was longer show totally un-cut

stevea · 06-13-2017, 08:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Edward216

I don't know why they do it but I do know one you left out. At the beginning of the Cheers show opener, they've cut out about half of the show's theme song (Where Everybody Knows Your Name). I hate that since it's one of my favorite TV theme songs.

Ed.

Yes, and I forgot one they really butcher...Family Ties. Badly edited in syndication.

Regulus · 06-13-2017, 08:50 PM

Two reasons why shows openers are edited

1. "Music Rights"

2. To add more commercials.

opus · 06-13-2017, 09:00 PM

Bosom Buddies changed from a Billy Joel song

https://youtu.be/8YADebTGtzw

to, in syndication

https://youtu.be/GW1PqGsuXPM

MikeLutton · 06-13-2017, 10:08 PM

dont like when they shorten the intros like happy days once in a while you know

stevea · 06-13-2017, 10:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeL

dont like when they shorten the intros like happy days once in a while you know

I forgot about Happy Days. I think the season 1 and 2 Rock Around the Clock has completely disappeared. They even butchered this on the DVDs, I think I read...probably a music rights issue, like mentioned above.

BigManMike · 06-13-2017, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I forgot about Happy Days. I think the season 1 and 2 Rock Around the Clock has completely disappeared. They even butchered this on the DVDs, I think I read...probably a music rights issue, like mentioned above.

Occasionally some episodes had a shorter theme in syndication, I don't know why. Season 1 always had Rock Around the Clock, even on the DVDs, but on the Season 2 DVDs, it was replaced with a longer version of Happy Days because of music licensing. And some of those DVD episodes have gotten mixed into MeTV's package and turned up that way there.

BigManMike · 06-13-2017, 11:47 PM

Three's Company, The Ropers, and Three's A Crowd all had shorter versions for the older syndication prints in the 80s and 90s, which ended up being what Antenna TV uses. Nick at Nite, TV Land, and Deja View in Canada had different prints with ththe longer versions.

MrCleveland · 06-14-2017, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevea

I forgot about Happy Days. I think the season 1 and 2 Rock Around the Clock has completely disappeared. They even butchered this on the DVDs, I think I read...probably a music rights issue, like mentioned above.

True...and I won't doubt once The Drew Carey Show gats the music rights cleared... It'll probably only have "Moon Over Parma" as it's theme between seasons 2-9.

That 70's Show has this problem too throughout the series on the show...most of the music played is out... otherwise the DVD !ay have cost more...

MA · 06-14-2017, 07:34 AM

Growing Pains

factsoflife · 06-14-2017, 10:36 PM

Most of the time intro sequences are edited/altered to make room for more commercial breaks. Some cable networks (Disney for example; BET for another example) are much worse at doing this than others (Lifetime, for example, is fairly good at airing these unedited or only slightly edited).

Another reason is the expensive cost of music rights. In order to use a song, the studio or network has to pay the rights holder for the ability to use that song. These are very expensive and oftentimes it is cheaper for the studio to simply edit the song out. This is way many times the songs used in syndication edits are vastly different than what was aired in primetime.

biffbronson · 06-15-2017, 08:56 AM

Some openers were tied-in heavily to an original sponsor, as with the early Bewitched open. Similarly, the black & white The Beverly Hillbillies opener shows the Clampetts pointing to a Kellogg's billboard -- and while the pointing remains, nonetheless it's an edited opener to remove the product plug.

Other notable changes were for I Love Lucy (the heart opener replaced Philip Morris animated originals) and The Lucy Show (the kaleidoscope, when replacing original b & w animation, shows scenes of later, color eps -- a good example of a later, color opener being changed to b & w for old eps).

MikeLutton · 06-15-2017, 12:06 PM

married with children

06-13-2017, 08:09 PM	#1
stevea 22 Years On Sitcoms Moderator Forum Legend Join Date: Aug 13, 2003 Location: Indy Posts: 44,594	Why Are Show Openers Altered in Syndication? Why does this happen so much, and are there others I don't list below? 1. Grace Under Fire - altered in syndication for the first few seasons, removing Aretha Franklin's "Lady Madonna". 2. Married With Children - sometimes removes the Frank Sinatra song (maybe only on DVD releases). 3. Father Knows Best - had different openers in all 6 seasons, but only two altered ones are shown now. 4. My Three Sons - recently found that the original 12th season opener was shelved in syndication, leaving Dawn Lyn and Ronne Troup uncredited.

06-13-2017, 08:25 PM	#3
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,884	I like dvd opening credits extended long intros opening credits,i got double disked of married with children into was longer show totally un-cut
	__________________ Tv And DVD Addict got over a hundred dvds in my collection more than anyone in the neighborhood. also huge Animal lover family man

06-13-2017, 08:50 PM	#5
Regulus Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 07, 2011 Location: Port Orange, Florida Avatar - Poiuyt Posts: 3,374	Two reasons why shows openers are edited 1. "Music Rights" 2. To add more commercials.
	__________________ Grail Shows: *Doc Elliot, Owen Marshall-Counselor of Law, Here's Boomer, Three for the Road, Holmes and YoYo* Bucket List Shows: *Hot Wheels, Skyhawks, Run Joe Run, Westwood*

06-14-2017, 10:36 PM	#13
factsoflife Member Forum Fanatic Join Date: Sep 11, 2000 Posts: 8,744	Most of the time intro sequences are edited/altered to make room for more commercial breaks. Some cable networks (Disney for example; BET for another example) are much worse at doing this than others (Lifetime, for example, is fairly good at airing these unedited or only slightly edited). Another reason is the expensive cost of music rights. In order to use a song, the studio or network has to pay the rights holder for the ability to use that song. These are very expensive and oftentimes it is cheaper for the studio to simply edit the song out. This is way many times the songs used in syndication edits are vastly different than what was aired in primetime.
	__________________ "and to the fans. I was only supposed to be on every other Tuesday. But, thanks to you, I'm here, and I promise! I will try my best never to let you down. I am going back into that studio on Monday, and I'm going to play Erica Kane for all she's worth!"-- Susan Lucci, May 1999 Daytime Emmy Speech.

06-13-2017, 08:25 PM	#2
Edward216 Member Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Aug 18, 2014 Location: Central Time Zone Posts: 4,640	I don't know why they do it but I do know one you left out. At the beginning of the Cheers show opener, they've cut out about half of the show's theme song (Where Everybody Knows Your Name). I hate that since it's one of my favorite TV theme songs. Ed.

06-13-2017, 09:00 PM	#6
opus VB Forum Superstar Join Date: May 16, 2015 Location: VB Galaxy Posts: 32,389	Bosom Buddies changed from a Billy Joel song https://youtu.be/8YADebTGtzw to, in syndication https://youtu.be/GW1PqGsuXPM

06-13-2017, 10:08 PM	#7
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,884	dont like when they shorten the intros like happy days once in a while you know

06-13-2017, 11:47 PM	#10
BigManMike Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: May 25, 2006 Location: Memphis, TN Posts: 3,022	Three's Company, The Ropers, and Three's A Crowd all had shorter versions for the older syndication prints in the 80s and 90s, which ended up being what Antenna TV uses. Nick at Nite, TV Land, and Deja View in Canada had different prints with ththe longer versions.

06-14-2017, 07:34 AM	#12
MA Member Moderator Forum Idol Join Date: May 20, 2017 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 127,490	Growing Pains

06-15-2017, 08:56 AM	#14
biffbronson Sentimental Fool Forum Star Join Date: Aug 22, 2009 Location: Near Notre Dame Posts: 10,483	Some openers were tied-in heavily to an original sponsor, as with the early Bewitched open. Similarly, the black & white The Beverly Hillbillies opener shows the Clampetts pointing to a Kellogg's billboard -- and while the pointing remains, nonetheless it's an edited opener to remove the product plug. Other notable changes were for I Love Lucy (the heart opener replaced Philip Morris animated originals) and The Lucy Show (the kaleidoscope, when replacing original b & w animation, shows scenes of later, color eps -- a good example of a later, color opener being changed to b & w for old eps).

06-15-2017, 12:06 PM	#15
MikeLutton Mike Lutton DVD Legend! Forum Veteran Join Date: Jan 05, 2005 Location: usa pennsyvania Posts: 6,884	married with children