What is happing to GSN? Bring Back Classics!

[Jack1000]

Guys,

GSN is going right down the toilet! How many more original programs do we need? I don't know about you but we now have Cram, Win Tuition, Funny Money, and Lingo (etc.) repeated once a day (two airings) for a long time. What is the hoopla with the original game shows? GSN is supposed to be a network for the all-time classic shows! All I watch on there now is $100,000 Pyrmid and Match Game. Where is Let's Make a Deal, Password, Hollywood Squares, Wheel of Fortune, Price is Right, Joker's Wild, and the stuff I grew up on? That's what GSN is supposed to be!

We should contact VP of programming Bob Boden and tell him that we want a return to some of the classic shows that made GSN a great network. Even some new funny shows like Anything for Money, Beat the Clock (Monty Hall version), and Concentration added to the line-up would be things of beauty!!! What about the original Supermarket Sweep with the funny monster that used to harrass the shoppers in the bonus round? Do you guys remember that when that show first started out? Any of those shows would be great!

HEY GSN, CUT DOWN ON THE DAMN ORIGINALS! Shelve Lingo until December 1st, when the new season begins. That's the only original GSN program that I like! I am sure that many posters feel the same way!

To admin, what are the chances of any of the shows mentioned in this post coming back or being added to the network?

Jack

[BigGuy90]

Here's what I think will eventually happen...GSN will have so many original shows that it will need a little more room for classics, so GSN will spawn a spin-off channel that airs nothing but classics. This is like what Cartoon Network did (Boomerang). Do u hope this happens? I sure do!

[Brett Ferino]

Originally posted by Jack1000
What about the original Supermarket Sweep with the funny monster that used to harrass the shoppers in the bonus round?

What monster are you talking about? Ever since the show debuted in 1990, that never happened.

[JT]

I think he means the SS that premiered in 1965 and ran until 1967, hosted by Bill Malone.

[Jack1000]

Well the Supermarket Sweep "monster" wasn't really a monster but they would have this custume guy dressed up as a gorrilla or "Mr Yuck" character and he used to block the contestants during the bonus round!!!! (I remember this from the David Ruprecht versions when the show first came on.) But they got rid of him after the first season or so. (Maybe he roughed up a contestant or something I don't know!) David would say...."Be carefull because lurking out there somewhere is (whatver the thing was dressed as) and he would block your way to products!) It was funny!!! Maybe some of you don't remember because that "blocking monster" wasn't on for very long!)

I swear this is true!!!!!!!

Jack

[dawsongirl]

Originally posted by BigGuy90
Here's what I think will eventually happen...GSN will have so many original shows that it will need a little more room for classics, so GSN will spawn a spin-off channel that airs nothing but classics. This is like what Cartoon Network did (Boomerang). Do u hope this happens? I sure do!

Nice idea, but it won't happen. GSN doesn't care about classic fans, just hormonally challenged teenaged boys.

I don't mind if they keep a few originals, but don't rerun them 85 times a day. And ditch they crappy ones! Friend or Foe needs to die already.

[Jack1000]

Guys,

This is from GSN's message board about the statues of certain shows and why they are not shown.

WHY CAN'T GSN SHOW CERTAIN SHOWS?

Since that's a question that gets asked quite a bit of the time lately, FAQ threads and other explanations aside, I decided somebody needed to create a new thread that explained it once and for all, and to do it in a new "sticky" (hopefully?) thread that doesn't require newbies to slog through the increasingly unmanageable FAQ thread.

Here it is in a nutshell: GSN does not have the rights to every game show in existence. It would be nice if they did, yes, but even their vault does not contain every game show ever made in the past sixty years.

Here are the most commonly-requested shows GSN cannot presently air, and the reason why they can't be shown at the current time:

Bullseye

GSN has never aired this classic Barry & Enright quizzer on the regular schedule. It is believed they do not have a complete run of the series - just a scattered handful of episodes.


(Classic) Concentration

The original 1958-1972 series is believed mostly lost. GSN has been unable to reach an agreement with NBC, who owns the rights to the Concentration name and format, to air repeats of the Jack Narz and Alex Trebek versions of the show (both produced by Goodson-Todman).


Family Feud (1994-95 season)

This is on a separate contract from the rest of the Goodson-Todman package. Thus, even though GSN has the tapes, they are currently prohibited from airing it under the terms of their contract.


The Hollywood Squares

Currently, GSN has 150 episodes of the 1971-81 syndicated version in their rotation. They are reported to possess more than three times that number, including the long-lost 1980-81 syndicated season from Las Vegas. At present, the network has only leased the 150 episodes you see now for airing, and would have to renegotiate with the current rights holders if they wanted to air more. The status of the NBC daytime version (1966-80) is uncertain, although GSN aired one 1977 episode of a special Storybook Squares week in October 2002. Reports that over 3,000 tapes of the NBC version were found are still unofficial, and even if true GSN would still only have the rights to what they've leased thus far.


Now You See It (1989)

Chuck Henry, who hosted this version of Now You See It, requested that GSN never air his episodes, feeling they might harm his credibility in television news. Thus, even though GSN does have this run of the program, it cannot be aired.


Password (ABC 1971-75 version)

This version of Password is believed to have been destroyed by ABC. (Interestingly, however, it is listed in the Goodson-Todman catalog.) GSN does possess at least one 1974 episode of the Password All-Stars format, but did not convert to GSN's digital tape format very well at all.


Press Your Luck

Currently, GSN has aired 199 out of 200 episodes they have the rights to air. (Their copy of the "missing" episode is believed to be damaged or otherwise in unairable condition.) The Michael Larson episodes were packaged as part of a documentary, Big Bucks: The Press Your Luck Scandal, which aired on GSN in March 2003. On 17 March 2003, GSN accidentally aired the next consecutive episode from when their package of 200 ended, proving they do have more than just what they've leased in their possession. At this time, however, it is uncertain when, or even if, GSN will renegotiate its Press Your Luck contract to include more episodes.


The Price is Right

This is on a separate contract from the rest of the Goodson-Todman library. Thus, even though GSN has the tapes to almost thirty-five years of this program (a figure that includes Bill Cullen's original version from the '50s and '60s), they are currently prohibited from airing it under the terms of their contract.


$ale of the Century

GSN does not have the rights to the Reg Grundy library. They have been trying, but FremantleMedia (the current owners of the Grundy tapes) has been uncooperative.


Scrabble

GSN does not have the rights to the Reg Grundy library. They have been trying, but FremantleMedia (the current owners of the Grundy tapes) has been uncooperative.


Wheel of Fortune (network versions)

At present, GSN only airs the better-known syndicated Wheel. Nearly all of Chuck Woolery's run of episodes on NBC is believed destroyed, and the reason why the rest of the NBC and CBS network runs have never been aired on GSN is not known.
Hopefully, that clears up some of the most commonly-asked questions regarding why GSN doesn't air this or that particular program. WIth any luck at all, this will stop most of the questions we're always getting about Scrabble and The Price is Right...

***************

Now a question for you. We just got digital cable last year so can't commment on GSN's schedule before that. But, was the 1971-1975 version of PASSWORD ever on the schedule?

Jack

[ClassicTV4Ever]

Thank you, Jack1000, for posting that part of the FAQ

I wanted GSN since it first debuted back in Spring 1994 so I'd be able to see my favorite shows like Tic Tac Dough, The Joker's Wild, and many others. I wanted GSN so bad it hurt. I finally got it back in 2002 after waiting 8 long years. I was rather disappointed to hear that they stopped airing all the classics I wanted to see (although I was excited to see Press Your Luck again), and I watched hardly any GSN at all and it has since decreased even more.

However, I just have to face reality. Back when GSN was airing all classics it wasn't doing well and many cable companies were reluctant to carry it due to the lack of interest. When Rich Cronin was first put in charge a few years ago or so he said he was NOT going to have GSN be the "TV Land for game shows." His plan was to boost GSN's ratings by dragging it into the new millenium with more and "better" originals, reruns of some more recent shows, and interactive gaming and it is definitely working. He's realizing that the all-classics concept simply wasn't cutting it. Obviously the majority of the nation's GSN viewing population are casual game show watchers that just don't care as much about the classics as hardcore game show fans are. Hardcore game show fans just aren't the majority here, it seems. It's not that GSN doesn't care about the fans, it's just that their goal is to make money and try to compete with all the other many networks on the air. It's called business, and I know it sucks.

A GSN 2 type channel would be awesome, but I wouldn't count on it. At least not any time soon. That would cost a lot of money that GSN certainly does not have right now

I'm hoping that one day GSN could release their vault stuff to DVD and maybe have them available exclusively through their website or something. They may not be smash hits, but the hardcore fans would be sure to buy them. That way there'd bo no edits, credit crunches, and the fee and ticket plugs could be left in

[IGNTBone]

Quick, funny story....

My local cable provider, Comcast, offered GSN in my area shortly after I was aware of the new network, so I saw many of the classics they aired in their first couple years.

One day, I was home from high school for some reason (if not sick, then finished with midterms that day). Anyhow, I was watching an ep of "Tic-Tac-Dough", when my mom came into the room. She looked at the screen a bit quizzically, until I told her it was a classic repeat on cable. She said something like...

"Oh, I was gonna say....those hairstyles aren't current."

[Jack1000]

I'm on a notstalga kick today!!!

I read another on-line article that talked about how so many classic shows (not just game shows) have been destroyed. The article talked about the first two superbowls and the first 6 years of Carson's Tonight Show, which no longer exist or are "lost."

Many game shows it said, such as the original CBS version of $10,000 Pyramid, the original version of JackPot, You Don't Say, Rhyme and Reason, Original Match Game (60's), Password (1971-75 version) and many others are gone.

The reasoning is because in the early days of television (1950's-mid 70's) the original producers never gave second thoughts as to how to preserve game shows. (or much other programing for that matter) No one gave thought to cable TV, or even VCR's at the time. The thinking was, "Who would want to watch a show (game show for example) that you've already seen and know all the questions and answers or how the show turns out?" You saw a show once and maybe if it was rerun twice at that was it.

The other reason was that the older 2 to 5 inch tapes (I think that these were 8mm and 16 mm) were very expensive to produce and maintain and the life-duration of these tapes was sketchy at best. I learned that they were often kept by the networks from time to time as backups for the original tapes. These shows were presented in a "Kildascope" version, which allowed a network the option of running a show at a different time slot that the national network did. In some smaller cites, the kildescope version was the only option because the smaller communites have very limited tv choices up until the early 70's. (Some only had two networks instead of three) so if a small town community wanted to watch Let's Make a Deal, but didn't have the ABC station, the manager of the local station would get the kildescope version and show that lesser quality version over that station say, a week later than the national version.

Maybe someday, the a "lost" treaure will be rediscovered. The restoration process however might be more trouble than it's worth because even with DVD recorders for example, your recording is only going to be as good as the original source.

I just love the classics, but we have to accept that the demographics and economics of the TV landscape have changed. People want new, fresh, and original formats. That is what GSN executives are after. Populations that grew up in the 50's-70's are diminishing in this trend of game show interest. (NOT ME!) It apeears that execs must cater to a younger, fresher, generation who are board with the old and in with the new. Too bad for us, the older demographic, but what can you do?

Jack

[PZelda]

Jack, there are also teenagers out there that love to watch TV shows and game shows...I am turning 18 soon and I LOVE old shows like you wouldn't believe! So, I am disappointed to hear that there are a lot of lost or destroyed episodes.

[TVJunkie101]

Originally posted by PZelda: VICKI!!
Jack, there are also teenagers out there that love to watch TV shows and game shows...I am turning 18 soon and I LOVE old shows like you wouldn't believe! So, I am disappointed to hear that there are a lot of lost or destroyed episodes.

I agree. I'm fairly young (18-22), and I love the classic game shows and TV shows. I also like a lot of the current stuff too. I can watch just about anything and enjoy it. I don't get why people turn their noses up at the classics just because "they're old" or not laugh-out-loud (sitcoms) shows. Bewitched never made me l-o-l but it's enjoyable and fun to watch.

See my point. "enjoyable and fun to watch."

You would think GSN would air classics during the day, and their originals in primetime/late-night airings. I remember reading somewhere that GSN gave their originals more airing time to reach a bigger audience, or something along those lines.

[dawsongirl]

Originally posted by Jack1000
Family Feud (1994-95 season)

This is on a separate contract from the rest of the Goodson-Todman package. Thus, even though GSN has the tapes, they are currently prohibited from airing it under the terms of their contract.

I wanna see this so bad!!!!!!!!!!!

Password (ABC 1971-75 version)

This version of Password is believed to have been destroyed by ABC. (Interestingly, however, it is listed in the Goodson-Todman catalog.) GSN does possess at least one 1974 episode of the Password All-Stars format, but did not convert to GSN's digital tape format very well at all.

I have the last Password All-Stars ep from 1975. The video is awful...so much so that I can't put it on DVD.

The Price is Right

This is on a separate contract from the rest of the Goodson-Todman library. Thus, even though GSN has the tapes to almost thirty-five years of this program (a figure that includes Bill Cullen's original version from the '50s and '60s), they are currently prohibited from airing it under the terms of their contract.

It is in the same package with Feud 94.

$ale of the Century

GSN does not have the rights to the Reg Grundy library. They have been trying, but FremantleMedia (the current owners of the Grundy tapes) has been uncooperative.


Scrabble

GSN does not have the rights to the Reg Grundy library. They have been trying, but FremantleMedia (the current owners of the Grundy tapes) has been uncooperative.

Fremantle sucks.

Now a question for you. We just got digital cable last year so can't commment on GSN's schedule before that. But, was the 1971-1975 version of PASSWORD ever on the schedule?

I don't think so.

[musicradio77]

In the beginning, there were classics. And now, there are too many GSN original shows. I wonder that I missed that show "Password", "Body Language" and other shows. I wonder that the old "Price Is Right" is never meant to be shown on GSN. It expired since 2000. I know that GSN is playing too much originals like "Cram", "Funny Money", "Naturally Stoned" (a Chuck Woolery reality show), "The NEW Press Your Luck", "Lingo" and other originals. They only shown "Win, Lose or Draw" a rip-off of a popular charades game "Pictionary" with Bert Convy from "Tattletales". What happened to the Vicki Lawrence's version? As the words of Michelle Tanner from "Full House" saying...

You're in Big Trouble, Mister!!!

[WrenCanada]

From what I understand from what I have been hearing, apparently GSN doesn't make much on the classics, the originals make more money for them. How, I don't really know, because in my opinion, a lot of their originals suck, but that is what I have been told.