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The Game Show Forum => Game Show Channels & Networks => Topic started by: xavier45 on March 05, 2007, 07:06:44 PM

Title: More Playmania?
Post by: xavier45 on March 05, 2007, 07:06:44 PM
Well GSN's Playmania is one of their most popular creations they have ever had since Lingo. Well now the show that is on 6 times a week with two different shows, could be coming to Prime time hours. According to TV Week, GSN is really close to making an announcement of them putting Playmania in the Prime time and some daytime hours.

Well let's see how long this takes. With this new prime time schedule they just brought out, I really hope it comes soon.

source: http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=31617 (http://\"http://www.tvweek.com/article.cms?articleId=31617\")
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: clemon79 on March 05, 2007, 08:27:05 PM
[quote name=\'xavier45\' post=\'147482\' date=\'Mar 5 2007, 04:06 PM\']
Well let's see how long this takes. With this new prime time schedule they just brought out, I really hope it comes soon.
[/quote]
You are almost certainly in a minority. My experience with it is that it's pretty much unwatchable.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: Casey on March 05, 2007, 09:49:15 PM
Even the promo is unwatchable...and irritating... and maddening..  and mind numbing.. and ......
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: toddyo on March 05, 2007, 10:10:44 PM
They need to return it to the original format (or as it is with quiznation, but go back to using the name "Playmania").

I would suggest ditching Mel Peachy and keep Shandi Finnessey. Mel has a speech dialect that is too difficult to understand, especially now with the faux-needed break neck pace.

I would also suggest to GSN not to burn this puppy out. I thought every television exec learned from the WWTBAM burnout.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: Matt Ottinger on March 05, 2007, 10:37:14 PM
It's gotta be pretty easy for them to judge how well the call-in format does for them.  If they're getting X calls at a buck apiece, and the show costs Y to produce, as long as X is more than Y, it's worth it to them to keep it going, and to introduce it in as many dayparts as they can get away with.  The number of viewers is almost meaningless to them.  I don't think the Millionaire example is as relevant as you think it is.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: Joe Mello on March 06, 2007, 02:00:54 AM
[quote name=\'toddyo\' post=\'147492\' date=\'Mar 5 2007, 10:10 PM\']I thought every television exec learned from the WWTBAM burnout.[/quote]

Then you obviously haven't been watching NBC.

I think Playmania needs to stay where it is and how frequent it is because it's not that engrossing of a format.  I don't think it's unwatchable, but I also don't think you can watch it without having something else to break it up.  Also, the show's on 6 times a week.  That's a lot of live programming for a cable network.  If you add too many blocks, Diminishing Returns kicks in and your cash cow stops giving milk.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: Jimmy Owen on March 06, 2007, 03:05:55 AM
They could probably shift to a mostly-Playmania network just by hiring a few more hosts. With the revenue coming from product placement and our phone calls, GSN could quit trying to chase the elusive ad agency demos. As far as being too much live programming, aren't HSN and QVC live 24/7?
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: tvmitch on March 06, 2007, 08:48:00 AM
I wonder if any given half hour of Playmania is making more for GSN than any half hour overnight infomercial. Just a thought. I know that not nearly as many people would be thinking "I need my Playmania fix" at 5am in any given time zone, though.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: Joe Mello on March 06, 2007, 01:25:23 PM
[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'147509\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 03:05 AM\']
As far as being too much live programming, aren't HSN and QVC live 24/7?[/quote]
HSN and QVC aren't built for entertainment; they're televised department stores.  I also would think that the revenue they generate is light years ahead of GSN's, even with Playmania.

As for the News and Weather stations, they don't necessarily do 24/7 live anymore, and even still, they're strapped for something to cover.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: clemon79 on March 06, 2007, 01:32:56 PM
[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'147519\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 10:25 AM\']
HSN and QVC aren't built for entertainment;[/quote]
Neither's PlayMania.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: uncamark on March 06, 2007, 03:58:56 PM
One would hope that even at their most insane, GSN would seriously not consider moving the call-in-and-lose shows to prime time.  What they might do is bring in elements of those shows as interstitials to what they already have, perhaps in some cases replacing advertising in a break.

The best example?  What NBC is doing with their prime time games and with "The Apprentice" (Lucky Case, You vs. 100, Get Rich with Trump).  And the home viewer game on "Identity" is packaged as a product placement deal.

No, I don't think people would accept "PlayMania" in prime time on GSN.  I wouldn't accept a 24/7 call-in-and-lose channel, but we all know that those things exist in Europe and if there's a perception that they'll make money over here, they will come here soon enough.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: catnap1972 on March 06, 2007, 05:48:49 PM
[quote name=\'xavier45\' post=\'147482\' date=\'Mar 5 2007, 07:06 PM\']
Well GSN's Playmania is one of their most popular creations they have ever had since Lingo. Well now the show that is on 6 times a week with two different shows, could be coming to Prime time hours. According to TV Week, GSN is really close to making an announcement of them putting Playmania in the Prime time and some daytime hours.
[/quote]

Amazingly (though not surprising) I'd made the prediction a couple of weeks ago over on "that other board" that they might pull just such a stunt (putting PM on in daytime) and most everyone poo-pooed that idea.  Guess I wasn't that far off when it came down to it.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: clemon79 on March 06, 2007, 06:23:39 PM
[quote name=\'catnap1972\' post=\'147542\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 02:48 PM\']
and most everyone poo-pooed that idea.  Guess I wasn't that far off when it came down to it.
[/quote]
The idea is certainly poo-pooable, it just happens that you accurately estimated the amount of crack the folks at GSN are smoking, is all. :)
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: catnap1972 on March 06, 2007, 07:21:59 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'147546\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 06:23 PM\']
[quote name=\'catnap1972\' post=\'147542\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 02:48 PM\']
and most everyone poo-pooed that idea.  Guess I wasn't that far off when it came down to it.
[/quote]
The idea is certainly poo-pooable, it just happens that you accurately estimated the amount of crack the folks at GSN are smoking, is all. :)
[/quote]

Along with the $ signs that management is apparently seeing.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: clemon79 on March 06, 2007, 07:36:42 PM
[quote name=\'catnap1972\' post=\'147548\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 04:21 PM\']
Along with the $ signs that management is apparently seeing.
[/quote]
Probably. But even if that's true, it's short-term bucks. It'll flame out like any other fad, and probably sooner rather than later if they do run it into the ground. Then what do they have?
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: mmb5 on March 07, 2007, 12:46:15 PM
[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'147550\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 07:36 PM\']
[quote name=\'catnap1972\' post=\'147548\' date=\'Mar 6 2007, 04:21 PM\']
Along with the $ signs that management is apparently seeing.
[/quote]
Probably. But even if that's true, it's short-term bucks. It'll flame out like any other fad, and probably sooner rather than later if they do run it into the ground. Then what do they have?
[/quote]
More like ¢ signs.

Not that I'm thrilled with this concept, or the Karn Feud thing, but I can't blame GSN for trying.  If it works, good for them.  If it doesn't, MG will be back on the schedule pretty quickly.

However, if I was GSN and looking for more modern product, I would dare say the second season of HurleyTruth wouldn't be a bad pickup.  It's not weighed down with Poundstones, and it's not like many people saw it anyway.


--Mike
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: Kimriffic on March 10, 2007, 02:27:33 AM
Eew, I can't stand Playmania  The only reason I got the cable package I have is that I wanted to watch GSN!  They're putting on so many "newer " (relatively new at least) shows that it makes it kind of boring for me to even watch this channel.  I've seen all this stuff before, can we go back to the original stuff from the '70s/'80s that is actually watchable??  If they start making it Playmania during the day, I might as well switch to the cheaper cable.  Sheesh!
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: J.R. on March 10, 2007, 04:59:34 AM
I find "PlayMania" to be good background noise whenever I'm on the computer or reading a book (A little noise helps me concentrate).  

But, unless you plan on participating in the call-in games, I really don't see the entertainment value out of actively watching it for fun. Once in a while, I'll glance over to take a guess a puzzle, but that's about it.
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: Patrick S on May 08, 2007, 09:31:22 PM
What I don't understand is that people continue to actually text in to the show.  I tried it once and even when I got a call back, there were already 7 people ahead of me and the game ended before I even got a chance to answer.  Do that many people really enjoy this torture?
Title: More Playmania?
Post by: mmb5 on May 08, 2007, 10:24:03 PM
[quote name=\'Patrick S\' post=\'151863\' date=\'May 8 2007, 09:31 PM\']
What I don't understand is that people continue to actually text in to the show.
[/quote]
Fixed.


--Mike