The Game Show Forum

The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: 14gameshows on May 12, 2012, 05:27:22 PM

Title: Question about the G-T Gameshows
Post by: 14gameshows on May 12, 2012, 05:27:22 PM

USA Network and the Family Channel both had a gameshow block back in the 80s-90s and we saw great shows from the Hatos-Hall, Reg Grundy, Bob Stewart, Barry-Enright libraries along with a  host of others. How come Goodson-Todman shows weren't shown? Was there a "lack" of interest? High license fees? Goodson not interested?  Any thoughts?

Title: Question about the G-T Gameshows
Post by: BrandonFG on May 12, 2012, 05:32:03 PM

FWIW, CBN showed "Card Sharks" and "Blockbusters" in the early-80s, but not sure why Family Channel didn't, other than license fees.

Title: Question about the G-T Gameshows
Post by: Chief-O on May 12, 2012, 06:04:48 PM

I'd think high license fees if anything, but then again, that's apparently what's kept GSN from airing "Scrabble", SOTC, and "Concentration".

Title: Question about the G-T Gameshows
Post by: WarioBarker on May 12, 2012, 06:50:15 PM

Quote from: Chief-O on May 12, 2012, 06:04:48 PM

I'd think high license fees if anything, but then again, that's apparently what's kept GSN from airing "Scrabble", SOTC, and "Concentration".

Scrabble and $ale, I'm pretty sure you're right. Concentration, on the other hand. has not only never been a Fremantle property (NBC owns it, bought from Barry-Enright some weeks into the original run) but as far as I know has never had any licensing fees ever put on the episodes. I remember reading that GSN tried to license the Goodson-produced versions in 1994 or so and NBC flat-out refused (yet apparently bothered to convert the Trebek shows to digibeta).

Title: Question about the G-T Gameshows
Post by: Bryce L. on May 13, 2012, 09:37:38 PM

Quote from: fostergray82 on May 12, 2012, 05:32:03 PM

FWIW, CBN showed "Card Sharks" and "Blockbusters" in the early-80s, but not sure why Family Channel didn't, other than license fees.

Question, wasn't Family Channel nothing more than CBN under new ownership?

Title: Question about the G-T Gameshows
Post by: Jimmy Owen on May 13, 2012, 10:04:53 PM

Quote from: Bryce L. on May 13, 2012, 09:37:38 PM

Quote from: fostergray82 on May 12, 2012, 05:32:03 PM

FWIW, CBN showed "Card Sharks" and "Blockbusters" in the early-80s, but not sure why Family Channel didn't, other than license fees.

Question, wasn't Family Channel nothing more than CBN under new ownership?

Well it was the same ownership but a change of name.  When Fox bought it it became Fox Family and then when ABC bought it it became ABC Family.  Those two G-T shows were placed into syndication in the early 80s, so the deal was made with the syndicator rather than G-T itself.  When FAM started "The Games on FAM" it was sort of a dry run of what "The Game Channel" would have looked like.  By that time the Goodson shows were tied up with what became GSN.