The Game Show Forum
The Game Show Forum => The Big Board => Topic started by: daveromanjr on June 30, 2003, 06:55:11 PM
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From tvgameshows.net
GSN Adds Video Games Block in September
In an effort to broaden its viewing base to incorporate younger audiences, Game Show Network is incorporating a two-hour video games block in September.
British programming service Gamer.tv Ltd., will produce Game Sauce and Gamer.TV. The block will air from 5-7 p.m. (ET) Thursdays with repeat showings Saturdays and Sundays in the same slot.
For the premiere, GSN will unveil its second documentary, a two-hour look at video games, their popularity, creators and their users.
A host, yet to be named, will anchor the two-hour block with wraparounds. Two half-hours of Game Sauce and one half-hour of Gamer.TV (the latter of which is based on a popular online video games site) are scheduled during the segment.
\"We are determined to provide programming that is distinctive to our brand, but at the same time expands beyond traditional studio game shows,\" said Rich Cronin, president and CEO of GSN. We've been eyeing video games for quite some time and we were extremely pleased to obtain these two high-end programs. The video game market appeals to our younger audience and is the perfect complement for our industry leading interactive television.\"
Wraparounds will originate from skateboard parks, arcades and popular sites for video game players.
\"We're delighted to be able to announce this distribution deal with Game Show Network, which will allow viewers in the US fantastic access to two of Gamer.tv's best loved shows,\" added Gamer.tv CEO Chris Bergstresser. \"Game Sauce and Gamer.TV have a loyal following around the world and we're very much looking forward to welcoming Game Show Network's viewers in the States to join them.\"
Lovely. Thursday...with repeats Saturday and Sunday? Great.
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I know a lot of people here question the credibility of some of the things the \"perfesser\" puts up on his page ... but if this is true, I would be a bit upset as a GS fan. The last time I checked, these shows are NOT, I repeat, NOT ... Game Shows......They are \"Shows about Games\", video games to be exact. These shows belong and should stay on the G4 channel where they were originally imported to, before they were exported out to NickGAS, and alledgedly soon to GSN.
Now, needless to say, the two shows that GSN has mentioned to bring in, are shows that I avoid like the plague when they are on G4, I find them to be utterly annoying and lack entertainment value.
I don't know about any of you guys, but I'm heading over to the GSN boards to pitch a bitch.
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[quote name=\'Jumpondees\' date=\'Jun 30 2003, 06:57 PM\'] I would be a bit upset as a GS fan.
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I'm disappointed as a GS fan. As a former television professional, however, I have no access to the research or demographic information that brought them to this conclusion, and I will wait to see the ratings before I condemn them.
I would _like_ to see them try new programming that is more in-genre. But I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt and guess that they feel this will pull better numbers than any in-genre ideas they have had to this point.
The last time I checked, these shows are NOT, I repeat, NOT ... Game Shows..
Neither is Love Connection, and yet we have members of this very group who think that show is teh b0mb.
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[quote name=\'clemon79\' date=\'Jun 30 2003, 09:05 PM\']
Neither is Love Connection, and yet we have members of this very group who think that show is teh b0mb. [/quote]
I'll give you that one Chris, but although the term really hadn't been coined yet when Love Connection was at it's prime. In this day and age, I would consider it a \"reality show\".
On another tangent....Naturally Stoned isn't really a game show either, it would fall under \"reality show\", but the reason nobody is stressing over it is because of the intended subject of the show....Come on, everyone loves Chuck W. He's a game show legend, it works!
Still though, Love Connection is 10 times more the game show than Game Sauce or Gamer.tv will ever be.
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I'm gonna reserve comments until the validity of this is confirmed. Both of these shows air on G4, and I'm assuming that it wouldn't air on both at the same time. And they obviously couldn't just use old episodes, given the timely and topical nature of the genre.
Getting Starcade off of them I could buy, but not this. Hell, I'd even settle for The Video Game or *gulp* Video Power just because it's in-genre; but this undisputably is not. Then again, I watched every episode of Battlebots, so I can be considered a hypocrite here.
Add to that that they'd be bumping their highest rated non-original for this? No, not gonna buy it.
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[quote name=\'parliboy\' date=\'Jun 30 2003, 09:24 PM\'] I'm gonna reserve comments until the validity of this is confirmed. [/quote]
I can say that I've now seen this story/press release on two other websites (non-gs related) other than the \"perfesser's\".
So this must be some kind of sign....as badly lit as it is.
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I know that they are thinking about what is good for business, etc. But as a traditional Game Show fan, I have to say that if this news is true, I would indeed be a bit disappointed.
Tim
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Here's a mildly amusing one-liner from the header of where this article is posted over at planetgamecube.com
If the network is smart, it'll have the Whammy host one of the shows.
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Hmm... Wait a second.
Call me crazy (obligatory pause to call me crazy)... But I would swear that these shows (Game Sauce and Gamer.TV) already air on G4 (upon further review, someone already revealed that fact).
I mean it would be a completely different bag of game sauce (in more ways than one) if there were to be stateside-produced version (which even so would still find a better place on G4) or even if they were to produce a US version of Hi-Score (which I'm surprised no one has mentioned -- wait, let me check... nope, nothing). Heck, given the fact that similar attempts have all but failed (anyone remember the Kids' Zone? Who Dares Wins?), you can't help if the higher-ups at GSN have abandoned their vision (whatever that may be now) in order to attract viewers.
Just my two cents.
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Call me crazy (obligatory pause to call me crazy)... But I would swear that these shows (Game Sauce and Gamer.TV) already air on G4 (upon further review, someone already revealed that fact).
I think we can safely assume that the shows would end their G4 run when the GSN run starts. And it should be pointed out that GSN is in 40 million more homes than G4, which for Gamer had to be especially attractive.
Personally, I'm not getting that worked up over it. It is only six hours out of 147 program hours a week (and personally, it's at times when I'm generally not watching any television). If it works, there'll be more expansion, but I don't see GSN becoming more like G4 in the future. If it doesn't work, it's back to normal.
And I hate to be a spoilsport, but I have the feeling that all of the extant 70s and 80s shows that tested well with the target focus groups (with the possible exception of \"TPIR\" and \"TDG\"--and maybe \"NTT\") are all currently airing on the channel. There is still no compelling argument that tapers on this board would give \"Play the Percentages\" at least a 0.1 rating. I'd like to be proven wrong, but I have the feeling that I'm reading Rich and Bob's minds on this one.
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Wrong idea -- not only off-topic for GSN (the idea of a video-game block, not your post), but wrong entirely for anything but Saturday morning.
My friend in LA is right -- they really are starting to move toward wrecking the entire thing -- and one has to wonder about the availability of a classic network for some of the older stuff.
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It's worked for the world of music videos, as VH1 Classic is slowly starting to be available on cable systems after three years(probably growing faster than GSN did in its early years). Whether it works for the world of classic game shows remains to be seen. I still think Goodlife and/or Trio would be a viable possibility for a block of classic game shows(as do a few others around here)
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I wondered how long it would take for video games to make their way to GSN. I had a feeling this would eventually happen. I think it stinks! The classics and the traditional in studio game shows are slowly starting to dwindle and that scares me.
Has anyone noticed that GSN has started to refer to itself as GSN (not game show network) in some of its promos? This is something I don't think they've ever done...they've always called themselves Game Show Network. It stood out in my mind as possibly a subtle way to distance themselves from the \"game show only\" concept.
I wouldn't be surprised if the network is eventually renamed \"Games TV\" or something of the sort.
ITSBRY
itsbry@juno.com
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My money is on GSN becoming GSN, like when KFC became KFC.
Now follow me for a sec.
Kentucky Fried Chicken officially became KFC in the early '90's to emphasize variety in their menu. You know, not just fried chicken, but roasted chicken, chicken sandwiches, etc.
Game Show Network sounds like it will shortly become GSN to emphasize variety in their programming. You know, not just game shows, but video game programs, other types of gaming programs, etc.
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I wouldn't be surprised if the network is eventually renamed \"Games TV\" or something of the sort.
Like I said before, Fleming was going to pull this \"emphasis on games\" crap before he left, too. Guess it was gonna happen sooner or later...
My money is on GSN becoming GSN, like when KFC became KFC.
Now follow me for a sec.
Kentucky Fried Chicken officially became KFC in the early '90's to emphasize variety in their menu. You know, not just fried chicken, but roasted chicken, chicken sandwiches, etc.
Game Show Network sounds like it will shortly become GSN to emphasize variety in their programming. You know, not just game shows, but video game programs, other types of gaming programs, etc.
I definitely agree. Despite what administrators say at the GSN forums (easier-to-type web address), I think they're just gradually working GSN in until that is the official name.
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Kentucky Fried Chicken officially became KFC in the early '90's to emphasize variety in their menu. You know, not just fried chicken, but roasted chicken, chicken sandwiches, etc.
I though it was because they were raising mutant animals that the government wouldn't allow them to classify as chickens...that's what the e-mails say! (This is a popular e-mail urban legend, for those who haven't seen it)
Chuck Donegan (The Illustrious \"Chuckie Baby\")
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Despite the progress with advertisers that GSN has had in the last few years, it's obvious that there is still an amount of resistance among some to the channel. That is still to be expected, because game shows are not going to shake the fact that they don't attract the demographics that advertisers desire.
Rich Cronin and Bob Boden's plan was to try to package the old shows in a way that would satisfy a mass audience and develop new shows that would be contemporary but not turn off the over-50 audience they already had. For the most part, they've been successful so far--but it seems that certain advertisers are not satisfied. Also, Sony management, who I've always blamed with the Fleming/Tauber attempts to go after the lad mag audience rather than Fleming and Tauber themselves, doesn't seem to be satisfied with the channel's progress and after two years of keeping quiet after the partial sale to Liberty and Liberty bringing in Cronin is beginning to make noise again. Hence, the experiment--and let me emphasize that this is an *experiment*--with the video game block--something that may attract new advertisers who've never used the channel before and something to shut up their bosses at Sony--at least temporarily.
I'm tending to believe that it won't work for one big reason--there generally hasn't been a reason for video gamers--who are the exact opposite of the typical GSN audience--to go to GSN. TNN can make a transition to a ladmag channel because they've got a lot of that audience already watching wrestling and \"Baywatch\" reruns. GSN skews female and is not going to go the other way overnight. How are they going to get that crowd to come to them--ads in gaming mags?
Once again, it is only six hours in a week that is still almost-entirely game shows (and we'll get a few half-hours back once \"Naturally Stoned\" ends, since it hasn't been a success with the numbers). If it works, the block may expand to every day and may get a repeat--but we've still got mostly game shows the rest of the day. Besides, it's not like you don't have a choice of at least a couple of *first-run* game shows on other channels between 5-7 p.m. ET in most markets...