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What was Lin Bolen's influence on the game show business?
Loogaroo:
--- Quote from: Dbacksfan12 on September 10, 2019, 02:00:25 AM ---Wasn't she the reason Jackpot went from riddles to Q&A?
--- End quote ---
I think you have focus groups to blame for that change more than anything.
RMF:
Several thoughts I have in terms of assessing Bolen:
1) Does anyone have complete ratings for the network daytime schedules during the period she was in charge? I haven't seen such data- and it strikes me as necessary in order to engage in a full assessment.
2) Similarly, while it's understandable for us to have a game show emphasis, I'd argue we need to consider her work with daytime programming overall- Bolen made changes with other programming that similarly had a major impact.
3) Looking just at game shows, a point that seems to be neglected in discussing Bolen is that she wasn't really working in a vacuum- after several years in which CBS had given up on the genre and ABC was down to a handful (with two of the most notable ones being used as counterprogramming against soaps), both networks had a renewed interest in game shows, and certain aspects to some of their programs aren't necessarily that different from what Bolen was up to.
4) A point that sometimes gets neglected in discussing the rise of new hosts: Looking at the schedule of game shows in late 1972, all but one of NBC's game shows taped in New York. By early 1975, only one did- and I have to wonder if part of the need for new hosts was connected to this transfer in production.
5) Finally (for now, at least), a point of relevance- who were the folk that disliked her, and why? I know Nedeff is working on a book on one of her most outspoken critics (or at least his NBC show after she left), so I'll avoid saying anything definitive about their dealings here- but there are aspects of his career (and private life) that make me think there may have been more than met the eye.
No actual opinion (I haven't done the research needed for one that would be any good)- but these are points I feel probably need consideration in order to make a full assessment.
danderson:
--- Quote from: RMF on September 10, 2019, 08:25:46 PM ---Several thoughts I have in terms of assessing Bolen:
1) Does anyone have complete ratings for the network daytime schedules during the period she was in charge? I haven't seen such data- and it strikes me as necessary in order to engage in a full assessment.
2) Similarly, while it's understandable for us to have a game show emphasis, I'd argue we need to consider her work with daytime programming overall- Bolen made changes with other programming that similarly had a major impact.
3) Looking just at game shows, a point that seems to be neglected in discussing Bolen is that she wasn't really working in a vacuum- after several years in which CBS had given up on the genre and ABC was down to a handful (with two of the most notable ones being used as counterprogramming against soaps), both networks had a renewed interest in game shows, and certain aspects to some of their programs aren't necessarily that different from what Bolen was up to.
4) A point that sometimes gets neglected in discussing the rise of new hosts: Looking at the schedule of game shows in late 1972, all but one of NBC's game shows taped in New York. By early 1975, only one did- and I have to wonder if part of the need for new hosts was connected to this transfer in production.
5) Finally (for now, at least), a point of relevance- who were the folk that disliked her, and why? I know Nedeff is working on a book on one of her most outspoken critics (or at least his NBC show after she left), so I'll avoid saying anything definitive about their dealings here- but there are aspects of his career (and private life) that make me think there may have been more than met the eye.
No actual opinion (I haven't done the research needed for one that would be any good)- but these are points I feel probably need consideration in order to make a full assessment.
--- End quote ---
Split Second, which ran against Search for Tomorrow at 12:30, and did pretty well.
The Dating Game, opposite The Doctors(soap) was the other show? But TDG was canceled by 75.
RMF:
--- Quote from: danderson on September 10, 2019, 09:47:42 PM ---Split Second, which ran against Search for Tomorrow at 12:30, and did pretty well.
The Dating Game, opposite The Doctors(soap) was the other show? But TDG was canceled by 75.
--- End quote ---
I was looking back to the early 1970s- for several years, The Dating Game and The Newlywed Game aired as an hour block between 2 and 3 PM against Days of Our Lives and The Doctors on NBC and The Guiding Light and (for much of that time) Love is a Many-Splendored Thing on CBS.
calliaume:
Opinions vary. Jim MacKrell sings her praises. Geoff Edwards wasn't fond of her. Chuck Barris couldn't stand her.
Maxine Fabe's book, TV Game Shows!, started much of the controversy. I hadn't heard of her before that (in fairness, I was 16 when the book came out).
My opinion: some (although not all) of the negative opinion about her has an element of sexism. As far as I know, she was the first female executive at NBC, at a time when women were expected to get the coffee and shut the hell up.
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