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Bland Ambition

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GS Warehouse:
[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'Jan 30 2004, 01:40 PM\'] Sure, the demos may not be the greatest, though GSN bragged that Millionaire has done well in 25-54. Major question: will the "pitch the niche" folks use the ratings upturn to argue against non-trad stuff? Probably, and I gotta think that any non-traditional shows which hurt GSN's household count will be quickly down for the count. [/quote]
I'd like to know how MG and FF do in demos.  In today's Programming Insider column on Mediaweek.com, Marc Berman published an e-mail comment which says if GSN discovers that no one under 35 knows who Gene Rayburn and Richard Dawson are, then it's good-bye to the classics.  Considering Feud with that other Richard (he'll always be Al to me) will be around at least one more season, GSN should at least hold on to classic Feud for a while.

ObClassics: I'd also like to see math teachers using Pat and Liz's run on Blockbusters to teach counting by 6's.  Six, 12, 18, 24... :-)

irismason42:
Well, I'm only 17 right now but I do know who Richard Dawson is besides hosting Family Feud, and Richard Dawson became a star of another game show called Masqurade Party '74 and he also did a 1984 TV Game Show Bloopers Special as well.

CaseyAbell:
Adlink's demos from the Los Angeles market show pretty much what you would expect: GSN skews old, female and lower-income. You could probably figure that out from the ads on the network.

But let's say the upturn in household numbers continues with the super-traditional game show lineup GSN currently runs. You gotta think the "pitch the niche" folks at GSN are saying that, even if the demos aren't fantastic, the network is at least growing its audience.

The non-traditional stuff hasn't proved that it can attract any audience. I like some new ideas in programming instead of the same old, same old GSN has featured over the past few months. But if the household ratings start to tank, GSN could do a 180 back to old game shows and more old game shows.

Matt Ottinger:
[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' date=\'Jan 31 2004, 01:13 AM\'] The non-traditional stuff hasn't proved that it can attract any audience. [/quote]
 But they now have years of data on *exactly* what the traditional shows attract.  And now that GSN is about as big as it's going to get, they know those demographics aren't going to change much.  At some point even WE will get sick of the same reruns over and over, and adding obscure shows that only we know about isn't going to help the big picture.

So if they're not satisfied with the numbers that the classic shows bring in, and they know that those numbers aren't going to improve, they really have no other choice but to expand the brand.

1978-Jeopardy:
Question: Do any of you think it is possible to have a successful network of entirely classic game shows? TV land seems to work entirely on sitcom reruns, so why can't it work for gameshows? If there was a more decent game show rotation (example, one timeslot swapping GO with chain reaction, another swapping treasure hunt and 78 jeopardy, etc...), a stationary afternoon or evening timeslot for longer-lasting, fun to watch shows (family feud and match game), and a two-hour sunday afternoon block of obscure or themed favorites, as on TV land (ex: the pyramids, panel shows) I promise a successful network.

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