Author Topic: Couple of interesting stories about GSN (Read 6259 times)

CaseyAbell · « **on:** July 29, 2007, 09:55:26 PM »

The NYT and MultiChannel both ran similar stories about GSN recently, centered around Without Prejudice? but discussing the general challenges the network faces. The MC story made a funny error - guys, the casino block is on Monday, not Friday - but both highlight the tricky task of expanding GSN's demo reach without alienating the traditional game show audience.

Lots of Nielsen numbers dot the stories, and they're mostly bad for the network. The new talkfest did snag a 0.5 rating, but the general trend hasn't been encouraging. Can't blame the network for emphasizing interactivity because the TV operation alone hasn't been simmering with success. At least everybody seems to think the network is no longer running in the red. But as the NYT points out, Liberty no longer breaks out separate numbers for GSN in their financial reports.

The schedule in the MC story says High Stakes Poker starts its fourth season on August 27. It's become my favorite show on GSN. I guess I'm contributing to the show's non-typical appeal to male viewers.

clemon79 · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2007, 10:06:04 PM »

[quote name=\'CaseyAbell\' post=\'159017\' date=\'Jul 29 2007, 06:55 PM\']
centered around Without Prejudice? but discussing the general challenges the network faces.
[/quote]
I tell you, they're gonna face more challenges if they keep this turd on the air. My Tivo caught it the other day, and I was completely slack-jawed at how utterly OFFENSIVE the show is. They clearly stacked the panel so that they had a couple of out-and-out bigots dueling with a couple of minorities, and they clearly stacked the contestant pool so that the bigots would have something to go off on.

I made it two rounds, and the only reason the second round happened is because I was grilling and didn't turn off the Tivo.

I would truly enjoy spitting in the face of whatever GSN exec thought this was a good idea to greenlight.

CaseyAbell · « **Reply #2 on:** July 29, 2007, 10:31:03 PM »

Haven't seen much of the show, but it hardly made me want to spit in anybody's face. Seemed a little tepid to me after all I heard. Anyway, it got some decent numbers for GSN, which is different from most everything else they've tried lately.

Matt Ottinger · « **Reply #3 on:** July 29, 2007, 10:51:55 PM »

ABC's surprise renewal of Bingo Night ought to catch the eye of the GSN people. It proves that there's more to a show -- or even an entire network -- than just the Nielsens. (I also continue to believe that the Neilsen samples aren't large enough to be meaningful in a zillion-channel universe, but that's an argument for a different thread.) QuizNation must be making a little money, and they're not wasting enormous amounts on colossal gambles (funny, tonight I was talking to a TV critic about their horseracing fiasco). Finding ways to make multiple platforms work financially might be the course to making GSN a reliably profitable operation.

Joe Mello · « **Reply #4 on:** July 29, 2007, 11:09:51 PM »

I thought that the production team behind Quiznation went Chapter 11, and there's now a Brit-esque snafu that could take it off the air entirely.

Since I feel that WP is supposed to be polarizing to begin with, I'm not too surprised with Chris' opinion. Also, since the basis of any story is conflict, what good is a panel with 5 open minds?

itiparanoid13 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 29, 2007, 11:39:13 PM »

It won't take it off the air totally or at all. And honestly no one will even bother or care. I just think they handled the situation completely wrong and should have thrown out the game. Then again I don't even know why I care because I haven't even had a care to watch any of the late night shows in a few months, but I just thought it was interesting.

Quote

ABC's surprise renewal of Bingo Night

Hate to thread hi-jack, but I figured I'd bring this up to keep up with surprise ABC renewals. A contestant call for Set For Life went out on Craigslist today. For now I'm choosing to believe this a mistake or for an Australian version (notice the email address), but it does link to the USA ABC application. I'll be calling them tomorrow to find out what's going on. If this show has been renewed, I'll just be in total and utter shock.

clemon79 · « **Reply #6 on:** July 29, 2007, 11:40:18 PM »

[quote name=\'Joe Mello\' post=\'159022\' date=\'Jul 29 2007, 08:09 PM\']
Since I feel that WP is supposed to be polarizing to begin with, I'm not too surprised with Chris' opinion.
[/quote]
Unsurprisingly, you miss my point. My point was not "OMG these people are bastards I HAVE to see what they do next," my point was "these people are so horrible that I don't WANT to watch them."

The only people I can see enjoying this show are people who agree with their bigoted, offensive opinions.

itiparanoid13 · « **Reply #7 on:** July 29, 2007, 11:47:43 PM »

Quote

The only people I can see enjoying this show are people who agree with their bigoted, offensive opinions.

I have to disagree with this to some level because I do enjoy the show and I'm far from agreeing with a good deal of the panelists. The bad thing is that I just cannot put my finger quite on why I like it currently. Right now I think I'm almost just enjoying the shock factor. I'm like disagreeing with the people on the show I suppose. I like getting riled up by some of the completely idiotic statements that they make. It's a stupid reason for liking the show, but I do just for some reason. I guess I can call it more of a guilty pleasure than anything. A very guilty pleasure. A very very guilty pleasure. However, this is one show that I can easily see why people don't like it, and the people that do really don't have a ton of ground to tell the others "How can you not like people judging each other for no reason?"

clemon79 · « **Reply #8 on:** July 29, 2007, 11:51:36 PM »

[quote name=\'itiparanoid13\' post=\'159025\' date=\'Jul 29 2007, 08:47 PM\']
I have to disagree with this to some level because I do enjoy the show
[/quote]
Well, there you go.

tpirfan28 · « **Reply #9 on:** July 30, 2007, 08:50:41 AM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'159018\' date=\'Jul 29 2007, 10:06 PM\']
I tell you, they're gonna face more challenges if they keep this turd on the air. My Tivo caught it the other day, and I was completely slack-jawed at how utterly OFFENSIVE the show is. They clearly stacked the panel so that they had a couple of out-and-out bigots dueling with a couple of minorities, and they clearly stacked the contestant pool so that the bigots would have something to go off on.
[/quote]
You're f'in kidding me, right? That's wrong on so many levels.

Jimmy Owen · « **Reply #10 on:** July 30, 2007, 11:35:01 AM »

I liked the part in the Multichannel article where they describe Dr. Robi Ludwig as "a psycho therapist."

clemon79 · « **Reply #11 on:** July 30, 2007, 11:43:23 AM »

[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'159037\' date=\'Jul 30 2007, 05:50 AM\']
You're f'in kidding me, right? That's wrong on so many levels.
[/quote]
'Fraid not. The partial episode I saw had one contestant (a black man...yes, it shouldn't be relevant, but stay with me) who had more piercings than a dartboard, and a woman who started out as a man.

The panel had two people who had no problems saying that they didn't like either one based solely on those factors, and the deal was sealed for Piercing Boy when he mentioned that his girlfriend was white, which got a third panelist to start banging the table about interracial relationships. That was where my tolerance for this crap ended.

clemon79 · « **Reply #12 on:** July 30, 2007, 11:44:47 AM »

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'159050\' date=\'Jul 30 2007, 08:35 AM\']
I liked the part in the Multichannel article where they describe Dr. Robi Ludwig as "a psycho therapist."
[/quote]
Well, you're certainly in no danger of seeing her described as "a talented host." She was AWFUL. She made Rolf Benirshke look relaxed.

Neumms · « **Reply #13 on:** July 30, 2007, 07:38:33 PM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'159054\' date=\'Jul 30 2007, 10:44 AM\']
[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' post=\'159050\' date=\'Jul 30 2007, 08:35 AM\']
I liked the part in the Multichannel article where they describe Dr. Robi Ludwig as "a psycho therapist."
[/quote]
Well, you're certainly in no danger of seeing her described as "a talented host." She was AWFUL. She made Rolf Benirshke look relaxed.
[/quote]

But it's kind of fun to see a psychologist look rattled.

I haven't sat through a whole episode either, but if the whole thing centers on bigots arguing with other people, it'll get tired really fast.

johnnyd1788 · « **Reply #14 on:** July 31, 2007, 03:29:02 AM »

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'159052\' date=\'Jul 30 2007, 10:43 AM\']
[quote name=\'tpirfan28\' post=\'159037\' date=\'Jul 30 2007, 05:50 AM\']
You're f'in kidding me, right? That's wrong on so many levels.
[/quote]
The panel had two people who had no problems saying that they didn't like either one based solely on those factors, and the deal was sealed for Piercing Boy when he mentioned that his girlfriend was white, which got a third panelist to start banging the table about interracial relationships. That was where my tolerance for this crap ended.
[/quote]

It seems like those of you who dislike the show are afraid of knowing the truth of this country and our society.

I think the reason why GSN decided to air this show was for a good reason. They are showing this (rathar extreme) side of people to show them that are truly ARE people like this out there, and is giving people the opportunities to evaluate their opinions. I'm kind of glad they joined up with a couple of organizations to help people cope with this.

At least some network on TV is trying to help save our social world from collapsing tomorrow. It's a shame they aren't getting ratings, otherwise they could reach a bigger audience if they were a network station.