PAX to Abandon All Entertainment Programming

[dmota104]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 09:17 AM\']I expect this channel to be yanked from a lot of cable systems in due time (on cable systems who carry the national feed like mine), but maybe the local affiliates will do something else instead of carry all those infomercials.

[snapback]82846[/snapback]

[/quote]

I also only get PAX via cable.  Oddly enough, I don't get OTC and "Balderdash" (replaced with, you guessed it, infomercials).  They did air here when both shows were in primetime.

Yeah, go ahead and raise a glass to PAX.  They'll be gone sooner or later.  Last one out, shut off the lights -- assuming no one's missed bills to the power company.  

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 10:17 AM\']I expect this channel to be yanked from a lot of cable systems in due time (on cable systems who carry the national feed like mine), but maybe the local affiliates will do something else instead of carry all those infomercials.

[snapback]82846[/snapback]

[/quote]
Most of the Pax stations are O&Os, not affiliates, so I suspect they'll carry mostly infomercials if that's what's on the national service.  I'd like to see each station keep whatever regular programming is unique to it -- Orioles games in DC and Yankees games in Buffalo, for example -- but I'm not optimistic.

Wonder if this means my signed copy of Bud Paxson's book will be worth anything.  Probably not, but I can hope, can't I? :-)

[tvrandywest]

Round two:

NBC Universal said Paxson's plan to abandon network programming and to replace it primarily with paid programming, "constitutes a breach of the contractual agreements between NBC Universal and Paxson."

And guess who ALMOST flew to Floriday every 2 weeks to announce "Reel to Reel"?! Never mind salary, I'd still be looking for reimbursement for my airfare!

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 06:17 AM\']I expect this channel to be yanked from a lot of cable systems in due time

[snapback]82846[/snapback]

[/quote]
If it's an over-the-air signal in your market it cannot be dropped from your cable line-up. It's called "must carry".


Randy
tvrandywest.com

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 11:11 AM\']
If it's an over-the-air signal in your market it cannot be dropped from your cable line-up. It's called "must carry".


Randy
tvrandywest.com

[snapback]82851[/snapback]

[/quote]

AFAIK, mine's the network feed and not a local. Good thing Harrisburg never got a PAX station of its own.

[RobertSearcy]

Yeah, go ahead and raise a glass to PAX. They'll be gone sooner or later. Last one out, shut off the lights -- assuming no one's missed bills to the power company.

Blah, you just had to mention the power bill, didn't ya?  [files for bankruptcy to try to get out of paying the damned $695,485.21]

*ducks from flying objects for awful attempt to be funny*

Wonder if this means my signed copy of Bud Paxson's book will be worth anything. Probably not, but I can hope, can't I? :-)

I'll give ya $0.02 for that book. :-P

If it's an over-the-air signal in your market it cannot be dropped from your cable line-up. It's called "must carry".

I believe mine's a local feed.......WPXA-14 Atlanta (I think I got the call letters or whatever they're called.......not exactly sure lol).

Oh Randy, thank goodness you didn't waste your time on that Reel to Reel show.  Saved your great announcing voice for much better shows. :-D

[Scott]

Well, I guess that's the end of America's Funniest Home Videos on PAX.  Pretty much the only reason for me to tune in these days.

[FeudDude]

[quote name=\'tvrandywest\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 11:11 AM\']If it's an over-the-air signal in your market it cannot be dropped from your cable line-up. It's called "must carry".


Randy
tvrandywest.com

[snapback]82851[/snapback]

[/quote]

Hmmm...then why hasn't my college's cable service been carrying the local PAX affiliate?  It does come in quite clearly over the air where I live (moreso than the local Big Five affiliates, as a matter of fact).  Oh well, I guess there's no reason to care anymore. :-D

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'FeudDude\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 12:45 PM\']Hmmm...then why hasn't my college's cable service been carrying the local PAX affiliate?  It does come in quite clearly over the air where I live (moreso than the local Big Five affiliates, as a matter of fact).  Oh well, I guess there's no reason to care anymore. :-D
[/quote]
If I may....don't many colleges, hospitals, and hotels have their own line of "service", and thus get to choose what is offered?

[tvrandywest]

[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 10:16 AM\']If I may....don't many colleges, hospitals, and hotels have their own line of "service", and thus get to choose what is offered?

[snapback]82871[/snapback]

[/quote]
Bingo. "Must carry" is about the public cable system that has the local utility franchise. It does not apply to private condo developments, hosptials, hotels, etc. Last time I visited a friend in the hospital he had only 5 channels, and two were all sponsored medical stories. It's enough to make you want to get healthy real fast!

Randy
tvrandywest.com

[dzinkin]

[quote name=\'Modor\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 02:16 PM\'][quote name=\'FeudDude\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 12:45 PM\']Hmmm...then why hasn't my college's cable service been carrying the local PAX affiliate?  It does come in quite clearly over the air where I live (moreso than the local Big Five affiliates, as a matter of fact).  Oh well, I guess there's no reason to care anymore. :-D
[/quote]
If I may....don't many colleges, hospitals, and hotels have their own line of "service", and thus get to choose what is offered?

[snapback]82871[/snapback]

[/quote]
Private cable systems definitely aren't regulated in the same way.  I know that when I stay in hotels in Boston and in New York, several of the (usually higher-numbered) UHF channels typically aren't available on the TV in the room.

[ilb4ever2000]

One could say PAX gave up on entertaining programming years ago...

[FeudDude]

Thanks for the clarification, everyone.  I always found that interesting, considering how my college's cable system carries just about every other local station (including some UHF ones).  But of course, the ratings have proven that there's not a big demand for PAX among this age group.

[DjohnsonCB]

Out of all the TV markets serving myself and all family members, mine is the only one in which PAX is only on cable.  It'd be nice if they'd move GSN to analog (or at least Oxygen or Hallmark), but I'm not holding my breath.

Ch. 48 in Cedar Rapids might see about becoming a sister station to the UPN affiliate in Waterloo if its signal isn't strong enough to reach down there.  Ch. 39 in Des Moines ought to see about going UPN itself.  

Finally, there is Ch. 50 in Kansas City.  Since it's unlikely that they'd ask KCIT in Amarillo TX to allow them to once again let those letters be used for a  K.C. indie on Ch. 50 and more or less pick up where financial troubles left them back in 1971, my guess is that--unless they can find a new use for the station what with 38 The Spot already popular--they *could* simply let it go dark and give that frequency to the area's WB station currently using Ch. 62, which could be lopped off the UHF frequency list according to what the FCC might want to do.

[uncamark]

The beginning of the end for Pax was Jeff Sagansky's leaving.  At least the guy had experience dealing with Hollywood types, which Paxson didn't have.

The whole network had futility written all over it--but Paxson will probably still scam Byron Allen out of a ton of money to unload it on him, so what does he care?  He's not a broadcaster--he's a wheeler-dealer.  He'll probably try to start another shopping channel for those people who miss Miss Tootie and Slots of Fun now that HSN has become semi-respectable.  Can you give me a toot for my grandmother in Colorado Springs, Bud?

[Fedya]

[quote name=\'DjohnsonCB\' date=\'Apr 22 2005, 02:16 PM\']they *could* simply let it go dark and give that frequency to the area's WB station currently using Ch. 62, which could be lopped off the UHF frequency list according to what the FCC might want to do.

[snapback]82894[/snapback]

[/quote]
What is the FCC planning on doing with the frequency occupied by a channel 62?  Here in the Catskills, we used to have WTZA on Channel 62, but they switched call letters to WRNN several years back and became a mostly-infomercials station.  They also put a transmitter in Nyack to get to New York City so they could get on the cable systems there.  However, as of several months ago, I don't get a signal over the air on Channel 62.

WRNN, however, is still on the DirecTV local channels....