Goodson-Todman pilots

[PYLW]

I don't know if this question is Taboo or anything, so forgive me.


I was talking with my friend this morning about ideas for GSN's saturday marathons. I suggested that maybe GSN had acquired the finale and the pilot of The Better Sex, but he said that GSN doesn't have the rights to air G-T pilots. Anyone know the reason why, if this is true? Thanks.

[comicus]

My guess it's because the shows didn't actually make it to air to begin with, and GSN is probably more likely to air programs that more than three dozen fanboys have heard of.

/Nope, not a drop of it, Mr. Zinkin...

[clemon79]

[quote name=\'PYLW\' post=\'149865\' date=\'Apr 9 2007, 09:54 AM\']
I was talking with my friend this morning about ideas for GSN's saturday marathons. I suggested that maybe GSN had acquired the finale and the pilot of The Better Sex, but he said that GSN doesn't have the rights to air G-T pilots. Anyone know the reason why, if this is true? Thanks.
[/quote]
The only reason I can think of is because GSN buys their rights piecemeal by the series instead of by entire production libraries, so a pilot wouldn't be included in the series (if it ever went to series) and therefore have to be licensed separately.

That said, I see absolutely no reason why GSN couldn't license a G-T pilot if they really wanted to air one.

However, I also see no reason why it would be a moneymaking venture, which is why you probably won't see it happen. They could rerun the marathon of $10,000 Sweep / Riddlers / Monday Night QB / Dollar A Second that they already own and get exactly the same ratings as they would with new pilot material, so why spend the money?

[Jimmy Owen]

I thought some of the clip shows used scenes from G-T pilots, so I'm not sure if there is an outright ban.

I kinda disagree with the notion that these 70's shows are unknown.  Back in the 70's the threshold for success was a 30 share, anything less than that and you were in danger of cancellation.  Yes, I know there were fewer channels then, but doesn't that mean more people would have seen "flops" of the 70's than have seen a lot of the "hit" shows of today?

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'clemon79\' post=\'149868\' date=\'Apr 9 2007, 12:16 PM\']
[quote name=\'PYLW\' post=\'149865\' date=\'Apr 9 2007, 09:54 AM\']
I was talking with my friend this morning about ideas for GSN's saturday marathons. I suggested that maybe GSN had acquired the finale and the pilot of The Better Sex, but he said that GSN doesn't have the rights to air G-T pilots. Anyone know the reason why, if this is true? Thanks.
[/quote]
The only reason I can think of is because GSN buys their rights piecemeal by the series instead of by entire production libraries, so a pilot wouldn't be included in the series (if it ever went to series) and therefore have to be licensed separately.[/quote]

Unlike scripted television, game show pilots are not intended for eventual telecast.  If GSN's agreement with MGP as amended with Fremantle stated that they only had access to programs "as telecast," that would mean that pilots could not be included.  Most likely, the pilots were converted to DigiBeta, but marked with a "archive only--do not dub for Game Show Network" label.

Sure, GSN could call up Fremantle and ask to license the pilots and Fremantle would probably not charge them an arm and a leg--but I'm sure their contact at Fremantle would respond to their request with "Dear God, why?"