High School "Quiz Bowl" Shows

[Allstar87]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' post=\'150642\' date=\'Apr 20 2007, 03:34 PM\']
There hasn't been anything in Chicago since "It's Academic" went off the air a long time ago, with the exception of "Know Your Heritage" popping up every Black History Month.  WLS currently runs that show, with early morning news anchor Hosea Sanders hosting, last I looked.
[/quote]

Greg Alan Williams has that job now.

I know Illinois has another quiz bowl called Scholastic Hi-Q. It airs on PBS, but don't know which areas get it.

[byrd62]

[quote name=\'Chief-O\' post=\'150607\' date=\'Apr 19 2007, 11:18 PM\']
WTVT in Tampa had one in the 70's called "High-Q"----I don't know much about it, but go to big13.net and you'll probably find a pic or 2 from it.
[/quote]

I do because I saw it when I moved to the Tampa Bay area back in 1973.  

High-Q used the College Bowl format, and was on Big 13 [as WTVT was called back then] weekends during the school term for nearly a decade, ending in 1977.  It was structured as a 32-team elimination tournament, with the championship round being a best-of-3 series.  Ray Blush, who also anchored a weekly news documentary series as well as the Saturday night news on WTVT, hosted High-Q, assisted by announcers Ron Harpe, Bob Stone and, later, Dean Drapin.  Dr. Bob Harder, a philosophy professor at the Univ. of Tampa, served as the show's official.

During much of that same era, WFLA-Channel 8 featured a similar show called Categorically Speaking, hosted by a somewhat elderly radio newscaster named Bob Higby.  On this show, which also had an elimination tournament setup, each school had a 5-member team and were asked questions whose categories were revealed by the host before he asked them.  Three rounds were played:  A 5-point opening round in which teams alternated in answering questions, as with College Bowl tossups, followed by a 10-point second round in which teams alternated in conferring to answer questions [like in College Bowl bonus questions], then a 5-point final round in which both teams had a shot at answering tossup questions. [no penalties for wrong answers]

Given the so-called e/i requirements, one of those stations is going to have to bring a show like that back.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'Jamey Greek\' post=\'150662\' date=\'Apr 20 2007, 03:44 PM\']Portland Oregon had "The High-Five Challenge" on KPTV 12.  Now I think it's on the PBS station in Portland.  I know because I was on KPTV's site and I read about the High-Five Challenge[/quote]Erm, thanks for that.

One thing I'd like to know; how many different formats are there? High Five Challenge is basically two-team Jeopardy! with steals, and even then it's still poorly done. It seems like all of the other shows out there are some form of 'quiz bowl,' but I'd be happy to be proven wrong, if there are in fact some other formats exist.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'150677\' date=\'Apr 21 2007, 12:06 AM\']One thing I'd like to know; how many different formats are there? High Five Challenge is basically two-team Jeopardy! with steals, and even then it's still poorly done. It seems like all of the other shows out there are some form of 'quiz bowl,' but I'd be happy to be proven wrong, if there are in fact some other formats exist.[/quote]
Well, that sorta depends on what you mean by 'different'.  I mean, this IS a quiz bowl thread, so we're talking about quiz bowl shows.  Still, 'quiz bowl' is the generic term for the entire subculture, which can be loosely defined as teams answering tossups and bonus questions in formats that do not introduce random luck so that the winner is determined on merit.

Within that world there is variety, and your mileage may differ on how 'various' the formats are.  The granddaddy, College Bowl, hasn't changed its tossup/bonus, tossup/bonus format in fifty years.  The only significant format difference to the NAQT games is that they're played to a certain number of questions rather than to a time limit.  The other two main formats are the It's Academic structure (most notable to the average viewer for its three-team competition) and Chip Beall's four-period National Academic Championship format that's turned up under a lot of different titles over the years.

Those are the main ones, but there are lots of differences and variations from show to show.  On QuizBusters, we're particularly fond of our 'Pop Quiz' rounds that create one-on-one action and make it harder for a single strong player to dominate a game.  

My experience has also been that the more you drift away from the 'basics' and start introducing gimmicks, the less the players enjoy it.  I would be very interested in what Seattle-based quiz bowl players think of the High Five game, which seems from its description and set to be very gimmicky.

[Tim L]

[quote name=\'Gus\' post=\'150627\' date=\'Apr 20 2007, 11:50 AM\']
Surprised Cleveland's Academic Challenge hasn't shown up yet. That one was based on the Washington-area It's Academic, and has been on nearly as long, save a several-year gap in the late 90's / early 00's. Was hosted by TV-5 weatherman Don Webster for the longest time, then by news anchor Lou Maglio, then by morning show anchor Adam Shapiro, and now by morning show anchor Dannita (sp?) Harris. (I may be missing a few hosts down the line.)
[/quote]


There was a fellow by the name of Don Cameron that hosted what was then called "It's Academic" at Channel 5 in about 1963 or so, before Webster..I don't know if Cameron was a newsman, announcer or what.I don't personally remember seeing him..

[Robert Hutchinson]

I assume that WSB in Atlanta is still airing High Q (they recently surpassed 20 years on the air). But if they are, they're still airing it on Sundays at 7 AM, which is not prime TV viewing time for me.

[chad1m]

[quote name=\'chad1m\' post=\'150587\' date=\'Apr 19 2007, 08:13 PM\']
In addition to QuizBusters, we have High School Challenge, hosted by the "professional" Jimmy Rhodes.
[/quote]

Yeah, I know it's lame to quote yourself, but I wanted to give an example. The show has a round called the "four by four" The team behind gets to hear four categories and decides whether they will pass or play and choose one of the categories. Eventually, the team that  got to pick first will have their second category chosen for them by the other team.

Today, one of the categories was "State Borders". However, Mr. Rhodes continued to read it as "Skateboarders." It boggles me that after reading it no less than three times like that, neither he nor the on-stage staff corrected him(self). It amazes me even more that even after a crucial gaffe like that that they didn't throw out the whole round and start over.

[TLEberle]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'150697\' date=\'Apr 21 2007, 07:19 AM\']Well, that sorta depends on what you mean by 'different'.  I mean, this IS a quiz bowl thread, so we're talking about quiz bowl shows.  Still, 'quiz bowl' is the generic term for the entire subculture, which can be loosely defined as teams answering tossups and bonus questions in formats that do not introduce random luck so that the winner is determined on merit.[/quote]Now that you mention it, that's a good point. I suppose those who wanted to could differentiate between "quiz bowl played on TV" between "a quiz show contested by teams of students, or single students." If you wanted to.

Within that world there is variety, and your mileage may differ on how 'various' the formats are.  The granddaddy, College Bowl, hasn't changed its tossup/bonus, tossup/bonus format in fifty years.  The only significant format difference to the NAQT games is that they're played to a certain number of questions rather than to a time limit.  The other two main formats are the It's Academic structure (most notable to the average viewer for its three-team competition) and Chip Beall's four-period National Academic Championship format that's turned up under a lot of different titles over the years.

I realize that it's hard to get away from the toss-up/bonus, toss-up bonus thing if you're doing quiz bowl, but It's Academic would certainly fit in the "other" category; as well as Pennsylvania's High-Q (I saw exactly one episode of that streaming online) and even Professor Steve's show (again, one episode). It was the "other, non-quiz bowl" formats that I was looking for, and I apologize for any confusion on that front.

Those are the main ones, but there are lots of differences and variations from show to show.  On QuizBusters, we're particularly fond of our 'Pop Quiz' rounds that create one-on-one action and make it harder for a single strong player to dominate a game.  

But the Pop Quiz also allows the last players to think ahead by eliminating already used answers, and thus narrow the field. And it's a clever extra round. Even University Challenge mixes things up with a picture and music bonus at three points in the show, otherwise it's your standard quiz bowl game.

My experience has also been that the more you drift away from the 'basics' and start introducing gimmicks, the less the players enjoy it.  

From my one experience playing the game, I would have been happy for any variety at all. Our game was basically The Quick Thirty: quick tossups one after another that only rewarded the player who was fast on the buzzer and had made the mental connections fastest. Sorta like playing Sale of the Century without Instant Bargains, Fame Game questions or a lovely co-host. "Who was the first Chief Justice of the United States?" That sort of thing. Earlier this year, I drove by a rival high school and saw a message on their reader board wishing good luck to their Quiz Bowl team as they went to compete in the NAQT state tournament. So obviously things have improved for the better out here.

I would be very interested in what Seattle-based quiz bowl players think of the High Five game, which seems from its description and set to be very gimmicky.

The show's been running for about twenty years now, so obviously there's no connection between it being a good game, a good show and popular, but having a fifth wheel at the desk whose sole job is to ring in after the opponents have signaled in order to steal the question should tell you more than enough.

[chad1m]

[quote name=\'TLEberle\' post=\'150749\' date=\'Apr 22 2007, 07:34 PM\']
Even University Challenge mixes things up with a picture and music bonus at three points in the show, otherwise it's your standard quiz bowl game.
[/quote]

For the record, QuizBusters generally has an audio and video bonus during each match too.

[Jimmy Owen]

Someone mentioned "Reach For the Top."  I haven't seen it lately (we used to get Windsor on cable but now we get the Montreal CBC station).  Haven't seen "Smart Ask" lately either.

[mmb5]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' post=\'150697\' date=\'Apr 21 2007, 10:19 AM\']
Within that world there is variety, and your mileage may differ on how 'various' the formats are.  The granddaddy, College Bowl, hasn't changed its tossup/bonus, tossup/bonus format in fifty years.  The only significant format difference to the NAQT games is that they're played to a certain number of questions rather than to a time limit.
[/quote]
-5.  NAQT uses a clock and a smattering of invitational tournaments also use a clock.


--Mike, your 2007 Trashinals champion

[mbclev]

[quote name=\'Tim L\' post=\'150721\' date=\'Apr 21 2007, 10:24 PM\']
[quote name=\'Gus\' post=\'150627\' date=\'Apr 20 2007, 11:50 AM\']
Surprised Cleveland's Academic Challenge hasn't shown up yet. That one was based on the Washington-area It's Academic, and has been on nearly as long, save a several-year gap in the late 90's / early 00's. Was hosted by TV-5 weatherman Don Webster for the longest time, then by news anchor Lou Maglio, then by morning show anchor Adam Shapiro, and now by morning show anchor Dannita (sp?) Harris. (I may be missing a few hosts down the line.)
[/quote]


There was a fellow by the name of Don Cameron that hosted what was then called "It's Academic" at Channel 5 in about 1963 or so, before Webster..I don't know if Cameron was a newsman, announcer or what.I don't personally remember seeing him..
[/quote]

Actually, "It's Academic" started in the Cleveland area in 1964, and Don Cameron was the host from the beginning until 1975 after hosting Canada's version of To Tell the Truth (as mentioned in another thread).  His successors were Don Webster (1975 to possibly 1986, and 1994-99), Steve Wolford (possibly 1986-88), Lou Maglio (1988-94), Adam Shapiro (2003-06), and Danita (with one "N") Harris (2006-  ).  The show went by the title Academic Challenge from 1972-96, and since 2003.

[chad1m]

So who was the guilty party who deleted their message?

'Twas our friend johnnya2k3.

[johnnya2k3]

So who was the guilty party who deleted their message?

'Twas our friend johnnya2k3.

Yes, I said that WAGA here in Atlanta originally had "High-Q" in the 1960s before WSB revived it.

Other PBS stations have have/had quiz shows are WGBH Boston (High School Quiz Show) and WYES New Orleans (Varsity Quiz Bowl from 1957-94).

[SFQuizKid]

KRON in San Francisco has had "Bay Area Quiz Kids" for 16 years.

Yes, we're supposed to have a website...but I need to get that back online  .  You can however find some of our shows on Vimeo.