Cutting of Sony properties on GSN...

[JMFabiano]

OK, as with so many other things about it nowadays, we have been complaining a lot about an apparent cutback of Sony properties on GSN.  This ranges from shows being limited to one year in particular (WOF, J!, $100KP, Bergeron HS) and an utter lack of others (It's easier than ABC, it's as easy as B-E!)  Some of you ask, why?  Doesn't GSN have the easiest access of all to its parent company's libraries?  

Well, a friend has been talking to me about the matter for days, and it seems that all may not be well between GSN brass and the Shining Bars (logo reference ;-)).  As he explained it to me, it has to do with GSN taking Russian Roulette before Sony could get around getting it to syndication.   This somehow caused bad blood between SPT and GSN, and may be why they've cut access to its shows.  As he pointed out, the relentless reruns started at the time that the RR *AIRING RIGHTS* were up for grabs, not when RR debuted.   RR Airing Rights were up for grabs in Late 2001/Early 2002.  Same time that Pyramid repeated itself.  Coincidence?    Or really part of a feud?   I found it an interesting theory, and one that can be backed with evidence.  There is also the recent WOF episode where Pat makes jokes about GSN that you possibly COULD point out as not-so-subtle cheap shots.  So as weird to some of you as it may be, perhaps we can't blame GSN totally for this one.

[J.R.]

Hmm... this sounds more like a Consperacy Theory than actual fact. If you could present concrete proof, I might be temped to believe you. But Sony getting all pissy and revenge-minded just becasue it's little network alegedly took a show before they could ? Please...

-Joe R.

[JMFabiano]

[quote name=\'JRaygor\' date=\'Oct 14 2003, 02:13 PM\'] Hmm... this sounds more like a Consperacy Theory than actual fact. If you could present concrete proof, I might be temped to believe you. But Sony getting all pissy and revenge-minded just becasue it's little network alegedly took a show before they could ? Please...

-Joe R. [/quote]
 Actually, Consipiracy Theory does sound right to me.  As for concrete evidence, I guess it would be up to my friend should he want to talk about the subject.  He might be able to explain his theory better than I could, of course.  But AFAIK, yes this is pretty much all theoretic.

[Matt Ottinger]

I definiely agree with the "conspiracy theory" idea, and I think this one's a little more far out there than most.  It's still in Sony's interest (OK, half-interest) for GSN to do well so they'd only be shooting themselves in 50% of their own foot.  

I also have a hard time believing that "Russian Roulette" would be such a prized property to get all that worked up over, or that GSN somehow secretly "stole" it out from under their own corporate family.  These people are usually all on the same page on stuff like this.

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'Matt Ottinger\' date=\'Oct 14 2003, 10:37 PM\'] I definiely agree with the "conspiracy theory" idea, and I think this one's a little more far out there than most.  It's still in Sony's interest (OK, half-interest) for GSN to do well so they'd only be shooting themselves in 50% of their own foot.  

I also have a hard time believing that "Russian Roulette" would be such a prized property to get all that worked up over, or that GSN somehow secretly "stole" it out from under their own corporate family.  These people are usually all on the same page on stuff like this. [/quote]
 However, as someone else alluded to, why were Pat Sajak's cutting remarks left intact on Wheel of Fortune?  If this is "under one roof"...I would have to agree with the original poster that those comments should have been removed.

[Ian Wallis]

Something occured to me:  if this is true, why was GSN able to air "Dating Game" twice in the past month when they haven't featured it on the regular schedule for quite a while now?

It seems they still are able to pull out certain shows whenever they want to.

[Chelsea Thrasher]

They have a few episodes of everything.....

I ask this, re: DG:  When was the last time you saw a DG on GSN *outside* of the shows included in the Celebrity Dating GAme package?

BTW:  the "Conspiracy Theory" is mine (There's a 3rd Gunman, there's a 3rd Gunamn!!!!).  The reason I was hesistant on posting, was, as a past poster mentioned, there is a lack (though not a COMPLETE lack of) concrete evidence.

And you know, a lack of shows in possession could be why heavily-requested B-list shows like TJW and TTD aren't on the sched right now.  \

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'Seth Thrasher\' date=\'Oct 15 2003, 08:58 AM\'] They have a few episodes of everything.....

I ask this, re: DG:  When was the last time you saw a DG on GSN *outside* of the shows included in the Celebrity Dating GAme package?

 [/quote]
 It's been at least three years since DG aired(outside of a celeb show) on GSN. It was probably the 1997-99 Woolery version that aired, too.

[sshuffield70]

Recall also that this is the only show where the Boden credit it thrown in after the production company credit.  On the others, it's before the copyright screen.  I think there may be some validity to it, but I would need more evidence, too.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'sshuffield70\' date=\'Oct 15 2003, 08:02 PM\']Recall also that this is the only show where the Boden credit it thrown in after the production company credit.  On the others, it's before the copyright screen.  I think there may be some validity to it, but I would need more evidence, too.[/quote]
I always assumed that the credit was there in case Sony ever took "RR" to syndication, wanted to air the GSN eps in syndication but didn't want any credits for GSN to be shown.

Of course, we have proof of all this, but I do find it interesting that because of the cut in production hours this year, there doesn't seem to be the monetarial support for programming from the corporate parents as when Cronin first took over--or was/is "Naturally Stoned" and "WWTBAM" really that expensive?

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Oct 15 2003, 09:15 AM\'] It's been at least three years since DG aired(outside of a celeb show) on GSN. It was probably the 1997-99 Woolery version that aired, too. [/quote]
 They did air 1967 daytime DATING episodes as a lead-in to GONG when EXTREME YUCK was in between seasons.  So that would have been the first few months of 1999 if I remember my history correctly, Captain (slight reference to the classic STAR TREK sketch from SNL in 1976).

Doug