Now that GSN is setting in the West...

[TimK2003]

If in the next few years, another party takes a shot at creating a classic game show network, does anyone know this early in the game if Sony will be willing to sell, lease, etc... any or all of the game show properties it has aquired over the years?  

Or might it try to keep the shows permanently in the vault with no chance at seeing the light of day again, charge an insane sum for their usage, or create some other non-game-show-friendly diabolical plan to ruin any other networks chance to create a true classic game show network.

If I am not mistaken, Sony does own most or all of the the Barris shows, most of the Stewart shows, and most of the Barry and Enright shows, not to mention Wheel, J!, and the current incarnation of Squares.

That would only leave nearly all of the Goodson-Todman shows and a handful of other lesser game show packagers/syndicators that right now could be aquired without Sony's approval.  Would these non-Sony properties be enough to start up and maintain a new game show network down the road?  Discuss.

[Jimmy Owen]

What's being forgotten is even after the revamping, the network will still be showing game shows, this isn't a Nashville Network to Spike TV-type transformation.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'TimK2003\' date=\'Dec 17 2003, 06:42 PM\'] Would these non-Sony properties be enough to start up and maintain a new game show network down the road?  Discuss. [/quote]
 I certainly think so. There was an attempt at a Games Channel c. 1992 or 1993 which would have included interactive stuff like seen on FAM in the mid 90s, plus LMAD, Name that Tune(Lange), Split Second(Hall), Crosswits(Sparks), and Face the Music which were seen on FAM in the same time frame, but it never got off the ground.

The GT shows plus stuff like LMAD, PYL, WLOD, Greed, Marshall HS, and maybe picking up Grundy would certainly be enough to start another game show channel. If they could even do a few lower budget traditional games like Lingo is, even better for them. Won't happen for a few years as we've realistically stated earlier, but still a nice thought.

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 17 2003, 07:48 PM\']
I certainly think so. There was an attempt at a Games Channel c. 1992 or 1993 which would have included interactive stuff like seen on FAM in the mid 90s, plus LMAD, Name that Tune(Lange), Split Second(Hall), Crosswits(Sparks), and Face the Music which were seen on FAM in the same time frame, but it never got off the ground.

 [/quote]
 In a sense, it did get off the ground.  I figured the FAM block was an on-air lab to test the viability of such a channel.  One thing that was up for grabs was the Goodson library, it seemed the FAM effort was abandoned when Goodson went with GSN.

[itiparanoid13]

they COULD, but the keyword there is COULD.  I wish they would, but the chances of setting up another Game Show Network type thing doesnt seem very likely to me.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Dec 17 2003, 08:07 PM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Dec 17 2003, 07:48 PM\']
I certainly think so. There was an attempt at a Games Channel c. 1992 or 1993 which would have included interactive stuff like seen on FAM in the mid 90s, plus LMAD, Name that Tune(Lange), Split Second(Hall), Crosswits(Sparks), and Face the Music which were seen on FAM in the same time frame, but it never got off the ground.

 [/quote]
In a sense, it did get off the ground.  I figured the FAM block was an on-air lab to test the viability of such a channel.  One thing that was up for grabs was the Goodson library, it seemed the FAM effort was abandoned when Goodson went with GSN.[/quote]
That's exactly what happened--the industry opinion was that whoever got G-T would make it to air.  Sony got the G-T license (and had MGP involved briefly as a co-owner before the launch) and GSN went up, while Pat Robertson's channel died stillborn.

[Starkman]

I think it wouldnt be tried for a while and if it was It probs would contain alot more originals in the beginning.

Or someone may bring back the classic game show blocks, a la lucky day USA (which indeed had a good mix of stuff aside from free 4 all and the 90 knock disasters)

But indeed without the sony owneds you can have a decent lineup if you wished,  you do have (assuming this is 5 years later and GSN has ditched all contracts) you can have a schedule that looks like this

Cullen Pyramid

GT shows to fill in the gaps

PYL

LMAD

The Big money quizzers of the late 90s

Wolpert (start drooling whew! fans shopping spree wouldnt be too bad either)

Sweep

NTT Lange and FTM

Stone Stanley (runs and hides, nahh, styd was a commercial hit and I would Not mind seeing fun house again for the kiddies)

Marshall Squares

The USA Network game shows minus 80s CR

Grundy

Add some originals and id say thats a pretty decent schedule probs more to the housewife crowd but not bad, definatly some shows that can definatly be called classics and not too many holes. But id first expect a reversion to the game show rerun blocks of USA and FAM or something like GAS at Night before seeing another GSN any time soon

[Dbacksfan12]

[quote name=\'Starkman\' date=\'Dec 19 2003, 09:47 AM\'] I think it wouldnt be tried for a while and if it was It probs would contain alot more originals in the beginning.

Or someone may bring back the classic game show blocks, a la lucky day USA (which indeed had a good mix of stuff aside from free 4 all and the 90 knock disasters)

But indeed without the sony owneds you can have a decent lineup if you wished,  you do have (assuming this is 5 years later and GSN has ditched all contracts) you can have a schedule that looks like this

Cullen Pyramid

GT shows to fill in the gaps

PYL

LMAD

The Big money quizzers of the late 90s

Wolpert (start drooling whew! fans shopping spree wouldnt be too bad either)

Sweep

NTT Lange and FTM

Stone Stanley (runs and hides, nahh, styd was a commercial hit and I would Not mind seeing fun house again for the kiddies)

Marshall Squares

The USA Network game shows minus 80s CR

Grundy

Add some originals and id say thats a pretty decent schedule probs more to the housewife crowd but not bad, definatly some shows that can definatly be called classics and not too many holes. But id first expect a reversion to the game show rerun blocks of USA and FAM or something like GAS at Night before seeing another GSN any time soon [/quote]
 Is it at all possible for you to condense your posts?  In addition, the poor grammar is the worst I've seen on the board.  Anyhow, I really don't think this would work--especially since that a major corp. can't pick these shows up NOW due to money reasons.  You really think a start up network could afford them?

I think not...

[HYHYBT]

This may be yet another silly question, but here goes anyway: can Viacom, or whoever they might sell or lease to, really run Bill Cullen's "The $25,000 Pyramid" without Sony's cooperation? If Sony owns the name, I mean.

[Matt Ottinger]

[quote name=\'HYHYBT\' date=\'Dec 20 2003, 08:16 AM\'] This may be yet another silly question, but here goes anyway: can Viacom, or whoever they might sell or lease to, really run Bill Cullen's "The $25,000 Pyramid" without Sony's cooperation? If Sony owns the name, I mean. [/quote]
 People a lot smarter than me can probably be more specific, but the simplistic answer to your question is that Viacom probably CAN run the old Bill Cullen shows.  Sony has the rights to the name and the format, so Viacom couldn't go and make their own NEW version of The $25,000 Pyramid (especially right now) but they ought to be able to do whatever they want with the episodes they own.

Of course, it could be a lot mroe complicated than that, depending on how the original contracts were written.

[HYHYBT]

Thanks. I was thinking maybe they'd have to call it something else and edit out the show's name or something, which would surely be more trouble than it's worth.

[Jimmy Owen]

[quote name=\'HYHYBT\' date=\'Dec 22 2003, 06:21 PM\'] Thanks. I was thinking maybe they'd have to call it something else and edit out the show's name or something, which would surely be more trouble than it's worth. [/quote]
 If forced to change the name of Pyramid, I would propose "Winner's Circle."  Isn't that where everyone wants to be?