GSN Turns 18

[SRIV94]

I don't recall where I read it, so take it with a grain of salt, but I thought I recalled reading that GSN didn't have access to the two G/T properties that were airing at launch (FF '94 and TPiR), thus the reason they aired when the rest of the G-T lineup disappeared.

That's plausible, although TPIR stayed in the lineup when the G-T shows came back.  I don't think FF94 did.  Doesn't mean there wasn't a correlation between the events.

[snowpeck]

That's plausible, although TPIR stayed in the lineup when the G-T shows came back.  I don't think FF94 did.  Doesn't mean there wasn't a correlation between the events.

It always seemed to me that the reason FF94 disappeared was because they suddenly had access to superior, 30 minute versions of the show.  Family Feud Challenge never reappeared on the schedule either, even though there's no reason to believe they didn't have the rights.

I always read that fur was the main reason TPIR was delayed, and FF94 was just still in first run when GSN launched.

[Matt Ottinger]

I always read that fur was the main reason TPIR was delayed....

It's funny that a mere 18 years later (and in some ways, it feels like yesterday) urban legends can spring up like this.  It just doesn't make any sense that "fur episodes" was the reason for not running Price.  After all, "cigarette episodes" were a problem for I've Got a Secret, and that show was a major, prime-time series for the network from Day One.  If GSN had the rights to Price in the beginning, it would not be a problem for them to do what they eventually did when they DID pick up the rights, and simply weed out the episodes they couldn't show.  For such a popular property as Price, with so many years of content available, they would have found a way to show it if they could.  The simplest thing would just be to run seasons following Barker's no-fur edict.

GSN did not have the rights to show Price in the beginning, period.  Speculate all you want about the reason for that, but speculation that they DID have the rights and didn't air the show because of the minor inconvenience of some "fur episodes" is not correct.

[snowpeck]

I never said I thought they had the rights to the show at launch... I just said I had always read that the furs and Bob's objections were part of what kept them from leasing the show from the start.  There were probably a variety of reasons that I'm not knowledgeable enough to speculate any further about.

[NickintheATL]

One could possibly surmise that they did not have rights to air TPIR from the start because of this:  all of the other G-T shows' initial contract ran from 1994 through 1997, while the TPIR contract ran from 1996 (if it indeed did begin here) through 2000.

Granted, it's not a slam dunk statistic, but it's worth noting.

[aaron sica]

One could possibly surmise that they did not have rights to air TPIR from the start because of this:  all of the other G-T shows' initial contract ran from 1994 through 1997, while the TPIR contract ran from 1996 (if it indeed did begin here) through 2000.

Granted, it's not a slam dunk statistic, but it's worth noting.

I'll slap a theory on top of a theory - How much weight does the "GSN lost the rights to TPiR because they let them lapse and didn't sign the papers" argument hold? Nicholas, I'd say your theory might be on to something.

Also, Matt's answer on GSN not having the rights raises a question - and this is not an "I challenge your answer" question, as much as it looks like it - how, then, were clips able to sneak through during GSN promos?

/18 years old and still a mystery

[Matt Ottinger]

Also, Matt's answer on GSN not having the rights raises a question - and this is not an "I challenge your answer" question, as much as it looks like it - how, then, were clips able to sneak through during GSN promos?

The Goodson people (remember, this was years before Fremantle's involvement) were working very, very closely with Sony in the development of GSN.  At one point they were going to be partners in the venture.  I'm sure the network had access to all sorts of company footage to assemble their promotional material.  Still, it certainly IS odd that there would be Price video in the promos at all, if the network wasn't going to run them.  Maybe a deal broke down late in the process?  I honestly don't remember Price video in the promos, but it's been an awfully long time.

[JasonA1]

There were clips of Price in some of their overall network promos. A lot of it was recent (at the time), or from one of the specials (like the 20th anniversary week). On one Club AM from GSN's first full week on the air, Steve Day reads a letter asking about Price being on, and his answer was something like "don't quote me on the time, but not for another 10 months."

-Jason

[jjman920]

I think a plausible reason for TPIR not being there from the beginning was TNPIR '94. Perhaps with two versions on at the time of launch (and one of those in syndication, like FF'94), they couldn't do it. I'd guess they had planned on getting Price before launch (and probably had no problem getting it from G-T since they were working so close together), so once TNPIR '94 had been canceled, they got the episodes together and had them ready to go by 1996.

[Matt Ottinger]

Here, in correct order, are the shows that appeared during the first twenty-four hours of GSN's programming.  Please adjust all blog entries, Wikipedia articles and mindsets accordingly.

What's My Line?
Beat the Clock
I've Got A Secret
To Tell the Truth
Password
The Dating Game
The Newlywed Game
The Perfect Match
All About Faces
Juvenile Jury (Jack Barry)
The Joker's Wild
The Parent Game
Match Game '73
The New Treasure Hunt
Tattletales
Now You See It
Wheel of Fortune
The Diamond Head Game
Break the Bank (Kennedy)
The Fun Factory
Family Feud
Double Dare (G-T)
Hollywood Connection
Card Sharks (Eubanks)
Tic Tac Dough
The $1.98 Beauty Show
Jeopardy!
Celebrity Charades
3's A Crowd
Joker! Joker! Joker!
Play the Percentages
Camouflage
Bullseye
Blockbusters (Cullen)
Fantasy
Child's Play
Hot Potato
Body Language
Trivia Trap
Bumper Stumpers
All About the Opposite Sex
Hold Everything
The Quiz Kids Challenge
Ruckus

Note plenty of Barris, but no Gong Show.  My earlier guess about the final show turned out to be wrong by a few notches.  Also note the oddity that of all the "alternate" versions they skipped, the one they include was the kids' version of Joker.

The floor is now open for questions.

[Dbacksfan12]

Hold Everything

What in the heck is this?

[Matt Ottinger]

Hold Everything

What in the heck is this?

From our remarkable friend videoarchives1000.  This appears to be his master tape, not a GSN recording, but I think it's the same episode that aired on the network.  The stars are the same at any rate.  According to the EOTVGS, this aired in syndication for two months.

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m1fVavGXKk0[/media]

[WarioBarker]

I'm pretty sure it is. Compare the upload to the snapshots here.

Mr. Davis would like to have a word with you...

http://buzzerblog.co...ebuts-day-1994/

"...The very first show ever showed on Game Show Network was Match Game. What's the first show that appears on its schedule today, it's birthday? Match Game."

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's been pretty well-established that Alex Davis doesn't like classic game shows -- note that of the "Vote for your favorite event of 2012!" post, none of them were events pertaining to news on the "classic game shows" front (such as GSN picking up the first episodes of Press Your Luck or the surfacing of those nine-and-a-bit minutes of the third Wheel of Fortune pilot, both of which had been given a post of coverage by Buzzerblog at some point).

[Edited to correct links.]

[clemon79]

this aired in syndication for two months.

I made it through almost three minutes before I determined that that was seven weeks too long.

[snowpeck]

Surprised to see $1.98 Beauty Show on that list... considering it didn't actually show up on the regular schedule until 2001.