Buzzr Discussion

[Casey Buck]

Wow, I’m really getting some early Game Show Network vibes from those promos.

Nice to see that the lower-right corner bug is very subtle.

MODS: Do you think we should have a Buzzr sub-forum alongside the GSN sub-forum, or perhaps expand the existing GSN sub-forum to include Buzzr?

[gamed121683]

Interesting...one of the clips in the Buzz Til Dawn promo is Dennis James during one of his Old Gold pitches.

Loved the little segment with Monty Hall and Wayne Brady.

Seeing that I live in area that won't get BUZZR at launch, YouTube clips will be all I'll have in terms of this channel. So it's nice to see that some are already coming to light, subtle bug and all. A big thanks to whoever posted that. Hopefully, we'll see some more stuff in the upcoming days.

As for the Dennis James pitch, keep in mind that it's only the game show junkies (read: us) who will pay attention to such minute detail.

[WarioBarker]

As for the Dennis James pitch, keep in mind that it's only the game show junkies (read: us) who will pay attention to such minute detail.

Unless I'm mistaken, over-the-air networks are forbidden from airing cigarette/cigar advertisements. The fact Dennis was the spokesman for Old Gold for several years in the 1950s raised an eyebrow for me for the reasons I've already stated.

On a different note, someone over at Game Show Paradise made an interesting post about the business side of Buzzr:

it's not coincidental that Fremantle put out a press release assuring fans that they can upload all of the Fremantle stuff they want without consequence. They wanted people to know that uploading American Idol or The Price is Right is okay with Fremantle, because they call it loyalty. Well, that's what they said, but what was more important here is that they can claim copyright on those videos and place advertisements, similar to direct response, on user-generated Fremantle YouTube episodes and clips. Once someone watches an advertisement on a video of Beat the Clock, What's My Line? or Card Sharks, Fremantle gets money. They use YouTube's automated ID system to determine what is their's. So, Fremantle is not paying a dime while users' upload Fremantle content and Fremantle gets paid for it! Genius! So, what a better way to encourage hardcore game show fans to upload Fremantle content to YouTube than to launch a TV channel full of all of their stuff, many of which would otherwise collect dust.

It's full proof! It's their channel and their shows, so they aren't paying for licensing from a 3rd party for content. They're trying to get fans to upload the Buzzr stuff to YouTube, so while the direct response ads are making them money while that episode of Card Sharks airs, it'll make even more once it's on YouTube.

This Buzzr wasn't done for the kindness of the fans, it's a double whammy, and it's a win-win for them, and us.

[jjman920]

So here's a question, how long after I've Got A Secret dropped Winston as its main sponsors did they lose the fence sign at center stage? Because I tell ya, that promo for the overnight block has got my hopes up.

Buzzr is NOT a cable channel. It is an over-the-air subchannel. So if you live in one of the 17 markets with a Fox O&O, you'll get it on a .2 or a .3 of it and you'll need a set of rabbit ears. There's a chance some cable companies in those 17 markets will carry it at the outset, but more than likely, the stations will have to lobby the cable systems to carry it.

I know that the Comcast here in Baltimore is very good with carrying all of the subchannels from the jump here (currently MeTV, Grit, Bounce, ThisTV, GetTV, WeatherNation, Laff, and the new Decades). Hopefully some of the markets with Buzzr have equally cooperative cable providers.

[clemon79]

On a different note, someone over at Game Show Paradise made an interesting post about the business side of Buzzr:

That'd be great, but it's also an ability they have had for a LONG time, and they've dropped the banhammer before. So now there's a sudden change of heart / seeing of the light?

Nope. Don't buy it.

[clemon79]

I just saw my new Comcast statement and of interest to Chicago Comcast subscribers,  "Effective 7/30/2015, Buzzr TV (ch. 364) is being added to the Comcast channel lineup as part of our Limited Basic service."

Nice find.  I can wait two months.  Beats the four years I waited for GSN.

Two interesting things about this, as a (reluctant, but then who isn't?) Comcast customer: one, in Seattle, 364 is an available channel position, and two, that is indeed the neighborhood that digital subchannels live in. (Of course, Chicago has a Fox O&O; Seattle does not.)

[PYLdude]

I'm playing the wait and see game with FiOS. I don't know where they plan to stick the channel, if anywhere, at the moment but the digital subchannels occupy spaces between 432 and 499 on the lineup. TV Guide lists nothing but they also for some reason don't have schedules for Laff or Decades last I checked (the box guide does have listings for both).

[arrowood20]

Nexstar owns WFRV in my market. Fingers crossed here too!

WBAY might possibly be another option. They just ended transmission of Live Well Network on the 29th, and the planned replacement of Decades seems to no longer be happening (they were taken off of the list of affiliates on the Decades website, and WBAY says they are in a "holding pattern" on their Facebook page). They say that an announcement for LWN's replacement is coming soon, so fingers crossed that Buzzr is it. I believe they are owned by Media General, but I don't know if that would make any difference as to whether or not they could get it. I'm not very knowledgeable in the workings of TV.

[PYLdude]

I normally don't post in here, for obvious reasons, but what about Optimum cable in NY? I have digital there but I guess I still need an antenna? (Which is very hard for a  co-op)

You have the same set up that FiOS has, I.e. you have the digital subchannels but they're in their own positions on the dial. In other words, you're fine, you don't need an antenna, just to study your channel lineup.

I shall then pose the question, this is the norm for cable systems now? To have the digital subchannels be a part of the lineup if you have a cable hookup of whatever sort?

/whoever had "May 30, 2015", step up

[BrandonFG]

They say that an announcement for LWN's replacement is coming soon, so fingers crossed that Buzzr is it. I believe they are owned by Media General, but I don't know if that would make any difference as to whether or not they could get it. I'm not very knowledgeable in the workings of TV.

Dunno if it's nationally, but in my market, Live Well was replaced by the "Justice Network", which is more or less TruTV for the cord cutters. They show a lot of TruTV reality (and I use that term very loosely) shows like Bait Car and quite a few forensic investigation shows.

It doesn't look like the station group matters. According to Wiki, only one Media General stations plans to replace LWN, WKRN in Nashville. WBAY in Green Bay planned on replacing it with Decades.

Right now, neither plan has gone through, if Wiki's to be trusted.

[gamed121683]

Anyone know what time Buzzr launches tomorrow? I've heard 7:00AM and 4:00PM, are any (or none) of these times correct? 

[arrowood20]

Dunno if it's nationally, but in my market, Live Well was replaced by the "Justice Network", which is more or less TruTV for the cord cutters. They show a lot of TruTV reality (and I use that term very loosely) shows like Bait Car and quite a few forensic investigation shows.

It doesn't look like the station group matters. According to Wiki, only one Media General stations plans to replace LWN, WKRN in Nashville. WBAY in Green Bay planned on replacing it with Decades.

Right now, neither plan has gone through, if Wiki's to be trusted.

According to WBAY, they can't say anything right now, so I would assume they are working to replace it with something instead of going dark. Justice, Antenna TV or Buzzr would be the best candidates if I had to guess. Cozi TV is primarily on NBC stations, and our NBC-affiliated stations have their subchannels filled (MeTV, LAFF, Escape and Grit). WBAY used to have RetroTV but dropped it because of non-payment from the distributor, so I don't see them going back to that. Antenna TV would be a good competitor in the area for WGBA's MeTV and LAFF, but I also think Buzzr would be a good option. That would pretty much give the Green Bay/Appleton area some subchannel variety. Our remaining affiliates of WFRV (CBS), WLUK (FOX) and WCWF (CW) don't have any subchannels, and it doesn't seem likely that they will be adding any in the near future. I might be wrong, but there are plenty of good subchannels out there and they haven't taken any of them yet.

[snowpeck]

I work for WBAY's sister station in Knoxville and we're in the same boat. No idea what's going to replace LiveWell.

[Casey Buck]

Chad Mosher has posted an official weekday schedule graphic on his Twitter account.

[chad1m]

Chad Mosher has posted an official weekday schedule graphic on his Twitter account.

I appreciate that, but it's actually something I put together myself with the available information in order to help spread the word.