Viacom on Pyramid: "Who, us?"

[dzinkin]

From Michael Starr's "Starr Report" column, which can be read in full here...

http://www.nypost.com/entertainment/16303.htm

 - David

********************

I was wrong yesterday: Viacom has not pulled the Donny Osmond-hosted "Pyramid" off its stations in Philadelphia, Boston and Los Angeles. It's simply not true.

"The assertion that any Viacom stations have cancelled the show is absolutely incorrect," said a Viacom spokesman. "The show continues to run in all three markets . . . and we never had any discussions with Sony [which syndicates the show]. That's entirely fictitious."

"Pyramid," in fact, airs in Philadelphia on KYW (3 p.m.), in Boston on WSBK (8 a.m.) and in Los Angeles on KCAL (6 p.m.).

[scully24]

That just means that they are continuing to air the current season.  It doesn't address the fact that they may be planning not to pick up a third season in September.

[Matt Ottinger]

It does seem ironic that SOMEBODY (Viacom?  Sony?  Variety? Donny?) is playing word games with regard to the status of Pyramid.  It's easy to read into the latest Viacom statement that they're merely running out the current season.  On the other hand, if the spokesman says "we never had any discussions with Sony", then how would Sony have gotten the idea that Viacom was dropping the show at all?  

Donny's message to his fans said "VIACOM just pulled PYRAMID off their stations!", which certainly sounds like he meant effective immediately.  Variety stands by their story that Sony notified stations of the cancellation, but Sony reps haven't commented.  All this right in the middle of NATPE.  PLUS, Pyramid is about to get tons of free publicity on an upcoming Friends episode and the ratings have improved this season over last.  Frankly, I'm baffled.