To pre-empt, or not to pre-empt

[SRIV94]

One of the weirder decisions came out of Chicago (at the time one of only three markets where all three major networks owned and operated the local affiliates--NYC and L.A. being the other two).  And yes, I've told this story before (so feel free to leave the room ;-) ).

In 1982, upon wresting Phil Donahue's syndie gabfest away from its longtime home at WGN, CBS O&O WBBM slotted the show to run at 9AM CT.  The fall out of this was that whatever network programming WBBM was running got displaced.  So what WBBM did was move the sitcom reruns (soon to be displaced by PYRAMID and CHILD'S PLAY) back an hour, thus moving TPiR to 3PM CT (after the sudsers), thus moving UP TO THE MINUTE/TT to 11AM CT and moving Y&R to 11:30.

The kicker--the shows that were displaced (save for Y&R) all ran on a one-day delay once moved (even TPiR, which was on much later than its network starting time).  Once Donahue moved to NBC's WMAQ in 1986, WBBM brought PYRAMID, CS86 and TPiR back to their network slots (and moved back to same-day airing)--PYL stayed at 11AM on a one-day delay.

Mark J. *might* remember this--WMAQ ran a show for a time in 1987 that caused them to schedule WoF at 3PM (unfortunately, I don't recall what that show was).

Doug

[Ian Wallis]

The kicker--the shows that were displaced (save for Y&R) all ran on a one-day delay once moved (even TPiR, which was on much later than its network starting time). Once Donahue moved to NBC's WMAQ in 1986, WBBM brought PYRAMID, CS86 and TPiR back to their network slots (and moved back to same-day airing)--PYL stayed at 11AM on a one-day delay.

What episodes of those displaced shows did WBBM run on the day the schedule changed?  Did they repeat the Friday shows?  I guess when they moved back in 1986, that must have meant that one episode of each was never broadcast in Chicago(?)

Along the same lines, it still puzzles me why NBC would allow their affiliates in the early '90s to run the network shows in whatever order they wanted.  Reading old TVGuides from that time frame, some shows you could see in three consecutive half hours on different stations.  It also led to some weird scheduling - such as LA O&O KNBC running "Scrabble" in the wee hours of the night.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Sep 14 2005, 04:40 PM\']What episodes of those displaced shows did WBBM run on the day the schedule changed?  Did they repeat the Friday shows?  I guess when they moved back in 1986, that must have meant that one episode of each was never broadcast in Chicago(?)

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To be honest, I'm not totally sure.  I'm pretty sure but not completely sure that the moves took effect 1/4/82 (there was no Friday TPiR because of New Year's), with the 12/31/81 TPiR airing on that day at 3PM (one of the showcases being a salute to the anniversary of Barker's first ToC; I usually got home from high school before 3PM so I was able to watch--and don't ask me why I remember that ;-) ).  Whether the 12/31/81 TPiR also aired on WBBM the previous Thursday with the rest of the network I don't remember.  I also don't recall whether the Friday eps of PYRAMID, CS86 and TPiR were ever shown when WBBM went back to running same-day (I was at my summer internship by then, but more than likely I would've been watching whatever NBC had on at the time [$otC, WoF and SCRABBLE, ask no questions about FAMILY TIES reruns ]).

[quote name=\'Ian Wallis\' date=\'Sep 14 2005, 04:40 PM\']Along the same lines, it still puzzles me why NBC would allow their affiliates in the early '90s to run the network shows in whatever order they wanted.  Reading old TVGuides from that time frame, some shows you could see in three consecutive half hours on different stations.  It also led to some weird scheduling - such as LA O&O KNBC running "Scrabble" in the wee hours of the night.

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And if memory serves, KNBC and WRC (the O&O in Washington) ran CLASSIC CONCENTRATION in the wee hours as well in 1992.  WMAQ also played with its schedule but at least kept ClCn on at 9:30.

Doug

[tvmitch]

Growing up in Lancaster, PA, though the '80s, I remember some of what went on with pre-emptions and whatnot. I'm sure Aaron Sica can fill in some of my gaps.

Our TV Guide listed *four* CBS stations, even though only three markets were covered. Our Harrisburg/Lancater/Lebanon/York market had two CBS affils, and my local cable system carried both plus WCAU from Philly. So I always saw all the CBS shows in one way or another.

NBC was a different story...my very own WGAL (NBC Lancaster) must have pre-empted a good number of shows in the late '80s because I don't remember seeing them carrying $ale or Super Password. If they did, it was late night. KYW, then an NBC affiliate owned by Group W, would air games all over the place. I have vague memories of seeing SP airing at 3pm, and I don't think KYW had noon news, so they would air games in that slot as well.

My game show memory starts right about 1986 or 1987, so I don't remember what our ABC affils from Harrisburg (WHTM) and Philly (WPVI) carried in daytime games. I do remember watching Match Game for parts of its run on WHTM, though. I don't remember seeing Brucie or Double Talk though.

To go back to the topic posed here...I know from talking to Carol, the lady at WGAL who has made programming decisions there for the past 25+ years, that it's basically about ratings (money) and keeping us Lancastrians-who-hate-change satisfied, watching intently, and of course, buying whatever it is in they're trying to sell. They have rarely moved shows in mid-season in the past 20 years unless the show was cancelled.

WGAL did carry Caesar, Scattergories, and both versions of Scrabble through their entire run. I do not remember if they carried Wheel or not, but Goen Wheel did air here, and I have vivid memories of wondering "WTF!" about the $50 space. (Well, I was 8 or so, so the "F" probably meant "Fudge.") From growing up here, I always got the vibe that WGAL never really liked carrying games in daytime. I would occasionally see listings for WRC and be jealous. "Look what they've got!"

I remember going to my grandparents' house in northern PA over Christmas breaks. They live in McKean County, which is interestingly enough in the Buffalo, NY DMA. So WGRZ there aired a lot of shows I never saw anywhere else, including Classic Concentration and $ale. WGAL picked up CC right around the time they started rerunning the whole series, and kept it in daytime for what seemed like an awfully long time after.

[Jimmy Owen]

When the networks allowed the O&O's to tinker with the schedule, that opened the Pandora's Box which eventually led to the death of daytime game shows.  I have a front-page article from Variety from 89 that outlined the changes.  The O&O's were high on an hour-long revival of "House Party" and wanted to put it in a good daytime slot.  In LA, this meant dumping "Scrabble" to overnight.  To be fair, the article mentions "Scrabble" was tied for last place in net daytme with ABC's "Perfect Strangers" repeats.

[gameboy2000]

I remember WTKR aired the CBS Wheel on a one day delay, becuase they aired it earlier. They also never aired the Family Feud Challenge, although they did air the syndicated version.

[aaron sica]

Attempting to fill in some of Mitch's gaps...

The last noon game show that WGAL aired was "Card Sharks" on August 1, 1980. Coincident with the debut of "Texas" and the scaling back of AW from 90 to 60 minutes, on August 4, 1980 "Noonday on 8" moved from 12:30-1, to 12:00-12:30, so it could air "The Doctors" (moving from 2:00 to 12:30 on NBC) at 12:30. WGAL's noon news has been on at that time ever since, which meant that the Harrisburg area never got to see shows like Just Men!, Go!, and SP.

WGAL would also occasionally pre-empt some or all of the 10:00-11:00 hour as well, in the '80s.

WHTM was pretty good at carrying the morning lineup on ABC up until about 1988 or 1989, when they started airing "Family Medical Center" for a short time at noon on or around the time that Ryan's Hope left the airwaves. They carried MG90 from its premiere up until September, when "Trump Card" debuted at noon. When  that show tanked in midseason, "People's Court" got the timeslot. MG did come back on 27 however, for the last month of its existence.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'mitchgroff\' date=\'Sep 14 2005, 05:44 PM\']

KYW, then an NBC affiliate owned by Group W, would air games all over the place. I have vague memories of seeing SP airing at 3pm, and I don't think KYW had noon news, so they would air games in that slot as well.

My game show memory starts right about 1986 or 1987, so I don't remember what our ABC affils from Harrisburg (WHTM) and Philly (WPVI) carried in daytime games. I do remember watching Match Game for parts of its run on WHTM, though. I don't remember seeing Brucie or Double Talk though.

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KYW Philly aired People are Talking at 10AM EST for most of the 80s(the Philly version of which had Maury Povich and Richard Bey as hosts before they hit it big, while the Boston version of the franchise had Tom Bergeron hosting a decade before his Squares gig began). KYW aired Scrabble/Super Password/Daytime WOF from 3-4:30PM from 9/16/85-9/2/88; Scrabble and WOF continued airing on KYW through Summer 1989(the end of Rolf's run). NBC $otC aired at 3PM from Jan-Sep 1985 and that was all KYW aired of it. Classic Concentration didn't air on KYW until 1992 when the show was in perpetual reruns. KYW didn't air NBC Win Lose or Draw until January 1989.

WPVI didn't air any ABC daytime game shows after dropping Feud in June 1983. WTAF(now WTXF Fox) aired it for part of its run after that.

[aaron sica]

[quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Sep 14 2005, 07:52 PM\']
WPVI didn't air any ABC daytime game shows after dropping Feud in June 1983. WTAF(now WTXF Fox) aired it for part of its run after that.

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I may have asked you this before.........(Then) WTAF aired Feud at noon for that summer of '83. Was it the network feed, or were shows on a one-day delay?

[rugrats1]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Sep 14 2005, 07:43 PM\'](Then) WTAF aired Feud at noon for that summer of '83. Was it the network feed, or were shows on a one-day delay?
[/quote]

Chances are it's live -- indy stations that carry network shows often get it either off the feed, off the nearest affiliate carrying the show (especially since Philly is close to New York), or, in some cases, carry it delayed via film or tape.

[zachhoran]

[quote name=\'aaron sica\' date=\'Sep 14 2005, 07:43 PM\'][quote name=\'zachhoran\' date=\'Sep 14 2005, 07:52 PM\']
WPVI didn't air any ABC daytime game shows after dropping Feud in June 1983. WTAF(now WTXF Fox) aired it for part of its run after that.

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I may have asked you this before.........(Then) WTAF aired Feud at noon for that summer of '83. Was it the network feed, or were shows on a one-day delay?

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I don't even recall seeing Feud on WTAF, but heard it from one of the NJ/PA folks here. WTAF aired Time Machine and Your NUmber's Up the same day WMGM NBC Atlantic City aired it(KYW never did air either one). WMGM Channel 40 aired all ABC game shows from the last two years of Dawson Feud through Bargain Hunters.

[uncamark]

Whenever a station runs a strip on a one-day delay, the Friday show always airs on Monday.  WBBM does that today with "Guiding Light," which they air as the sacrificial lamb to Oprah at 9 a.m. while beginning their "Judge Judy" quadruple pump at 2 p.m., the feed time for "GL."

[Jimmy Owen]

I would have thought an O&O could have gotten an advance feed (or even a copy of the master tape). In the '80s, WCBS would show the same "Tattletales" at noon that the rest of the country got at 4pm.

[uncamark]

[quote name=\'Jimmy Owen\' date=\'Sep 15 2005, 02:13 PM\']I would have thought an O&O could have gotten an advance feed (or even a copy of the master tape). In the '80s, WCBS would show the same "Tattletales" at noon that the rest of the country got at 4pm.

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The flagship station of the CBS network--of course they'd have the tape there ready for airing.  If the tape room at the CBS Broadcast Center served both network and WCBS master controls, they could've just left it on the VTR after rewinding the WCBS play if they could.

[SRIV94]

[quote name=\'uncamark\' date=\'Sep 15 2005, 01:57 PM\']Whenever a station runs a strip on a one-day delay, the Friday show always airs on Monday.  WBBM does that today with "Guiding Light," which they air as the sacrificial lamb to Oprah at 9 a.m. while beginning their "Judge Judy" quadruple pump at 2 p.m., the feed time for "GL."

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Certainly makes sense that the one-day delay covers the fact that they're not showing it with the network feed (and couldn't get an advance feed).  But WBBM's one-day delaying of CBS' morning offerings from 1/4/82 to summer 1986 didn't make sense--as they were shown later than their network feeds (PYRAMID and CP/PYL/CS86 delayed by one hour *and* one day; TPiR delayed by one day and five hours).  And Jimmy's point is well-taken that WCBS would air TT same-day (four hours earlier than most of the network), while WBBM would delay it by a day (but run it at the same time).

As an aside, WBBM never ran the full hour FFC eps; they only ran the second half-hour (after TPiR).

Or were you not talking to me?  

Doug -- and the countdown to 1500 continues