Next channel down the road of network decay ...

[Dan]

BBC America!

Star Trek: The Next Generation?
Battlestar Galactica?
The X-Files?
Movies like Alien 3?

Since when did BBC America become the Sci-Fi Channel with some Top Gear and Graham Norton thrown in for the non-geeks among us? Sure, Americans might not be tha interested in watching sheepdog trials, long cricket tests, and documentaries about toast, but don't you have any more interesting shows that are, you know, from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, that you can air?

I'm looking at the schedule for BBC Canada, and guess what? No American shows, no American movies. Everything's British. Why not the same for the US?

Another channel with potential gone to shit.

[Rygor]

BBC America!

Star Trek: The Next Generation?
Battlestar Galactica?
The X-Files?
Movies like Alien 3?

Since when did BBC America become the Sci-Fi Channel with some Top Gear and Graham Norton thrown in for the non-geeks among us? Sure, Americans might not be tha interested in watching sheepdog trials, long cricket tests, and documentaries about toast, but don't you have any more interesting shows that are, you know, from the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, that you can air?

I'm looking at the schedule for BBC Canada, and guess what? No American shows, no American movies. Everything's British. Why not the same for the US?

Another channel with potential gone to shit.

Yeah. The first one it really happened to was MTV, probably sometime in the very early 90's. Then came ESPN, which is why they had to create ESPN2 and then finally ESPN News, and now you rarely ever catch any actual sporting events on any of them. TLC (formerly "The Learning Channel") decayed in record time. Apparently they figured that most people don't really want to learn. Then Discovery slipped up. Then SyFy (it's not even Sci-Fi, anymore ). Now even "NatGeo" (how lame is that?) is starting to decay somewhat.

A sad state of affairs. This is why I almost never watch TV anymore.

[Linda_D]

BBC America is not a channel I watch often, primarily because it doesn't offer much in the way of real British programming (I actually enjoyed the sheepdog trials!) After I found that I was watching a lot of PBS offerings, I recently joined the local public television membership. Mostly I watch public television, the Weather Channel, NatGeo, Smithsonian, Food and Cooking Networks. I watch NASCAR on FOX when it doesn't interfere with being outside on a wonderful Sunday afternoon. I watch NCIS on CBS. I watch NFL football on the various networks -- which may or may not happen this year.

I used to watch HGTV a lot, but lately they've abandoned virtually all their reasonable gardening/room decorating/home buying shows for over-the-top yard and room/house makeovers and shows on people buying million dollar vacation homes. My vacation home is a camper with electric and an outhouse that's shared with a sibling, so I'm not finding much that appeals to me there any more.

[ofos]

Television has become the viewing junkyard for people who aren't committed to wasting their time on the web. HD and 3D are just perfuming the pig. Don't expect it to get better, it's just another victim of technology.

[Mastiff]

No CBC? I can't get enough of Beachcombers re-runs.

I thought this topic was going to be on what new channels we think we might get...

[Linda_D]

No CBC? I can't get enough of Beachcombers re-runs.

I thought this topic was going to be on what new channels we think we might get...

I would love to get the CBC but TWC doesn't carry any Canadian stations this far from the border. I remember a Beachcombers show from the 1970s or 1980s when I lived in Buffalo. It was somewhat like the Andy Griffin Show but with quirkier characters and set in the Canadian Pacific NW. Is that the same one?

[Hink]

Yeah. The first one it really happened to was MTV

Great joke last night on the MTV Movie awards by Jason Sudeakis about MTV standing for Music Television for those who don't know - like you MTV Executives...

[Otis]

And let's not forget what happened to the History Channel, formerly one of the only channels worth watching. Ice Road Truckers?

[Linda_D]

And let's not forget what happened to the History Channel, formerly one of the only channels worth watching. Ice Road Truckers?

Does the History Channel also showcase Swamp People -- or is that A&E?

[Suburb Repairman]

Does the History Channel also showcase Swamp People -- or is that A&E?

It is the same family of stations, so you're seeing the same phenomenon on both stations.

[Whose Yur Planner]

TLC is another one. At one time they had decent programing. Now it's the same old junk you find on other stations. And don't even get me going on WGN. Now they just do reruns of bad comedy, including Cubs and White Sox games..

[stroskey]

Does the History Channel also showcase Swamp People -- or is that A&E?

History is about the only one I'll watch anymore. Yes, they have lots on junk on but some of their shows so showcase history, such as Pawn Stars or American Pickers. To me those beat "specialty shows" such as Ice Road Truckers, Swamp People, Top Shot, etc.

USA and TNT are great for Law and Order reruns, too!

[imaplanner]

They all have gone downhill for sure. But the question I have is whether they are just following what works for ratings. As in- is it the networks that are behind the decay or is it the audience (dumbing down of America, etc.)

[Maister]

They all have gone downhill for sure. But the question I have is whether they are just following what works for ratings. As in- is it the networks that are behind the decay or is it the audience (dumbing down of America, etc.)

It's always driven by the stations - they begin with a narrow specifically defined niche (sci-fi, romance, music videos, etc) and quickly discover advertisers want to hit the largest markets possible. So financially the stations are always under pressure to expand their market appeal to capture more advertising $$. So they gradually creep away from their specialized program niche incrementally and start to offer more programming that is not directly associated with the original model

[kjel]

PBS is about the only channel that hasn't gone to pot. Nearly every channel has some crappy reality or contest show on it these days.

[HomerJ]

They all have gone downhill for sure. But the question I have is whether they are just following what works for ratings. As in- is it the networks that are behind the decay or is it the audience (dumbing down of America, etc.)

I would venture to say it is the networks. Their only goal is to get better ratings, and therefore every market study and survey is going to result in the same thing (dumbing it down to appeal to the lowest common demoninator). For a lot of the same reasons, movies nowadays seem to be getting dumber and dumber as well. Producers make movies now, but back in the day when you had your Kubricks and Coppolas directors had more freedom.

Still though, you get a few positive points. AMC is still a pretty decent station IMO (granted they like to play their fair share of Predator). One recent positive I will say about TV networks is the mini-series like Mad Men, Dexter, Boardwalk etc. have been even more enjoyable to watch than movies. I guess that's only one redeeming quality surrounded by a sea of Dancing with the Stars and Guess a Number 1-10 type shows.

[Linda_D]

PBS is about the only channel that hasn't gone to pot. Nearly every channel has some crappy reality or contest show on it these days.

I tend to agree. I recently joined the local PBS station out of Buffalo.

I forgot that USA has a few interesting original series that I watch occasionally plus reruns of NCIS and Law And Order.

[TOFB]

History is about the only one I'll watch anymore. Yes, they have lots on junk on but some of their shows so showcase history, such as Pawn Stars or American Pickers. To me those beat "specialty shows" such as Ice Road Truckers, Swamp People, Top Shot, etc.

USA and TNT are great for Law and Order reruns, too!

American pickers are local folks living 15 miles up the river. An OK show just waiting to jump the shark.

[mendelman]

An OK show just waiting to jump the shark.

Done.

When they started doing picks for named celebrities or organizations - William Shatner and the NASCAR Fall of Fame.

I guess finding cool stuff in the middle of nowheresvilles wasn't "sellable" enough for the producers.