October 12, 2015

What's on TV? Monday, October 10, 2005

On Saturday I talked about how different 2005's TV Guide was from the issues we usually look at, and this is certainly apparent when we look at the daily programming guide.  For one thing, the listings - except for prime time - appear only in grid format, and only the prime time grid changes from day to day.

That's why, for example, you'll see "Various Programs" indicated on the listings below; if a station had different programming each day in the 2:00-3:00 pm time slot, for example, rather than take up the time with what each day's show is the grid simply lets you know you'd better check it out yourself if you're not sure.  They know what they're doing here, though - the publishers were only too aware that by this time the bulk of TV Guide's subscription base consisted of hotels and motels receiving complimentary copies; more and more, people were depending on on-screen guides for their daily viewing.  For the same reason, the listings begin at 6am and run through 1am (for some, they end at 10pm) - most of what's on overnight is either informercials or programs that were already shown during the day.

A few random notes on the programming itself - you'll notice there's not a single movie being shown, or at least not during the times listed.  What a change from the past!  Also, the proliferation of infomercials (not seen in the past, or limited to the odd half-hour here and there), smarmy talk shows and mock court programs (each one existing only an excuse for people to shout at each other) and back-to-back airings of a particular show.  As I say, the times they are a changin'. So let's see what we've got.  Our programs are from the Twin Cities.


KTCA, Channel 2 (PBS)

Morning


06:00a
BBC World News

06:30a
George Shrinks

07:00a
Arthur

07:30a
Clifford the Big Red Dog

08:00a
Dragon Tales

08:30a
Berenstain Bears

09:00a
Calliou

09:30a
Barney & Friends

10:00a
Sesame Street

11:00a
Zoboomafoo

11:30a
Dragon Tales

Afternoon


12:00p
Clifford the Big Red Dog

12:30p
Reading Rainbow

01:00p
Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood

01:30p
Various Programs

03:00p
Teletubbies

03:30p
Postcards from Buster

04:00p
Maya & Miguel

04:30p
Arthur

05:00p
Cyberchase

05:30p
Nightly Business Report

Evening


06:00p
The Newshour with Jim Lehrer

07:00p
Antiques Roadshow

08:00p
American Experience

10:00p
As Time Goes By

10:30p
Chef!

11:00p
Nova

12:00a
The Newshour with Jim Lehrer

One area in which KTCA has progressed over the years is that it now has a full schedule of programs, with only the odd rerun here and there. There's no "educational" programming in the sense there once was - rather than Grade 6 Spanish, we've got animated shows and series geared for younger viewers.  

American Experience is one of PBS' best and longest-running series; this one, about the race to complete the transcontinental railroad, is a reminder not only of what television can show, but what the country itself used to be able to accomplish when it put its mind to it.



WCCO, Channel 4 (CBS)

Morning


06:00a
News (local)

07:00a
The Early Show

09:00a
Ellen

10:00a
The Price is Right

11:00a
The Young and the Restless

Afternoon


12:00p
News (local)

12:30p
The Bold and the Beautiful

01:00p
As the World Turns

02:00p
Guiding Light

03:00p
Dr. Phil

04:00p
Oprah Winfrey

05:00p
News (local)

05:30p
CBS Evening News with Bob Schieffer

Evening


06:00p
News (local)

06:30p
Wheel of Fortune

07:00p
King of Queens

07:30p
How I Met Your Mother

08:00p
Two and a Half Men

08:30p
Out of Practice

09:00p
CSI: Miami

10:00p
News (local)

10:35p
The Late Show with David Letterman (guest Orlando Bloom)

11:35p
The Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (guest Dominic Monaghan)

12:35a
Oprah Winfrey

Channel 4's morning lineup is very typical of what you see by this time - local news, followed by a two-hour network morning show, followed by a syndicated talk show.  CBS does have two types of programming in short supply by this time: soap operas (there are four of them), and the sole network game show still in existence.  The Price is Right may have changed hosts from Bob Barker to Drew Carey, but it's still going strong to this day.



KSTP, Channel 5 (ABC)

Morning


06:00a
News (local)

07:00a
Good Morning America

09:00a
Regis & Kelly

10:00a
The View

11:00a
News (local)

Afternoon


12:00p
All My Children

01:00p
One Life to Live

02:00p
General Hospital

03:00p
Cheers

03:30p
Judge Judy

04:00p
Judge Judy

04:30p
Inside Edition

05:00p
News (local)

05:30p
ABC World News Tonight

Evening


06:00p
News (local)

06:30p
Friends

07:00p
Wife Swap

08:00p
Monday Night Football (Steelers vs. Chargers)

11:00p
News (local)

11:35p
Nightline

12:05a
King of Queens

12:35a
My Wife and Kids

I'm not positive, but unless ABC has slipped in another gabfest following The View, this is the same lineup they use to this day. The more suspect programming is kept to a minimum: an hour of Judge Judy and then Inside Edition, but it's a far cry from what you'll see next.  Jimmy Kimmel is carried on Channel 5, but not until after My Wife and Kids; nowadays, KSTP has it in the prime 10:35 spot like everyone else.



KMSP, Channel 9 (Fox)

Morning


06:00a
News (local)

07:00a
News (local)

08:00a
News (local)

09:00a
Tony Danza

10:00a
Montel Williams

11:00a
Maury

Afternoon


12:00p
Tyra Banks

01:00p
Montel Williams

02:00p
Maury

03:00p
Judge Joe Brown

03:30p
Judge Joe Brown

04:00p
Judge Alex

04:30p
Judge Alex

05:00p
Fear Factor

Evening


06:00p
Seinfeld

06:30p
Seinfeld

07:00p
Prison Break

08:00p
Prison Break

09:00p
News (local)

10:00p
A Current Affair

10:30p
Frasier

11:00p
Will & Grace

11:30p
Just Shoot Me

12:00a
Will & Grace

12:30a
Judge Alex

Yes, well - I think Channel 9's daytime lineup might be the most execrable I've ever seen.  Six hours of talk/shout fests, two hours of fake "judge" shows, and Fear Factor.  Honestly, can it possibly get any worse than this?  At least Channel 41 doesn't have anything more objectionable than infomercials (a sad commentary in and of itself).



KARE, Channel 11 (NBC)

Morning


06:00a
News (local)

07:00a
Today

10:00a
News (local)

11:00a
Martha

Afternoon


12:00p
Days of Our Lives

01:00p
Passions

02:00p
Starting Over

03:00p
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

03:30p
Access Hollywood

04:30p
Jeopardy!

05:00p
News (local)

05:30p
NBC Nightly News with Brian Williams

Evening


06:00p
News (local)

06:30p
Entertainment Tonight

07:00p
Surface

08:00p
Las Vegas

09:00p
Medium

10:00p
News (local)

10:35p
The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (guest Keira Knightley)

11:35p
Late Night with Conan O’Brien 

12:35a
Last Call with Carson Daly

Look at the spartan lineup presented in the morning - two hours of local news, three hours of Today, and Martha Stewart.  I've seen more programming on those stations that used to sign on at 10:00.  On the other hand, it was much easier to type this out.



KTCI, Channel 17 (PBS)

Morning


06:00a
MNDOT Aviation Weather

Afternoon


05:00p
Sesame Street

Evening


06:00p
Dragonfly TV

06:30p
Zoom

07:00p
Commanding Heights: the Battle for the World Economy

08:00p
Voices from Texas

09:00p
Art in the Twenty-First Century

I don't think Channel 17 has Aviation Weather on anymore, but then again it's been over four years since I lived there so I can't be certain.  I think it was already off by the time I left, though.  I've mentioned that KTCI has had various programming periods throughout its history; sometimes it would simply present reruns of shows that had already aired, while other times - as it appears here - they're presenting a completely separate lineup.



KMWB, Channel 23 (The WB)

Morning


06:00a
This Is Your Day

07:00a
Believer’s Voice of Victory

07:30a
Infomercials

08:00a
Various Programs

08:30a
Infomercials

09:00a
The Parkers

09:30a
Girlfriends

10:00a
Roseanne

10:30a
Andy Griffith

11:00a
Jerry Springer

Afternoon


12:00p
The People’s Court

01:00p
Judge Mathis

02:00p
Texas Justice

02:30p
Texas Justice

03:00p
Pokeman

03:30p
The Batman

04:00p
Xialin Showdown

04:30p
Transformers Cybertron

05:00p
The People’s Court

Evening


06:00p
Extra

06:30p
Sex and the City

07:00p
7th Heaven

08:00p
Just Legal

09:00p
Insider

09:30p
Extra

10:00p
Sex and the City

10:30p
South Park

11:00p
South Park

11:30p
Insider

12:00a
Jerry Springer

Remember what I said about Channel 9's lineup being bad?  This isn't much better, although Pokeman does bring back memories of when our friend Taylor was a little boy.  Considering Channel 23 was at one time an all-religious station, I think their affiliation with The WB might provide one of the more dramatic changes in emphasis that we've seen.



WFTC, Channel 29 (UPN)

Morning


06:00a
Infomercials

07:00a
Trollz

07:30a
Archie’s Weird Mysteries

08:00a
Matlock

09:00a
Hunter

10:00a
Judge Hatchett

10:30a
Divorce Court

11:00a
Judge Hatchett

11:30a
Divorce Court

Afternoon


12:00p
Family Feud

12:30p
Family Feud

01:00p
Cops

01:30p
Cops

02:00p
Cops

02:30p
King of the Hill

03:00p
King of the Hill

03:30p
Yes, Dear

04:00p
Home Improvement

04:30p
Yes, Dear

05:00p
Malcolm in the Middle

05:30p
That ‘70s Show

Evening


06:00p
The Simpsons

06:30p
The Simpsons

07:00p
One on One

07:30p
All of Us

08:00p
Girlfriends

08:30p
Half & Half

09:00p
Everybody Loves Raymond

09:30p
Everybody Loves Raymond

10:00p
News (local)

10:30p
That ‘70s Show

11:00p
Malcolm in the Middle

11:30p
Drew Carey

12:00a
Fear Factor

There's not much variety to Channel 29's programming - lots of reruns, lots of hour-long blocks, not much quality.  Long story short - the Fox network first started out on Channel 9, but as it didn't have much early success KMSP gave up on it, and it moved to 29. It was only after Fox became successful that Channel 9 swapped their own UPN affiliation to get Fox back.  Which could happen, because the two stations had a common ownership.



KPXM, Channel 41 (Pax)

Morning


06:00a
Infomercials

06:30a
Through Bible

07:00a
Infomercials

07:30a
Life Today

08:00a
Infomercials

08:30a
Various Programs

09:00a
Shepherd’s Chapel

10:00a
Infomercials

Afternoon


05:00p
Various Programs

Evening


06:00p
Pyramid

06:30p
Family Feud

07:00p
Doc

07:30p
The Nanny

08:00p
Diagnosis Murder

09:00p
Early Edition

I'll always have a fondness for Channel 41, which used to be the famed "TV Heaven," with a schedule that resembled that of MeTV or Antenna, long before that was cool.  (In fact, the creators of the "TV Heaven" concept later did the same thing for TV Land.)  At this point in time it's fallen in with Pax, and as you can see their afternoon programming is heavily dependent on infomercials.



KSTC, Channel 45

Morning


06:00a
Shopper’s Showcase

09:00a
A Different World

09:30a
A Different World

10:00a
The Cosby Show

10:30a
The Cosby Show

11:00a
Cagney & Lacey

Afternoon


12:00p
Various Programs

01:00p
Magnum, P.I.

02:00p
Hawaii Five-O

03:00p
Little House on the Prairie

03:30p
The Brady Bunch

04:00p
Little House on the Prairie

05:00p
My Wife & Kids

05:30p
Bernie Mac

Evening


06:00p
King of Queens

06:30p
Cheers

07:00p
Mary Tyler Moore

08:00p
Mad About You

08:30p
Bewitched

09:00p
Hogan’s Heroes

09:30p
Green Acres


Channel 45 is owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, which founded and still owns KSTP.  (The station's logo used to include the so-called "groovy" 5 that was used by Channel 5.)  For that reason, you'll see a lot of shows that either used to be on Channel 5 or switch back and forth between the two.  Meh -could be a lot worse. TV  

10 comments:

  1. It was in 2011 that ABC, in probably the worst programming decision they ever made, canceled All My Children - after 41 years - and One Life To Live - after 43 years.
    AMC was replaced by The Chew, a talk show mainly about food.
    OLTL's hour was returned to local affiliates; most of them go with syndie talk/food/judge/tabloid news/crap of your choice.
    In 2013, an independent company whose name I've mercifully forgotten tried to restart AMC and OLTL as original internet programming.
    Many of the regular cast members came back, as well as behind-the-scenes personnel, and everybody busted their butts to make it work.
    The result wasn't bad at all, and had potential to get really good.
    Unfortunately, the ICWNIMF ran out of financing (or something), the first production cycle had to be cut short, and AMC and OLTL became MIA in less than a year.

    I admit to a personal issue here: AMC and OLTL were my two favorite soaps.
    These days, many of their popular cast members have migrated to the remaining soaps (Young & Restless in particular), but it isn't really the same ...

    Not much to say about the rest of the schedules, really.
    We're looking at the early onset of "binge-watching" - multiple showings of the same show, either in a row or on multiple nights, diversity be damned.

    ReplyDelete
  2. "Aviation Weather" has become into "tpt wx", its very own 24/7 channel, in the multicast world (2.4). The graphics are snazzier and the audio is from the National Weather Service, but it certainly is the birthchild of the original no-thrills Weather Channel.

    ReplyDelete
  3. "Aviation Weather" has become into "tpt wx", its very own 24/7 channel, in the multicast world (2.4). The graphics are snazzier and the audio is from the National Weather Service, but it certainly is the birthchild of the original no-thrills Weather Channel.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very interesting to read your recent posts on the decline in TV Guide. I do share some of your feelings in seeing such iconic media brands diminish among the new landscape. I guess we've had similar in Australia where we went from having a competitive TV magazine market in the 1960s and 1970s (with both national and various state-based titles) now to having just one national TV weekly which like TV Guide has gone for a more glossy tabloid/pictorial style rather than offering news (which is now mostly covered by alternative online media) or any sort of analysis (again, this is probably due to online influences).

    Our TV listings (across most print media, not just the one magazine) are now also abbreviated much like TV Guide appears to have done... where whole slabs of airtime is now just summed up as "Morning Programs" or "Late Night Programs" or "Children's Programs" -- particularly for secondary multi-channels or pay-TV, while some minority or niche channels don't get any listing at all. Although we haven't yet gone down the track of lumping the whole Monday-Friday weekday listings into a single layout.

    I guess one of the few customs from the past that is still prominent is that TV Week is still listing programs Saturday to Friday. They did experiment with Sunday-Saturday back in the 1990s but it didn't really work so they went back to Saturday-Friday which continues to this day.

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  5. I'm a big fan of PBS's "American Experience" and "American Masters" I always look forward to it's latest installment. IMO, they truly are television worth watching.

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  6. Oh, and what are the odds... this TV Guide for Monday, October 10, 2005 lists the Monday Night Football game as Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers and last night, Monday, October 12, 2015 the Monday Night Football game was... Pittsburgh Steelers vs. San Diego Chargers.

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  7. The company that tried to revive "All My Children" and "One Life To Life" was called Prospect Park Productions.

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  8. Bob Schieffer was interim anchor of "The CBS Evening News" between the time that Dan Rather got the boot and the time they were able to hire Katie Couric away from NBC's "Today Show".

    Couric, while good as a morning show hostess, was a mistake an as evening-news anchor.

    Maybe the only thing at CBS Couric might have succeeded in was if there had been a new version of "Person To Person" (the 1950's interview show on which Edward R. Murrow spoke to newsmakers and celebrities in their homes via a two-way video hookup). She might have done very well on such a show.

    Instead, CBS should have kept Schieffer on the "Evening News" for a few more years and groomed Scott Pelley to have succeeded Schieffer in 2009.

    ReplyDelete
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