kechara420
11-11-2002, 12:16 PM
I just read this article, and had to vent. A month-long programming stunt on canceled shows? Funny how none of its own are mentioned as being in the lineup, huh?
(This article is from www.cableworld.com)
Tuning In Shows The Networks Tuned Out
Trio hopes focus on cancelled shows attracts new viewers
By Jon Lafayette
You can cancel a show, but you can't cancel a network. Or can you?
Trio, USA Cable's digital popular-arts channel, is betting that a monthlong focus on TV shows that came and went much faster than they should have will help it build a long-term identity.
The channel is also beefing up its regular prime-time schedule with the addition of Late Night With David Letterman--the shows that appeared during the Hoosier comic's NBC years. But Letterman will disappear in December during what the network is dubbing Brilliant but Cancelled TV month.
Laura Zalaznick, who left VH1 in May to join Trio as president, believes the stunts provide the network its best chance of getting attention by concentrating its marketing on four themed months per year. She also believes that, by concentrating its special programming, viewers who see the marketing message are virtually guaranteed to see something they'll like whenever they tune in that month, instead of having to remember to tune in to a specific time, like Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
Brilliant but Cancelled will feature a mix of original specials dealing with the creation of television programs and a healthy helping of episodes from critically praised if short-lived series. "We know the difference between brilliant but cancelled and just cancelled," Zalaznick said.
The specials include two documentaries, Brilliant but Cancelled, narrated by Andy Richter, and Perfect Pitch, as well as Face Time, a new talk show moderated by former Spy editor Kurt Andersen. This month, Face Time will feature creators and stars of TV shows; in future months it will focus on other art forms.
Brilliant and Perfect Pitch are produced by the World of Wonder; Trio announced it had signed the production company to a two-year development deal.
The series include Action, The Gun, Now and Again, Profit, The Famous Teddy Z, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, TV Funhouse and The Ernie Kovacs Show.
The series cover nearly all of the decades of television history, and Chris Slava, VP of acquisitions and scheduling at Trio, said the network hoped to close a deal soon for an appropriate series from the '60s to fill out its lineup.
Zalaznick said that in March the network will air a documentary based on Peter Biskind's book about Hollywood in the '70s, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, and will also run movies from that era.
Since joining Trio, Zalaznick said she's been keeping overhead costs steady but ramping up spending on marketing and programming. The marketing budget will go up 25% in 2003, while the budget for original programming climbs 15% and the acquisitions budget goes up 25%.
This is a tough market for growth, Zalaznick said. But ad sales are up 60%, and distribution is up to 17 million subscribers. The network chooses not to subscribe to Nielsen ratings. Instead, ads are being sold using the demographics of the digital cable subscriber--high income, highly educated. P.S., she said, a network with Trio's mix of original programming, has to be good for reducing digital churn for cable operators.
Trio acquired 80 episodes of Late Night. Guests featured include Tom Hanks, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, REM and Leon Russell. Trio has the right to renew the three-year deal and acquire another 80 episodes.
Zalaznick said Trio made the deal with NBC and hadn't gotten in touch with Letterman.
Late Night will be launched with a Thanksgiving marathon, then relaunched with a New Year's marathon, after the Brilliant but Cancelled month.
For Trio's regular prime time, the network will air Letterman at 10. At 8, Zalaznick said, Trio will be the only network with a regularly scheduled musical performance program with Sessions at West 54th.
In between, the network will schedule documentaries. Zalaznick said many of these documentaries are being made in a one-hour format. The network also has rights to several feature-length documentaries, including The War Room, Startup.com and Don't Look Back. When those air, the network will preempt Letterman.
(This article is from www.cableworld.com)
Tuning In Shows The Networks Tuned Out
Trio hopes focus on cancelled shows attracts new viewers
By Jon Lafayette
You can cancel a show, but you can't cancel a network. Or can you?
Trio, USA Cable's digital popular-arts channel, is betting that a monthlong focus on TV shows that came and went much faster than they should have will help it build a long-term identity.
The channel is also beefing up its regular prime-time schedule with the addition of Late Night With David Letterman--the shows that appeared during the Hoosier comic's NBC years. But Letterman will disappear in December during what the network is dubbing Brilliant but Cancelled TV month.
Laura Zalaznick, who left VH1 in May to join Trio as president, believes the stunts provide the network its best chance of getting attention by concentrating its marketing on four themed months per year. She also believes that, by concentrating its special programming, viewers who see the marketing message are virtually guaranteed to see something they'll like whenever they tune in that month, instead of having to remember to tune in to a specific time, like Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
Brilliant but Cancelled will feature a mix of original specials dealing with the creation of television programs and a healthy helping of episodes from critically praised if short-lived series. "We know the difference between brilliant but cancelled and just cancelled," Zalaznick said.
The specials include two documentaries, Brilliant but Cancelled, narrated by Andy Richter, and Perfect Pitch, as well as Face Time, a new talk show moderated by former Spy editor Kurt Andersen. This month, Face Time will feature creators and stars of TV shows; in future months it will focus on other art forms.
Brilliant and Perfect Pitch are produced by the World of Wonder; Trio announced it had signed the production company to a two-year development deal.
The series include Action, The Gun, Now and Again, Profit, The Famous Teddy Z, Kolchak: The Night Stalker, TV Funhouse and The Ernie Kovacs Show.
The series cover nearly all of the decades of television history, and Chris Slava, VP of acquisitions and scheduling at Trio, said the network hoped to close a deal soon for an appropriate series from the '60s to fill out its lineup.
Zalaznick said that in March the network will air a documentary based on Peter Biskind's book about Hollywood in the '70s, Easy Riders, Raging Bulls, and will also run movies from that era.
Since joining Trio, Zalaznick said she's been keeping overhead costs steady but ramping up spending on marketing and programming. The marketing budget will go up 25% in 2003, while the budget for original programming climbs 15% and the acquisitions budget goes up 25%.
This is a tough market for growth, Zalaznick said. But ad sales are up 60%, and distribution is up to 17 million subscribers. The network chooses not to subscribe to Nielsen ratings. Instead, ads are being sold using the demographics of the digital cable subscriber--high income, highly educated. P.S., she said, a network with Trio's mix of original programming, has to be good for reducing digital churn for cable operators.
Trio acquired 80 episodes of Late Night. Guests featured include Tom Hanks, Johnny Carson, Jay Leno, REM and Leon Russell. Trio has the right to renew the three-year deal and acquire another 80 episodes.
Zalaznick said Trio made the deal with NBC and hadn't gotten in touch with Letterman.
Late Night will be launched with a Thanksgiving marathon, then relaunched with a New Year's marathon, after the Brilliant but Cancelled month.
For Trio's regular prime time, the network will air Letterman at 10. At 8, Zalaznick said, Trio will be the only network with a regularly scheduled musical performance program with Sessions at West 54th.
In between, the network will schedule documentaries. Zalaznick said many of these documentaries are being made in a one-hour format. The network also has rights to several feature-length documentaries, including The War Room, Startup.com and Don't Look Back. When those air, the network will preempt Letterman.