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Another end of an era in over-the-air television...

 

The CW is pulling its plug on Saban's Saturday morning children's programming block Vortexx. In its place this fall, CBS Television Distribution will produce a new five hour live-action programming called "One Magnificent Morning". Vortexx was the last program block to air animated program on Saturday mornings, as all the other networks have ditch those programs, and went with live-action educational program.

 

I'm not sure if this block would have the flexibility, like the other blocks do, but should it does, (and you know I'm not advocating this) many Tribune stations would probably take another opportunity to expand their weekend morning news offerings and possibly split the block into two days (i.e. airing three hours on Saturday, air the remaining two on Sunday). At this point, I was pondering how long the CW would continue to be the only one with the cartoons, while the rest have abandon that practice, since the stations have to comply with the 3 hour E/I guidelines and such. I would've though as Tribune is going a whole different direction, they would've accelerate this process sooner.

My question is whether this will be a syndicated package similar to Litton's Weekend Adventure where an ABC affiliate can choose not to air it or is this going to be a you-have-to-air-it kind of situation for CW's affiliate group.

BTW, RIP Vortexx 2012-2014.

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Are children actually stupid enough to watch the drivel that qualifies as cartoons these days? The cartoons of my youth, Underdog, Yogi Bear, Jetsons, Bugs Bunny, etc. were far more entertaining than the crap you see today. Everything was done better back in the old days, from the story line to the humor to the music!

 

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My question is whether this will be a syndicated package similar to Litton's Weekend Adventure where an ABC affiliate can choose not to air it or is this going to be a you-have-to-air-it kind of situation for CW's affiliate group.

BTW, RIP Vortexx 2012-2014.

Wouldn't shock me for the CW to make a deal with Litton. Heck, Litton is already on BOTH ABC and CBS.
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Are children actually stupid enough to watch the drivel that qualifies as cartoons these days? The cartoons of my youth, Underdog, Yogi Bear, Jetsons, Bugs Bunny, etc. were far more entertaining than the crap you see today. Everything was done better back in the old days, from the story line to the humor to the music!

 

 

Unfortunately, yes. I have younger siblings that are six, seven so I can tell you that from experience. I didn't know when it became aceeptable to say "sucks", "screw", "moron" in a children's show.... (I'm looking at you "Irregular Show")

 

end rant

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Another few-days-old story: Jacob Albracht said goodbye last week to KFDA in Amarillo after 7 years of sports anchoring there. He is moving on to a station in Wichita (he didn't say which, but one of you all probably will know or figure out which one) in the next couple of weeks. His weekend counterpart, Matt Hamilton, will now be the primary sports anchor and sports director at KFDA.

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Are children actually stupid enough to watch the drivel that qualifies as cartoons these days? The cartoons of my youth, Underdog, Yogi Bear, Jetsons, Bugs Bunny, etc. were far more entertaining than the crap you see today. Everything was done better back in the old days, from the story line to the humor to the music!

 

It's all been downhill since the introduction of the E/I guidelines of the 1990s....and rogue affiliates pre-empting these shows for weekend news. With the unfavorable demographics and all the restrictions of advertising during these shows, it's no wonder that kids programming has largely abandoned broadcast television for cable, and now Netflix and hulu....

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It's all been downhill since the introduction of the E/I guidelines of the 1990s....and rogue affiliates pre-empting these shows for weekend news. With the unfavorable demographics and all the restrictions of advertising during these shows, it's no wonder that kids programming has largely abandoned broadcast television for cable, and now Netflix and hulu....

 

Honestly, do we even need the E/I requirements nowadays? I don't see where they serve a purpose now, even in low-income households, the majority of PBS affiliates operate a 24 hour kids programming subchannel that is usually more entertaining than your average 7am cartoon on a MNTV station that no one watches.
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Honestly, do we even need the E/I requirements nowadays? I don't see where they serve a purpose now, even in low-income households, the majority of PBS affiliates operate a 24 hour kids programming subchannel that is usually more entertaining than your average 7am cartoon on a MNTV station that no one watches.

 

I thought most programs considered "E/I" outside of NBC's block are live-action shows, most notably wildlife- or career-related.

 

Slightly related, for some reason, Fox Business airs an E/I compliant cartoon regarding childhood financial education on Saturday mornings called "The Centsables," and it's pretty bad. Not "Gina D's Kids Club" bad, but almost there! :) I believe the producers are buying time on the cable channel.

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I thought most programs considered "E/I" outside of NBC's block are live-action shows, most notably wildlife- or career-related.

 

Slightly related, for some reason, Fox Business airs an E/I compliant cartoon regarding childhood financial education on Saturday mornings called "The Centsables," and it's pretty bad. Not "Gina D's Kids Club" bad, but almost there! :) I believe the producers are buying time on the cable channel.

 

Nothing in this world can be as bad as The Doodlebops which used to be on CBS a few years back....
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Then you've never seen "Gina D".

 

From what i've heard about Gina D. here, that's something i should stay away from at all cost, including searching on youtube and the lampooning from the soup i might add. BTW has 'Gina D' herself ever appeared on the soup since and/or does she know her show is getting a funny shellacking from the soup? *haven't watched the soup in a while btw*
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This is going to be a few days old but longtime WKBN meteorologist Don Guthrie has been off the air for over a month due to his fight with pancreatic cancer.

http://m.businessjournaldaily.com/company-news/wkbn-air-story-guthries-cancer-fight-2014-5-27

 

Uggh! He's probably not going to be coming back. Pancreatic cancer is the worst.

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E/I requirements are pretty much useless these days anyway. They get brutal ratings compared to cable and Internet programs, and those are not necessarily limited to a certain time of day (usually Saturday mornings). Also, a lot more people work on weekends these days so the definition is somewhat blurry...

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IMO, the E/I rules aren't really a necessity considering that we have PBS, Nick Jr, Sprout, etc. to teach kids. Lot of E/I shows aren't really all that entertaining except maybe a Litton show or two. I do believe that if the E/I rule was abolished that station would either air more news on the weekends or (in the case of super-small DMAs and Raycom's WOIO) more infomercials.

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From what i've heard about Gina D. here, that's something i should stay away from at all cost, including searching on youtube and the lampooning from the soup i might add. BTW has 'Gina D' herself ever appeared on the soup since and/or does she know her show is getting a funny shellacking from the soup? *haven't watched the soup in a while btw*

 

When the producers of "Gina D" were originally syndicating the show in the mid-2000's, they reveled in the notoriety they got from "The Soup," but Gina D never stopped by the show. IIRC, the show was owned by some penny-stock company that morphed into some phantom TV manufactuing firm, and the distribution rights have jumped a couple times. I don't know who owns the show now or why some stations still air it, given the producer's prior shady dealings.

 

 

 

E/I requirements are pretty much useless these days anyway. They get brutal ratings compared to cable and Internet programs, and those are not necessarily limited to a certain time of day (usually Saturday mornings). Also, a lot more people work on weekends these days so the definition is somewhat blurry...

 

Most E/I shows don't make money for its distributors. They're usually mom-and-pop companies that make money selling programs overseas. I believe the only ones that do are the Litton-produced shows, and that's because they're good at sponsor integration in each show.

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Are children actually stupid enough to watch the drivel that qualifies as cartoons these days? The cartoons of my youth, Underdog, Yogi Bear, Jetsons, Bugs Bunny, etc. were far more entertaining than the crap you see today. Everything was done better back in the old days, from the story line to the humor to the music!

 

 

Preaching to the choir, there (since I'm 27; I'd probably add the Disney Afternoon-era/1990s Warner Brothers cartoons to that list as well).

 

Elsewhere, longtime WFLA anchor Gayle Sierens announces her retirement effective at the end of May 2015.

http://www.wfla.com/story/25671884/wfla-news-channel-8-anchor-gayle-sierens-to-retire-in-2015

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Unfortunately, yes. I have younger siblings that are six, seven so I can tell you that from experience. I didn't know when it became acceptable to say "sucks", "screw", "moron" in a children's show.... (I'm looking at you "Irregular Show")

 

end rant

 

Regular Show's pretty good, but it's for older kids and teens. There are many adult fans, as well. Go to TVTropes and look up "Periphery Demographic".
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Are children actually stupid enough to watch the drivel that qualifies as cartoons these days? The cartoons of my youth, Underdog, Yogi Bear, Jetsons, Bugs Bunny, etc. were far more entertaining than the crap you see today. Everything was done better back in the old days, from the story line to the humor to the music!

 

 

I'm much younger than you, but I do remember all of those things from Cartoon Network and Boomerang. I do have a fondness for Warner Bros. and Hanna-Barbera, but I did revisit Underdog recently and it doesn't hold up to me.

 

CBS's old Saturday morning block, Cookie Jar TV, was pretty bad. The block's namesake and programmer was a Canadian outfit that cranked out cheap garbage primarily to sell to broadcasters outside of Canada and collect Canadian content tax incentives. At least one of the shows, Liberty's Kids, wasn't made by them, though; they inherited it from US-based DIC, which they bought out in 2008 (and gained the rights to program the block from). I've always loathed that one...

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CBS's old Saturday morning block, Cookie Jar TV, was pretty bad. The block's namesake and programmer was a Canadian outfit that cranked out cheap garbage primarily to sell to broadcasters outside of Canada and collect Canadian content tax incentives. At least one of the shows, Liberty's Kids, wasn't made by them, though; they inherited it from US-based DIC, which they bought out in 2008 (and gained the rights to program the block from). I've always loathed that one...

 

The syndicated E/I product from Cassie Yde's TVS is pretty bad, too. I can't imagine how some of the shows her company distributed to stations in the past ten years ("Ultimate Choice"; "What's Up? Que Pasa?"; "Jane's Sew and So") ever made it to air.

 

That's all I'll say about E/I on this thread. Let's get back to "regularly scheduled posts about anchor/reporter moves!"

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We have some departures...

 

Gayle Sierens is stepping down from WFLA's (Tampa) anchor desk in 2015.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/gayle-sierens-stepping-down-from-wfla-anchor-desk-in-2015_b122017

 

Katina Rankin resigns from Jackson's WLBT.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/katina-rankin-resigns-from-wlbt_b122093

 

Meteorologist Bryan Shaw exits Buffalo's WIVB after three years.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/bryan-shaw-makes-quick-exit-from-wivb_b122080

http://blogs.buffalonews.com/talkintv/2014/06/more-on-shaw-arsenio-departures.html?ref=bipn

 

Matt Dougherty left El Paso's KVIA after two years.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/matt-dougherty-signs-off-from-kvia_b122027

 

Sports reporter Steve Dennis out at Dallas/Ft. Worth's KTVT/KTXA.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/steve-dennis-out-at-ktvt-told-station-cutting-back-on-sports_b121918

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Katina Rankin resigns from Jackson's WLBT.

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/katina-rankin-resigns-from-wlbt_b122093

 

"After much prayer and fasting"? Geeze, she took that decision SERIOUSLY.

 

Anywho, Katie Horner has left KMOV to come back to Kansas City to live with her family.

 

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/meteorologist-katie-horner-says-goodbye-to-kmov_b122162

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"After much prayer and fasting"? Geeze, she took that decision SERIOUSLY.

 

Anywho, Katie Horner has left KMOV to come back to Kansas City to live with her family.

 

http://www.mediabistro.com/tvspy/meteorologist-katie-horner-says-goodbye-to-kmov_b122162

 

 

Fasting Chart

 

 

Fasting Across Religions

Do all religions have fasting days? Use this chart to see which faiths have fasting or an equivalent.

 

http://www.beliefnet.com/Faiths/2001/02/Fasting-Chart.aspx#

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