GSN averaged about a 0.35 rating for those two weeks. That’s not far from the average prime time ratings the network chalked up in 2007, if the CableWorld charts are to be believed. So the network is probably getting about the same overall ratings as it did way back when it was supposedly “sticking to its roots.”

In between a few things happened. Millionaire was the biggest. The show was the the best and most consistent ratings-getter GSN ever had. Some (but by no means all) of the Boden originals also did well, Lingo and Russian Roulette in particular. Amazing Race also debuted to very good numbers, especially in 18-49 where the very old-skewing GSN has always struggled.

Those effects have now pretty well worn off, and GSN looks to be back to 2001-and-before ratings levels. You might say those levels are the hardcore game show audience (plus some other viewers for the poker shows). The difference is that the network is now available in almost twice as many households as it was in 2001. So the network has a much higher number of viewers. That growth plus severe cost-cutting have made the network profitable, if Variety is to be believed.

Just a few days ago Reuters published a story that High Stakes Poker and the World Poker Tour are among the top-rated 18-49 shows on GSN. In fact, Reuters says HSP is THE top-rated 18-49 show on the network. The story wondered why GSN would cancel its highest rated show in 18-49. That would normally be considered a suicidal move by any television operation. But the article noted that GSN has alerady apparently axed Lingo, its fourth-highest rated show in 18-49.

I think it’s mostly cost-cutting, plus an unwillingness to renew anything left over from the Rich Cronin era. Retuers considers these possibilities in the article, by the way.

I believe PYL was once distributed by Republic Pictures. GSN has the 1982-88 “The New $25,000 Pyramid”. The syndicated version of “SOTC” was distributed by Genesis Entertainment, which is now part of News Corp. Rupert Murdoch and Reg Grundy are both Aussies, so this might work out after all.

The last 2 Perry seasons of “SOTC” are still intact, as well as the 1985-86 version. “Scrabble” is owned by either Hasbro or Fremantle.

CBSTD owns the rights to the Cullen “$25K” and the Davidson “$100K”. “The $1,000,000 Chance of a Lifetime” may still be owned by Warner Bros. (through Lorimar-Telepictures). If GSN can get “Love Connection”, they can get the other one, too.

What do you think about that?

As for TPiR, I’m under the impression that it’s either CBS or Fremantle who doesn’t want the show airing anywhere other than CBS, with the exception of DVD sets. Whoever made the decision wanted a little too much money from GSN, which is why we’ve gone 8+ years without it on GSN.

Again, my memory is very fuzzy, and if I can find it in ATGS’s archives, I’ll post it…

Let’s hope GSN wakes up, and starts to spend money on actual game shows, and not more sports related programming (poker shows) or reality programs (i.e. “The Amazing Race.”)

Why not try to acquire “Scrabble”, “$ale Of The Century”, “The 25,000 Pyramid” and the rest of “Press Your Luck” for starters… Yes, I know how Fremantle is ‘holding the shows hostage’ with its outrageous asking prices (ditto for Sony and “Pyramid”), but just to think - USA showed all of these shows with no problems in the 80’s and 90’s - if GSN was a true game show network, they’d do everything in their power to obtain shows like this, and also show others gathering dust like “Tattletales” and “Match Game ‘90.”

* “MDP” is a supposed hit, right? I’d be getting all the CBS primetime episodes of “Password” and airing them with “Password +” and “Super Password”.
* “TPIR: MDS” is another hit. So, I’d get a couple dozen Barker-approved episodes of the original “TPIR” and air them in primetime.

What do you think?

No original has been as hip or interesting or exciting as that batch back then. They need some inspiration.

As for the WPT - I’m not a huge fan of the show or televised poker in general (though I’ll take it over Whammy! any day), but I’m pretty shocked to see GSN possibly giving it up. I know they’re pinching pennies right now, but I figured maybe they were just saving money for the next season of WPT. But I guess I can’t complain if they go back to all traditional game shows.