Identity Theft: Narrowcasters Getting Too Broad

What is the world coming to?

On May 4th, the Sci-Fi Network aired 4 episodes of LAW & ORDER:SVU back to back to back. Huh? Unless these episodes contained a mini-arc concerning an alien abduction or a detective getting lost in the Bermuda Triangle, someone over at NBC/Universal owes somebody an explanation. Makes as much sense as The Weather Channel showing HAWAII FIVE-O.

It's not just Sci-Fi you know. Cartoon Network recently added SAVED BY THE BELL to their lineup. That's a decision I may never, ever understand. SBTB? Bad idea. No one will ever be able to convince me that show belongs anywhere near that channel. Not gonna happen. You may as well try to convince me that FAMILY MATTERS belongs on Court TV - hey, it's got a cop in it doesn't it?

I'm finding it interesting to see how the business side of TV is nibbling away at the identities of cable network after cable network. There was a time not long ago when they bragged about not having to be 'broadcasters' like the Big 4. Bit by bit, they're changing their collective tune.

Bravo and A&E used to about 'art' - now their about gay designers and biographies. Ooh - wonder who'd get the rights to a biography about a gay designer?

Trio was supposed to about pop culture. Instead, it pooped out and has gone online.

Court TV was live trials, now it's becoming the police drama channel. But that's OK, we can't expect a trial of the century very day of the week.

And then there's the meandering life of TNN/Spike. The Nashville Network - how in the heck did that NOT make money? Well, it started branching out beyond music to become The National Network (a channel with no identity whatsoever) - and somewhere along the way became Spike. "TV's first channel for men" - completely ignoring the fact that ESPN beat them to the punch 20 years earlier.

And speaking of ESPN - there's a channel that knows what it is and is sticking with it. Sure, they throw in an occasional game show, sports movie or reality series, but it's still all about the sports. Are you listening MTV?

MTV. Hmph. Don't get me started. Used to be music TV. Now, it's what they call 'musical television.' Lame, guys. Really lame. And look how long it took to strip MTV2 of it's manhood. In just six months it's become a reality TV slum just like it's big brother.

Well, at least I still have Fuse.

Office pool time - how long before the NFL Network starts showing bowling?