The saying above is an old Texas expression about loyalty. It means stick to the strategies that brought success in the first place. Something I wish the cable networks would do.
As cable and dish have made more and more channels available to us, we’ve watched new networks debut with a promise to bring programming of interest to a specific population, only to change a few years later to chase another demographic. It’s one thing when USA, TNT, TBS or WGN decides to do this, but when the name of the network implies one thing and the programs reflect something different … well … that borders on fraud.
If we watch the Biography Channel, which spun off from a popular show on A&E, we might see “Murder She Wrote.” Whose biography is that? It’s a story about Jessica Fletcher and her unfortunate friends. Being an acquaintance of the famous mystery writer means two things. First, someone you know will be murdered, and second, someone you know is the murderer.
And A&E, which stands for Arts and Entertainment and promised high quality programing from the entertainment and art world, is another good example. A better name now would be the crime/drug rehab channel. Bravo is also a network that changed its focus. It tends to repeat the same movie or syndicated drama several times throughout the evening. This may be a staffing issue. Set the feed on automatic pilot and clock out.
MTV (Music Television) was to bring pop videos to its young audience. Now they are featuring a reality show – “Sixteen and Pregnant.” The Learning Channel (aka the Jon and Kate Channel) has decided to teach us all about people who are differently challenged, i.e. “The 650 Pound Virgin,” “Conjoined Twins,” “The World’s Tallest Children,” and “Little People.”
AMC – American Movie Classics, seems to have redefined what constitutes a classic, and their pledge to show movies commercial-free went down the tubes a few years ago. Oxygen, touted as a channel about issues important to women, now features overweight females trying to dance and “America’s Next Top Model,” programs that appear to me to be exploitive. WE – Womens’ Entertainment, broadcasts hours and hours of “Bridezilla”, showing women in their worst light.
I feel I’ve just scratched the surface here. You could add more, and I invite you to vent your dissatisfaction/disillusionment with the fare offered on cable/dish.
Oh, one more thing. Be sure to screen the commercials when your children are in the room. The show may be rated G but you could still find yourself explaining to your child what Bob is so danged happy about.