Buzzr
_Logo.png){kind=logo} | |
| Type |
Digital broadcast television network (game shows) |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Availability | Nationwide via OTA digital television (covering 60% of the U.S.)[1] |
| Founded | January 20, 2015 |
| Slogan | Let's Play |
| Parent |
|
Key people | |
Launch date | June 1, 2015[2] |
Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Affiliates | List of affiliates |
Official website |
www |
Buzzr (stylized as BUZZR) is an American digital multicast television network that is owned by FremantleMedia North America, a unit of the FremantleMedia subsidiary of RTL Group. The Buzzr TV subchannel is seen in 43 U.S. television markets. The network is also available nationwide on free-to-air C-band satellite via Galaxy 19 in the DVB-S2 format. The network is sourcing its programming from the extensive library of classic game shows owned by FremantleMedia, some of which were once part of the Game Show Network's (GSN) programming lineup.[3][4][5] The network marks Fremantle's first entry into broadcasting.[2]
History
The Buzzr brand was first used by Fremantle for a YouTube channel created and produced by its digital content studio Tiny Riot, which debuted in late 2014. The Buzzr YouTube channel features classic clips, and short-form adaptations of its game show properties (such as Family Feud and Password), with internet celebrities as contestants, primarily aimed towards millennials.[4][6][7]
On January 20, 2015, FremantleMedia announced that it would launch Buzzr TV, a digital multicast network that would serve as an extension of the brand; the network, with the Fox Television Stations as its charter station group. Buzzr TV features classic game shows from the company's programming library.[8][9][10]Thom Beers, former CEO of FremantleMedia North America, stated his interest in launching a network centered around its game show content after he joined the company in 2012, calling such a project a "top priority" for Fremantle as a way to help monetize the value of its library. The company intended to focus Buzzr toward older adults, with Beers citing that the "old-format game shows are really, really hard [for the younger viewership that the Buzzr YouTube channel targets] to watch."[4]
The Buzzr television network debuted on June 1, 2015, with the launch preceded by a preview reel outlining its initial programming that aired in an eight-hour continuous loop, starting at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The network formally launched that evening at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time with the 1963 pilot episode of Let's Make a Deal as the first show to be broadcast.[2][11][12][13]
In February 2016, Fremantle was sued by Codename Enterprises, a New York-based web development firm, for trademark infringement, dilution, and unfair competition, as it has done business under the name "Buzzr" since 2009. The suit argued that Fremantle's use of the brand on its YouTube channel had associated it with objectionable content, and alleged that Fremantle had displaced its own YouTube channel URL to point towards it.[14]
Celebrating 75 Years of the TV Game Show
In 2016, to celebrate the upcoming 75th year of the genre,[15] the network plans to create a story arc of the game show with new episodes of favorable classics, along with additional promotions and special marathons all year long.
Programming
FremantleMedia's library of game shows, spanning 154 series and an estimated 40,000 episodes overall, serves as Buzzr's core programming.[16] The network's initial lineup – with series produced from the 1950s to 2000 – includes such programs as To Tell the Truth, Password, Family Feud (encompassing episodes beginning with Richard Dawson as host and dating up to John O'Hurley's tenure), Let's Make a Deal (from Monty Hall's runs as host), What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret, Beat the Clock, Card Sharks, and Match Game.[3][4][5] The Price Is Right may also be included as part of the network's schedule.[17]
Current programming
Special programming
The network also puts on promotional stunts surrounding holidays. Buzzr announced that on July 4, 2015 they would be airing episodes of Body Language, Match Game, Press Your Luck, Card Sharks, Super Password, and Password Plus that originally aired on Independence Day in their respective years.[18]
From September 7 to September 12, 2015, Buzzr aired a specialty block called "Buzzr Lost and Found".[19] This block featured rarely seen shows from FremantleMedia's library, including unaired pilots and short-lived shows.
On October 5, 2015, Buzzr announced their new promotion for their Sunday night lineup block called "Pick & Play",[20] where it allowed viewer votes from a list of six classic shows from FremantleMedia's library (Beat the Clock, Double Dare, Now You See It, Sale of the Century, Trivia Trap and Wordplay). The top three shows that were voted by the home viewers (Beat the Clock, Sale of the Century, and Double Dare) premiered on Buzzr's Sunday night lineup block on October 18.
From December 14 to December 25, 2015, Buzzr aired a special marathon block called a "Betty White Christmas"[21][22] featuring classic game show episodes with famed actress and game show personality Betty White.
On February 7, 2016, Buzzr aired a special marathon event in conjunction with the Super Bowl, called the "Buzzr Bowl". The marathon featured five special Richard Dawson episodes of Family Feud from 1980, featuring the renowned Dallas Cowboys football players playing against the Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders, in addition to five episodes from the Ray Combs era in 1993, featuring the AFC quarterbacks going head-to-head with the NFC quarterbacks.
On Valentine's Day, February 14, 2016, Buzzr aired a special programming block entitled "Love is on the air", which featured shows such as He Said, She Said, Tattletales, Password, Password Plus and Family Feud.
Affiliates
As of February 2016, Buzzr has current subchannel affiliation agreements with television stations in 43 media markets encompassing 26 states and the District of Columbia, covering over 60% of media markets in the United States.[23]
Fox Television Stations was announced as the network's initial affiliate group, airing Buzzr on 12 Fox owned-and-operated stations (including a satellite station of Orlando O&O WOFL, whose sister station WRBW serves as that market's affiliate) and five MyNetworkTV owned-and-operated stations. Buzzr has affiliates in all 10 of the largest and 15 of the 20 largest U.S. television markets (including New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Boston-Manchester and Dallas–Fort Worth), with an initial reach of 37% of U.S. television homes.[3][8][17] In four of the network's launch markets (New York City, Los Angeles, Dallas–Fort Worth, and Phoenix), Buzzr is affiliated with stations whose subchannels the network occupies were previously affiliated with Bounce TV; as a result of a March 2014 agreement with Univision Communications, Bounce TV moved its affiliations in those markets to Univision-owned stations in late May 2015, shortly before Buzzr launched.[24]
Debmar-Mercury (which serves as the distribution partner for the current syndicated run of the Fremantle-produced Family Feud) was hired by FremantleMedia to handle responsibility for the recruitment of affiliates through agreements with other broadcasting companies.[3][5][17][25] The network hopes to expand its charter affiliate footprint to reach markets covering 50 million U.S. households with at least one television set.[4]
List of current affiliates
References
- ↑ TVNewsCheck (January 20, 2016). "Six Months In, Diginet Buzzr Ups Its Reach". Retrieved February 1, 2016.
- 1 2 3 4 Padovano, Joanna (April 14, 2015). "FremantleMedia North America Hires for Buzzr Channel". World Screen. WSN Inc. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Fox O&Os Game For Latest Diginet: Buzzr TV". TVNewsCheck (NewsCheck Media). January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- 1 2 3 4 5 Spangler, Todd (February 10, 2015). "FremantleMedia Hits on ‘Buzzr’ YouTube Channel with Classic Game Show Reboots". Variety. Retrieved February 11, 2015.
- 1 2 3 "Fox TV Stations Bolsters Game Show Content With Buzzr TV". Deadline.com (Penske Business Media). January 20, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ Albiniak, Paige (January 20, 2015). "Fox TV Stations Acquire Buzzr TV, New Multicast Net from FremantleMedia North America". Broadcasting and Cable (NewBay Media). Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ Todd Spangler (February 23, 2016). "FremantleMedia Sued Over 'Buzzr' Game-Show TV Network Name". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- 1 2 Wayne Friedman (January 20, 2015). "Buzzr TV Joins TV Diginet Race". MediaPost (MediaPost Communications). Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ Cynthia Littleton (January 20, 2015). "Fox Stations to Launch Game Show Digital Channel From FremantleMedia". Variety (Penske Media Corporation). Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ Michael Schneider. "Retro Game Shows Find a New Network Home". tvinsider (tvinsider.com). Retrieved January 27, 2015.
- ↑ Clive Whittingham (April 14, 2015). "Fremantle builds up Buzzr team". C21 Media. C21 Media Limited.
- ↑ "Monty Hall makes 'Deal' for classic games". USA Today (Gannett Company). June 1, 2015.
- ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (June 1, 2015). "New Digital Multicast Network Buzr Launches Today, June 1, 2015". TV by the Numbers (Press release). Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ↑ Spangler, Todd (February 24, 2016). "FremantleMedia Sued Over 'Buzzr' Game Show TV Network Name". Variety. Retrieved February 24, 2016.
- ↑ Celebrating 75 Years of the TV Game Show
- ↑ Megan Daley (January 20, 2015). "Fox Television Stations gets rights to classic game show library Buzzr TV". Entertainment Weekly (Time Inc.). Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- 1 2 3 Alex Ben Block (January 20, 2015). "Fox TV Stations to Air Classic Game Shows From Buzzr TV's Massive Library". The Hollywood Reporter (Guggenheim Digital Media). Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda. "Buzzr Celebrates Independence Day Through the Years With Special 4th of July Television Event". zap2it. Retrieved 29 June 2015.
- ↑ Kelley, Seth (August 21, 2015). "Buzzr Sets Programming Block of Failed Game-Show Pilots". variety.com. Retrieved August 25, 2015.
- ↑ "Buzzr Asks Game Show Fans to Program Its Sunday Night with Retro Episodes". TV Insider. October 5, 2015. Retrieved 5 October 2015.
- ↑ Bubbeo, Daniel. "'A Betty White Christmas': Buzzr airing Christmas Day Marathon of her game shows". newsday.com. Retrieved December 18, 2015.
- ↑ "Betty White Christmas". Retrieved December 14, 2015.
- ↑ "Stations for Network - Buzzr TV". RabbitEars. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
- ↑ Jon Lafayette (March 4, 2014). "Exclusive: Bounce TV Extends Univision Deal". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Retrieved March 4, 2014.
- ↑ Paige Albiniak (January 20, 2015). "Fox TV Stations Acquire Buzzr TV, New Multicast Net from FremantleMedia North America". Broadcasting & Cable (NewBay Media). Retrieved January 23, 2015.
- ↑ "Stations for Network - Buzzr TV". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
External links
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