When did they start to cut shows for syndication?

[bencasey]

I was watching some episodes of Coronado 9 tonight. This is a made for syndication show that was done in 1960 and the episodes time out at 26 minutes. So that means that even syndicated shows were running that long back then. Just curious as to when it became the norm for shows in syndication to run shorter (or be cut) than network runs.

[Drifter]

That's a tough one but the older the show the more cut up it will be in today's syndication. Half hour shows in the 60s were quite a bit longer than today's shows (25 to even as much as 29 minutes long!) and therefore if shown in syndication today they will have even more edited out of them than a more recent show will. I think first run half hour shows are usually about 23 minutes long today and syndicated half hour shows are about 20-22 minutes long (I might be a bit off with the times). It's great that the DVD format has helped to bring out many of the old shows again, as long as they don't use syndicated prints!

[Mike B]

I believe that out of every 10 minutes of television, 6 are programming and 4 are ads.

This is why I can't fathom living without a DVR these days.

[-=Rudy=-]

Just curious as to when it became the norm for shows in syndication to run shorter (or be cut) than network runs.

The TV experts here probably know more specifics, but it's all about selling more advertising space on TV, and it has increased over the years just like it has done on commercial AM/FM radio.

[reechie]

As early as the mid-70's, I remember ABC cutting several minutes out of "Happy Days" reruns that they showed at 11AM, because they sold more commercial time for daytime TV than for the prime time first runs. So they've been doing it for at least 25 years.

[stereoptic]

Were some shows renamed when they were in syndication if the show was still airing in primetime? I seem to recall that the syndicated M*A*S*H was called M*A*S*H 4077 or something like that back in the early 80's. :confused:

[bartels76]

I think it started w/ I Love Lucy.

[Grant]

On the other hand, the ABC affilliate in Tucson used to run the full-length, uncut episodes of M*A*S*H reruns at 10:30PM, and they ran for about 37 minutes.

It was NOT the 4077 version.

[stereoptic]

On the other hand, the ABC affilliate in Tucson used to run the full-length, uncut episodes of M*A*S*H reruns at 10:30PM, and they ran for about 37 minutes.

It was NOT the 4077 version.


So I wasn't imagining it? There was a M*A*S*H 4077 version?

[Joel Cairo]

"Syndie cuts" have been around since the 60s, at the very least. When "Password" was syndicated in 1969 (prior to its return on ABC), the episodes included some of the color nighttime shows, which had to be edited for time, as they contained fewer commerical minutes than the daytime shows that made up the majority of the package.

As for the "same show, different name" syndrome, it did indeed used to be a common practice for a show that was still in current primetime production to syndicate its previous seasons under a different title, to avoid confusion in the viewing audience about which run consisted of new episodes. Reruns of "Dragnet" were sold as "Badge 714" at one point, and "Bonanza" syndied its past as "Ponderosa".

With regard to the MASH eps, there's no reason that the timeslot they were in **had** to run 37 minutes, it merely reflects the station's desire to sell as much ad space during the show as they can. The actual program content would've been somewhere in the neighborhood of 24 minutes, if the episodes were indeed uncut.

-Kevin

[Grant]

So I wasn't imagining it? There was a M*A*S*H 4977 version? Yeah, but not all stations showed it, and it was only in name. It was the same old MASH reruns. The reason they gave it a different name is so not to confuse viewers with the regular prime-time version.

This has been done a lot through history. Other times there have been two names to avoid confusion of different TV shows altogether (not restricted to reruns):

Emergency/Emergency One
Happy Days/Happy Days Again
Dragnet/Dragnet (plus the year it was made)
Another World/Another World in Somerset
Gilligan's Island/Back On Gilligan's Island
What's Happining/What's Happening Now

[Grant]

I'm getting off topic here, but also, when key members of a show leave, they often carry on some version of it with a name change.

All In The Family/Archie Bunker's Place
Andy Griffith Show/Maberry RFD
I Love Lucy/Here's Lucy/The Lucy Show


Heh! I just thought of spinoffs, but i'll leave that to another thread!

[stereoptic]

As for the "same show, different name" syndrome, it did indeed used to be a common practice for a show that was still in current primetime production to syndicate its previous seasons under a different title, to avoid confusion in the viewing audience about which run consisted of new episodes.

thanks Kevin

Dragnet/Dragnet (plus the year it was made)
What's Happining/What's Happening Now

Grant, from what I remember, Dragnet '67 (and then Dragnet '68...) was the name of the show when they started the new (color) series. It wasn't renamed for syndication. (The original B+W series ran from 1951-59).

Also, What's Happening Now, was the actual name of the new show (new episodes) with the same cast which was broadcast 6 or 7 years later. Maybe they also used it when the original was in syndication, I'm not sure.

[reechie]

I remember seeing syndicated reruns of Ironside renamed as The Raymond Burr Show. :laugh:

[JonUrban]

thanks Kevin



Grant, from what I remember, Dragnet '67 (and then Dragnet '68...) was the name of the show when they started the new (color) series. It wasn't renamed for syndication. (The original B+W series ran from 1951-59).

Also, What's Happening Now, was the actual name of the new show (new episodes) with the same cast which was broadcast 6 or 7 years later. Maybe they also used it when the original was in syndication, I'm not sure.

True! Dragnet 67 and 68 was the ORIGINAL name of the series, which of course was a remake of the original black and white series. These (60's) NBC Dragnets were the ones that TV Land used to rerun, back when they ran old stuff. This series also spawned Adam-12.

[AKA]

It's great that the DVD format has helped to bring out many of the old shows again, as long as they don't use syndicated prints!

There are a few sets, however, that do use syndicated prints.

Make sure you read reviews before you buy TV DVD sets, gang.

[Drifter]

There are a few sets, however, that do use syndicated prints.

Make sure you read reviews before you buy TV DVD sets, gang.
Yes, "The Complete Mr. Bean" is one. Complete my butt!

[Dugan]

I'm getting off topic here, but also, when key members of a show leave, they often carry on some version of it with a name change.

I Love Lucy/Here's Lucy/The Lucy Show


Actually it was I Love Lucy/The Lucille Ball-Desi Arnaz Show.
Here's Lucy & The Lucy Show had different characters. (but I know what you meant.)
:)