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Game Show Network

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Game Show Network
CountryUnited States
Broadcast areaUnited States
Canada
HeadquartersSanta Monica, California, U.S.
Programming
Language(s)English
Picture format1080i (HDTV)
(HD feed downgraded to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed)
Ownership
OwnerGame Show Network, LLC (Sony Pictures Television)
Sister channels
History
LaunchedDecember 1, 1994; 29 years ago (1994-12-01)
Availability
Streaming media
AT&T TV NowInternet Protocol television
Frndly TVInternet Protocol television
PhiloInternet Protocol television
Sling TVInternet Protocol television

Game Show Network (also known as GSN) is an American basic cable channel that is owned by Sony Pictures Television.[1] The channel's is primarily dedicated to game shows, including both first-run originals and acquired programming. The network has also previously aired reality competition series and televised poker.

As of October 2019, Game Show Network claimed that it was available to "nearly 75 million" households in America, primarily through traditional cable and satellite services.[2] The network and its original programming is also available on streaming and Internet television services, including Philo, fuboTV, Sling TV, Plex, and Pluto TV.[3]

History

1994-2004: As "Game Show Network"

On May 7, 1992, Sony Pictures Entertainment joined forces with the United Video Satellite Group to launch Game Show Channel, which was set to begin in 1993. The announcement of the channel was made by SPE president Mel Harris.[4] Sony Pictures' holdings included those by Merv Griffin Enterprises and Barris Industries, Inc. SPE was in competition with The Family Channel in launching a game show-oriented channel when The Family Channel announced the launch of its own service called Game Channel.

On December 2, 1992, Sony Pictures Entertainment made a deal to acquire the Barry & Enright game show library, and in a separate deal, struck a 10-year licensing agreement for the rights to the Mark Goodson game show library. Upon the deal, Sony said it would sell an equity stake in the network to Mark Goodson Productions, including the production of new original series by Jonathan Goodson Productions.[5] Both deals were completed on December 7, 1992, eleven days before Mark Goodson's death.[6] On June 6, 1994, Mark Goodson Productions pulled out of the venture.[7]

Game Show Network launched at 7:00 p.m. on December 1, 1994,[8] with the first aired program being What's My Line?.[9][10]

In 2001, a massive change in both leadership and programming at the network took place when Liberty Media acquired a 50% stake. Both president Michael Fleming and vice president Jake Tauber departed and former Fox Family Channel president Rich Cronin was hired to head the network.[11]

2004-2017: As "GSN"

On March 15, 2004, Game Show Network began using the abbreviation "GSN" and introduced the tagline "The Network for Games." Soon after, GSN began expanding its programming to include reality television games and various competition-based programs.[12][13][14] The network would also begin producing interactive program blocks during this period, such as GSN Live and Playmania.[15][16]

David Goldhill succeeded Rich Cronin as GSN president on August 1, 2007.[17] A high definition simulcast feed of the network was launched on September 15, 2010 [18]

By March 2011, DirecTV had taken over Liberty Media's then-65% stake in the network. It would then sell a 5% stake in the network back to Sony Pictures Entertainment. Although DirecTV nominally remained the majority owner, it had ceded control of the network to Sony, and had the right to force Sony to increase its stake in GSN to 58%.[19] On November 8, 2012, DirecTV sold an 18% interest in GSN to Sony.[20] GSN partnered with Vubiquity to launch "GSN On Demand" on August 15, 2013.[21]

DirecTV's stake in Game Show Network would move to AT&T when it acquired the service in 2015.[22]

2017-present: Return to "Game Show Network"

GSN Logo from June 3, 2015 to September 30, 2018

In April 2017, David Goldhill stepped down after nearly 10 years as GSN president, the longest tenure for any president to date. He was succeeded by Mark Feldman in August.[23] By November of the same year, the network would refer to itself by its full name during promos.[24]

On October 1, 2018, Game Show Network introduced a new logo to coincide with a return to its original branding [25] and in reflection the network's programming also shifting back towards traditional game show formats.[26]

On November 18, 2019, it was announced that Sony had acquired AT&T's 42% stake.[27]

Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by Game Show Network

Current programming seen on Game Show Network includes original series America Says, Common Knowledge, Catch 21, and Get a Clue; and acquired programming, such as Family Feud, Cash Cab, Match Game and Deal or No Deal.[28][29][30]

Syndication and digital streaming

GSN began syndicating some of its original programming to other channels in the early 2010s. On June 24, 2013, the channel entered into an agreement with Bounce TV, giving it the broadcast rights to The Newlywed Game, Catch 21, and The American Bible Challenge.[31][32] The American Bible Challenge aired in reruns on UP in fall 2013 and again in spring 2015. Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza aired on Laff in 2015.[33] Reruns of America Says aired in syndication during the 2019-20 season.[34]

In March 2020, the network launched Game Show Central, a digital streaming channel broadcasting archived original programming. The network is currently available on Samsung and Vizio smart television sets and ViacomCBS-owned AVOD platform Pluto TV (which also carries rival network Buzzr). Game Show Central features both current GSN originals like America Says and older shows such as Cram, Friend or Foe?, Minute To Win It and Baggage.[35] The Roku Channel picked up the service (with a somewhat different schedule and roster of shows compared to the Pluto TV stream) later in 2020.[36] The service was made available globally via Plex in late July 2020.[37]

Online gaming

In 2007, Liberty Media acquired the Toronto-based FUN Technologies, operator of the popular online tournament casual game website WorldWinner. Following the acquisition, Liberty began to extend the GSN brand into online gaming by re-branding WorldWinner as a GSN service.[38] GSN also launched a social gaming app on Facebook, now known as GSN Casino, featuring skill and casino games along with competitive tournaments. By October 2010, GSN Casino had over 8 million active users. GSN also developed a Wheel of Fortune app for Facebook, released in 2010.[39]

GSN also published GSN Casino mobile apps, featuring various slot machine and bingo games in 2013, GSN Casino was the 10th highest grossing app for iPad on the App Store. In January 2014, GSN acquired Bitrhymes Inc., developers of the social and mobile games Bingo Bash and Slots Bash, for an undisclosed amount. GSN had sued Bitrhymes in November 2013 following its prior offer to acquire the company, arguing that it had attempted to back out of its offer and accept a different one during GSN's exclusive negotiation period.[40][41]

In November 2014, the network announced that a show based on Bingo Bash was in development for Game Show Network's 2015 slate of original programming.[42]

See also

References

  1. ^ "Sony". sony.com.
  2. ^ "Game Show Network Greenlights New Word-Play Game "GET A CLUE," Hosted By Actor Rob Belushi".
  3. ^ "How to Watch the Game Show Network Live Without Cable 2020 – Top 4 Options".
  4. ^ "New York Times" THE MEDIA BUSINESS; Sony Venture to Start Game Show Channel nytimes.com May 7, 1992, Retrieved on January 2, 2020
  5. ^ "Variety" Sony makes a deal for gameshow libraries variety.com December 7, 1992, Retrieved on January 21, 2013
  6. ^ "Highbeam Research" Sony Pictures' secret: Goodson's price is right. (Sony Pictures Entertainment Inc.'s licensing deal with Mark Goodson Productions) highbeam.com December 7, 1992, Retrieved on January 21, 2013.
  7. ^ "Los Angeles Times" Company Town Annex articles.latimes.com, Retrieved on January 21, 2013.
  8. ^ "GSN Corporate - GSN Corporate". Archived from the original on March 9, 2010.
  9. ^ "GSN Official". Facebook. August 29, 2013. Archived from the original on July 7, 2014. Retrieved May 7, 2014.
  10. ^ Nedeff, Adam (April 1, 2014). This Day in Game Show History - 365 Commemorations and Celebrations, Vol. 4: October Through December. BearManor Media. p. December 1, 1994 - Game Show Network Launches. ISBN 978-1593935726.
  11. ^ Umstead, R. Thomas (May 6, 2001). "Game Show Lands Cronin". Multichannel News. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  12. ^ "GSN's World Series of Blackjack Returns with a Stellar Line Up of the World's Top 40 Players". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  13. ^ "Extreme Dodgeball Returns on GSN with a New League, Celebrity Captains and More Intense Action". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  14. ^ "High Stakes Poker is back for Season 4". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  15. ^ "GSN Live". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  16. ^ "GSN: Playmania Times Six". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  17. ^ Moss, Linda (July 25, 2007). "Goldhill Succeeds Cronin Atop GSN". Multichannel News. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  18. ^ "Game Show Network Press Release". Archived from the original on July 27, 2011. Retrieved June 12, 2011.
  19. ^ Goetzl, David (June 30, 2011). "Sony Gains Control of GSN Even With Minority Stake". TVBlog. MediaPost. Archived from the original on December 29, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2011.
  20. ^ "InsideView" Update: DirecTV sells 18% stake in GSN to Sony Archived April 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine insideview.com, Retrieved on November 28, 2012
  21. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  22. ^ "AT&T INC. filed this 8-K on Sep 21, 2018". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  23. ^ Goldberg, Lesley (August 3, 2017). "GSN Promotes Mark Feldman to CEO". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
  24. ^ Saturday Night Classics ! GSN, Dec 22, 2017
  25. ^ @gameshownetwork (October 1, 2018). "It's the first day of our new logo! We're going back to our roots to celebrate our favorite thing: game shows. All day, every day! What do you think?" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  26. ^ "Game Show Network Adds, Renews Series". Multichannel News. April 5, 2019. Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  27. ^ Hayes, Dade (November 18, 2019). "Sony Acquires AT&T's 42% Game Show Network Stake In Deal Worth $500M". Deadline. Retrieved November 18, 2019.
  28. ^ "'Cash Cab': A Game Show Ahead of Its Time". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  29. ^ "Where to find your favorite game shows". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  30. ^ "Popular Game Shows "Deal Or No Deal" and "1 VS. 100" to Debut on Gsn, June 1 and June 6". Retrieved January 1, 2021.
  31. ^ C. Daniel Baker "Black Enterprise" Bounce TV Acquires Broadcast Rights To American Bible Challenge & The Newlywed Game blackenterprise.com, Retrieved on July 1, 2013.
  32. ^ "PR Newswire" Bounce TV Acquires Broadcast Network Rights To The American Bible Challenge and Catch 21, prnewswire.com, Retrieved on July 1, 2013.
  33. ^ "LAFF Launch Schedule and Acquires Spin City; Season 4 of Orange Is the New Black Coming to Netflix". Retrieved December 31, 2020.
  34. ^ Porter, Rick (June 12, 2019). "Sony, Game Show Network Take 'America Says' to Syndication". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
  35. ^ Davis, Alex (March 28, 2020). "So Game Show Network Stealth Dropped a Digital Network and We're Completely On Board". BuzzerBlog. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  36. ^ "Game Show Central". The Roku Channel. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
  37. ^ Cord Cutters News, 2020-07-23
  38. ^ Viscarolosaga, Efrain. "WorldWinner's parent plans a whole new game". Mass High Tech. Archived from the original on August 29, 2011. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  39. ^ Morrison, Chris. "GSN Quietly Grows Large on Facebook With Game Shows and Tournaments". Inside Social Games. Retrieved February 5, 2012.
  40. ^ "Game Show Network Sues After Gaming Company Cancels Acquisition". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 16, 2015.
  41. ^ "That's a Bingo: GSN Gobbles Up Bash Gaming, Ending Lawsuit". Re/code. Retrieved February 26, 2014.
  42. ^ "GSN BUILDS ON 2014 SUCCESS WITH NEW DEVELOPMENT FOR 2015". corp.gsn.com. Game Show Network. Archived from the original on February 17, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2015.

External links

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Game_Show_Network&oldid=998370003"