Bad news about TNN (SpikeTV)

[music_beans]

....they could be bringing back the black bar. There was a show on late last night and they were testing the SpikeTV bugs and stuff (I think they were) when a blank black bar popped under the screen for a few minutes and it went away. That makes me think they could reinstate the hideous black bar.


We may never know! :D

[Cyclone]

It doesn't matter. The last time I watched them, they brought up nearly a full screen commercial graphic during the final seconds before my show went to commercial break. It was an ad for another TNN show, but it was damn annoying.

[IndyMichael]

Not really bad news about Spike TV, it's bad news for Spike TV, I for one will not watch any show, in which they use the black bar.

[Scott Greczkowski]

same here I have been watching more since they got rid of it (now they got the annoying Garry the Rat graphic that comes up occationally that they should get rid of)

If the black bar comes back up again its Bye Bye TNN/SpikeTV again.

[dtcarson]

Is there even a point to that stupid thing? I can kinda see it for CNN/FoxNews, the news networks, for a headline or stock ticker, but the only non-news/financial place I actually saw it being even somewhat useful was on I think Oxygen on an episode of Kate and Allie, where it used it like a trivia line, like Pop-Up Video [although if that's the theme of the program, I'd rather see the popups.]
As far as I can tell when I've seen it being used, it's just told me what the program is. I don't need it sitting there for 30 minutes constantly reminding me what show I'm watching. Even if I didn't have the EPG/program identification, that bar is just **&*@# annoying, not to mention that they 'squish' the picture, so what was a 4:3 image is now a 4:3 image minus 1-2 inches, which distorts everything. Between the bar, the corner bug, 'edited for content and time,' and the 'commercial during the credits' , no wonder I rely so much on DVD. And I haven't even seen what Cyclone is talking about.

Anyone catch the episode of the Simpsons where the Joe Millionaire ad ran across the bottom during the show? It was actually part of the episode, and Homer watched Joe Sixpack run across, followed by the golddiggers, followed by the 'Joe Millionaire--Tonight on Fox', part of which he grabbed and ate, saying 'Mmm...subliminal' *or something, paraphrasing from memory, I know I'm off a little to a lot.*

[Nick]

"I know I'm off a little to a lot."

How well I know the feeling! :D

[Uncle Peter]

The Bar was Red or Blue???

[Cyclone]

Is today Spike day?

[Steve Mehs]

Looks like it is, the bug is on the screen, no bar (at least yet anyway), but the bug is there.

[jeffwtux]

I'm ok with it when it's part of the show and adds to the entertainment value. Like with VH1 popup video. If they want to ad some advertisements to those kind of popups an make more money, I'd be ok with that, but to have a bottom bar that does nothing but promote a future show is a complete waste

[music_beans]

The bug can get annoying. It flips to "First network for men", like the TNN logo, but an animated hand keeps spraying the logo on.

[Danny R]

I'll take a black bar and bug anyday over the half screen promos they also run periodically for shows like Stripperella and Gary the Rat. Those drive me crazy. Luckily I've only got about 2 more months of this channel as I finish out the Highlander series.