Grand Ole Opry Dumps CMT

[Karl Foster]

In a move that will p*ss off and stun most country music fans, The Grand Ole Opry has moved it's signature show "Grand Ole Opry Live" from CMT to GAC effective October 1st. I read it next week's TV Guide. Apparently CMT offered to carry the series as 12 specials during the year, while GAC offered to carry the series in it's original format as a weekly series. The problem definitely lies with CMT. They need to put the COUNTRY MUSIC back in COUNTRY MUSIC TELEVISION. It is turning into MTV for country music rather quickly.

As a die-hard country music fan, "Grand Ole Opry Live" has been a link between the older and newer artists and was one of my favorite shows.

If you have GAC, nothing will really change, but for Diretv subs, the show basically just goes away. Ugh! Not a deal-breaker, but the whole situation stinks. I sent an e-mail to Directv to request they add GAC:

Account Number: 017******

E-mail Address: "Karl Foster"<fosterhkm@earthlink.net>

Topic Selected: Programming

Subject: Great American Country

Details: I am a two-year customer of Directv with three PVR's, so I am
committed to Directv, but I would like to request a station to be added.
Great American Country (GAC) will now be the only network showing "Grand
Old Opry Live." This is a station that is offered on my local cable
lineup as well as on Dish Network. When will this be added to Directv? This is a station I would like to see. Thanks.

This is the response I received from them:

Dear Karl,

Thanks for writing. I understand the loyalty of Grand Ole Opry fans and
we're sorry that it won't continue on Country Music Television (CMT). I
have forwarded your email on to our management so they'll know how
important this show is to you. By the way, you can still catch the
"Grand Ole Opry Live" on many radio stations nationwide, including the
Armed Forces Radio network. To find out which radio station is playing
the "Grand Ole Opry Live" in your area, or to listen to a webcast of the
program, visit www.opry.com.

Additionally, we're always looking for ways to enhance our services, and
customer suggestions are very valuable. In fact, we often select future
programming based on requests from customers. We also conduct surveys on
a regular basis to get programming ideas. Our various research methods
ensure that we consider the best programming options for our customers.

Thanks again for writing and please continue to visit our web site at
DIRECTV.com for the latest news and information about our services.

Sincerely,

Clerina
DIRECTV Customer Service

While their response is cordial, it is hardly encouraging. Once again Ugh! :nono:

[SamC]

The strip job on TNN/CMT continues. TNN (Nashville) was a viable niche channel. Viacom comes in an turns this unique effort into just another rerun channel, something we already had 15 of, and one with a less deep vault than the others. It fails, so they rename it, with no change in programming, getting sued in the process, and call it "the first network for men". What, exactly is ESPN? Its companion CMT inherited the country music show, including the Opry, and they p**s that away for "new country" which is just pop.

Heck, these people tore down Opryland and then wondered why nobody stay in the hotel next door anymore.

Nitwits.

[Steve Mehs]

CMT has really gone down hill. Back in the early '90s if all music videos, with little or no commercials, then it was a commercial every 3 videos and now its the hip and stylish country version of MTV.

My country tastes are starting to move toward alt and progressive country, I can't stand the stuff Nashville pushes out anymore. At work yesterday they had the local Top 40 station on. If it wasn't for the station IDs/promos in between songs I would have thought the country station was on. Shania, Faith and Lonestar were all played in a row. I'll take true country artists who are not as well know over those three any day. I'd like to see some of the alternative arists and bands make some videos but they don't have the backings of major labels.

[dishrich]

There is also VH-1 Country - our local Insight cable just added it. (along with EVERY other MTV/VH-1 multiplex) Anyone ever seen it? If it's anything like VH-1 Classic, maybe it might be more of what CMT USED to be...

[Brett]

I have seen VH1 Country on Comcast Digital Cable. It plays different videos from CMT.

I have seen GAC on Dish and originally on Comcasts in Georgia and Maryland, though the Comcast in the MD area near Baltimore, dropped GAC with CMT in replace.

After Viacom acquired TNN and CMT, Viacom was demanding cable systems also carry CMT after TNN dropped country. Viacom owns up to 10+ cable channels, CBS, and uses retransmission to force cable systems to carry whatever they want; TNN and CMT are very commercial, and Viacom wants those ads being seen.

(Isnt it odd the FCC supported retransmission (1992 Cable Act, SHVIA) to protect broadcasters when what happens is virtually the entire analog spectrum just becomes of channels owned by few companies, leading to a general bland quality of selection.)

GAC unfortunately was dropped as cable providers like Comcast in the Mid Atlantic area dont want to carry 2 country video channels in analog. Comcast should add GAC and all these missing cable networks in digital with the capacity they have.

IIRC, the GAC channel is free, or of very low programming cost, since its mostly videos. The same owners own the PIN channel, an infomercial channel.

http://www.mediaamerica.com/networks/cable/main.shtml

Dish added both at the same time. Comcast, cable systems or DirecTV could easily sign an agreement without rates needing to be increased.

VH1 Country has no infomercials at night. CMT does. The only commercials on VH1 Country are VH1 promos. VH1 Country would pretty much also be a freebie that the providers can add.