GSN

Game Show Network

Country: United States
Launched: December 01, 2004 (Wednesday)

The network licenses the Mark Goodson-Bill Todman game show library, which includes titles such as Match Game, Family Feud, Card Sharks, Trivia Trap, Now You See It, Double Dare, Body Language and Blockbusters, along with various versions of Password.

In the beginning of the network, GSN regularly showcased vintage Goodson-Todman game and panel shows from the 1950s and 1960s - many either originally broadcast or only preserved in black-and-white - such as What's My Line?, I've Got a Secret, To Tell the Truth, Beat the Clock, and others. These classic shows made up much of the channel's lineup at the outset, but have been gradually cut back in prominence since the late '90s. As of October 1st, 2006, only What's My Line? has a regular spot on the schedule, late Sunday/early Monday at 3:00 AM Eastern; it is followed by a selection from various 1950s-1970s Goodson-Todman shows, usually another panel game. On December 31st, GSN will be reinstating the Black and White Overnight to 7 days a week at 3am-4am. The two shows that will take the hour will be What's My Line and the B&W version of I've Got a Secret.

GSN, in addition to its Goodson-Todman library, features other shows such as Jeopardy!, Press Your Luck, Let's Make a Deal, The Newlywed Game and Love Connection, Tic Tac Dough, and Wheel Of Fortune, along with more recent fare like, the 2000 version of Twenty One and Dog Eat Dog, In October, 2003 GSN acquired the rerun rights to Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, and added more episodes (including the Super Millionaire spin-off) in the spring of 2005.

The Price is Right, Goodson-Todman's longest-running game show, did not appear on GSN until December 1996. Episodes of TPIR that featured fur coats, or other animal-related prizes were not aired, following Bob Barker's animal-rights wishes; therefore, the show's GSN premiere was delayed almost two years in order to remove such episodes from the rotation. The show originally appeared on GSN in occasional preemptions of regularly scheduled series such as Match Game or Family Feud. Various versions of the show were broadcast, including those hosted by Barker, Bill Cullen and Tom Kennedy. In December 1996, TPIR began airing regularly on the schedule, with half-hour Barker eps in the morning and hour-long episodes in the afternoon and evening, Kennedy eps in late night, and Cullen eps a part of what was then billed Sentimental Sunday. GSN's contract to air TPIR ended in April 2000 and has not been renewed since then.

Among the most well-known classic game shows previously aired regularly on the network, other than Price: The Joker's Wild, Tattletales, Hollywood Squares, The Dating Game, and various versions of Pyramid. Some of these are still occasionally aired as part of special events.