Conference hips::babylon5

    
    Well, WNDS has gone and done the worst already....they are now a
    shopping network. I didn't think it was going to change so rapidly,
    i.e. saw the newsguy mention it like last friday I think (or was it
    thursday) and now the !@^%&^@#%$&#^@ are doing shopping crap all hours
    of the day! Like we NEEDED another shopping channel on cable? What the
    hell is WRONG with these people! I am disgusted with WNDS, after all
    the stuff they showed, ST:TNG, B5, other stuff....
    
    Anyone know of any other stations picking B5 up or UPN changing their
    air time of the episodes?? I'd like to know since it is still in rerun
    status for the next week or so and can afford to miss these last couple
    as I've seen them already.....this STINKS! Sunday is a bit late and my
    VCR is VERY tempermental, I supposed I could put it in 2hr mode and
    start it at 10:00 and just ff through the first half of tape eh?
    
    

  In Mass, channel 38 (UPN) has been airing B5 Saturday nights at 9 PM
  for a month or so.  The only reasonable time I can watch it now.
mk

>  In Mass, channel 38 (UPN) has been airing B5 Saturday nights at 9 PM
>  for a month or so.  The only reasonable time I can watch it now.
>mk

???  Hmmmmm?   This one has totally slipped by me.  I'll have to check into
it.  Do you know which episode it corresponds to?  (repeat of previous Sunday,
or preview of the next days showing?) Or is it just that the
2AM Sunday showing has moved here?   Curioser and curioser...

PeterT

  It was the same episode that aired the next day on WNDS at 5 PM. I believe
 it was not in the TV listings.  I had found it channel surfing.
mk

RE: recent

  The episode shown on saturday nights was on WNDS not UPN38.
WNDS was showing the episode first on saturday, and replaying
it on sunday at 5:00.

bp

   Apologies, bp is correct.  

mk
<channel surfer w/bad memory>

    
    re: last few
    
    I REALLY hope some other station or UPN airs it earlier than it shows
    it on sunday....like friday at midnight! That'd be cool since it was on
    there before (don't remember what channel, 50 or 38) and I can't
    believe that TV50 switched so damn fast to a HSN which we really DO NOT
    need! Argh! Take off good programming for that crap! Makes me want to
    go have a scary talk with some of these people at the station!
    
    Keep us posted if anyone hears anything on the internet newsgroup or
    elsewhere. I'll probably post in there to ask if anyone has heard
    anything else.
    
    

   I don't imagine any other stations in our broadcast area will
pick it up.  I don't know all the FCC rules, but there may be FCC rules
preventing it for stations in MA, or contractual agreements between 
UPN38 and WB.  As for a NH station, we have CH 9, CH 11, CH 50, CH 60
now 2 of these are shopping/infomercial stations so they won't show
it, and 1 is a PBS station, so they won't show it.  This leaves CH 9
which is an ABC affiliate.  They probably have to show what ABC is
showing during heavy viewing times.  They might be able to show it
on off hours, but I doubt they would.  It seems to me they tow the
line as an ABC affiliate.

   I believe ch 9 (WWOR) in NY/NJ area carries B5, but not many cable
systems carry that station.  Years ago, a station could be picked up
and rebroadcast over anyones cable system.  But I think recent changes
in the FCC rules has enabled stations to allow this or not.  CH 9 took
the "Show ME the Money" approach, and charged for retransmission rights.
As a result many cable systems said no thanks, and removed it from their
service.  Even if we could convice our local cable systems to get their
feed, UPN 38 could ask that B5 be blocked out by syndex rules.

   I really dislike having to rely on UPN38 for my feed, but it may
be our only hope.

bp

>    I really dislike having to rely on UPN38 for my feed, but it may
> be our only hope.

Well, in the kind of 'damning with faint praise' vein,  ch 38 hasn't really
screwed up lately.  Though I haven't caught all the re-runs.  There have
been 1 or 2 delays due to late hockey or basketball games, but the show is
shown in its entirety afterwards.  It's kind of bump-proof where it is on 
Sunday night, since they shutdown for the day afterward.  And I must admit,
I got kind of a kick once when I heard Tommy Heinson announce "stay tuned,
immediately following the Celtics Game... Babylon 5!"  ;-)

PeterT

RE: .31

  I agree, that UPN38 has been better.  They still screw up. Ex: this
past weekends showing Sunday night had the sound drop out for
a short period of time.  THey have also randomly inserted commercials
recently where they don't belong, as in right in the middle of
a scene.  The thing that most worries me about relying on them is
that they really don't seem to care about the show.  If UPN decides
to augment their programming, UPN38 could just stop showing it.
They don't think it gets very good ratings, and has only a small
but vocal following.  But I have always felt that this is a false 
reading.  SInce Boston and the surrounding area is a "School" city.  
There is a large population (College people) who don't get registered 
by the ratings.  This is probably one of the biggest demographics that
watch the show.

bp

    ok, so does 38 show it other than at 11 PM Sunday nights?
    

No, 38 also shows it at 2AM Sunday morning.  Which is the repeat of the
past Sunday's 11PM showing.  Not useful for other than taping or late
Saturday night partys...

I know they've had problems with the commercial drop in, but I haven't 
heard about that happening in months.
		
PeterT

Saw part of the Ch 38 "Ask the Manager" show over the weekend.  Once again,
perpetuating the rumor that B-5 has been cancelled (as a reason why they
won't carry it next year).  I expect both statements to be rescinded
(unless there really won't be a season 5), but I'm just getting tired of
them doing this over and over.