Summary
HOLLYWOOD - It's taken more than 50 years of TV evolution, but the prime time rerun is rapidly becoming an endangered species.
With the six broadcast networks unveiling their 2004-05 schedules to advertisers this week, it's become clearer than ever that TV bosses are taking sledgehammers to the templates that ruled nightly household viewing since the waning years of the Truman administration. As they try to stave off fierce cable competition and chase the young adults prized by advertisers, networks are loading up on high-concept 'reality" shows and rejiggering lineups at the last minute. As a result, they're using reruns more sparingly than ever or, in many cases, banishing them entirely.See the full content of this document
Extract
Broadcasters Start to Shelve Prime-Time Reruns
Admittedly, this is one funeral that might not attract many mourners. Indeed, viewers grew so averse to repeats that a few years back, NBC tried to reposition the encores with a chirpy marketing slogan: "If you haven't seen it, it's new to you!" But the decline of reruns signals larger changes that are having enormous impact for vi...
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