I’ve got D.C.'s WJLA too – I thought Spin City (one of the few shows I watch) was on at 9, but the t.v. guide had a movie in that time slot. I don’t get t.v. programming scheduling at all. They keep moving shows around and show reruns, and I eventually lose interest. Most of my t.v. viewing is cable now, but I spend more time on the computer or reading than watching t.v.
Moderator - Please close this thread. Thanx.
Rasta, why are you asking the moderators to close all your threads?
Dain Bread - Well, on this particular one, the question has been satisfactorily answered and then some, not to mention the fact that the subject matter is now old news.
Both seem to be up for discussion. Old threads just die…there’s no need to close them.
rastahomie: So, have you heard back from the affiliate yet, have you heard their explanation?
(Here I am, bringing this old dead thread back up…) 
I have noticed this happening with my local affiliate too. No rhyme or reason, they just would not show certain shows. I started to hate my local affiliate - the bastards. I missed out on some episodes of the CBS show “Due South” - there was some old moldy movie scheduled instead. Anyone familiar with “Due South” will know it is about a squeaky-clean Canadian Mounty - not exactly controversial. I still don’t understand why they planned to NOT show it (posted the old movie in the TV Guide, etc.) with no explanation.
Which is why I am glad to have a satellite dish, where I get the West Coast (L.A.) affiliate, who does not pull such stunts. Of course some new law will probably force the Networks off of the satellite dish really soon. Arghhh!!! (This could be a whole new thread - me bitching about THAT!)
No Yosemitebabe, I haven’t heard back from them yet. I’m giving them a few days…
Wanna hear about some REALLY odious programming by a local affiliate? The NBC affiliate in Springfield, IL used to (maybe they still do) pre-empt soap operas in favor of the state High School basketball tournament. Knowing that a) soap fans are pretty ravenous about their favorite shows, and b) most soap fans wouldn’t watch a HS basketball game if it was in their back yard and the beer was free, I’d guess that they got some pretty nasty complaints.
The TV critic for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch called the ABC station for an explanation. The general manager told her the station’s contract with ABC allows them to pre-empt up to 100 half-hours of prime time programming per year. With a deal like that, I guess it’s lucky we got Home Improvement instead of Amazing Discoveries.
Well, that explains HOW they are able to pre-empt, but not WHY?
WHY did they do it? (Because they can? Is that all it takes?) This is the burning question…
Except for the very rare occasion when a station finds a particular episode too hot to handle, they do it for money. During prime time, a TV station only gets a small percentage of the revenue from a network commerical. if they take off the network show and put on their own, they get to keep all the revenue. Now usually, the ratings will be lower, but with more chances to sell commercials during that hour, the TV station will more than make up for the smaller audience.
They did it because they’re stupid. With very few exceptions, media personnel here in St. Louis are utterly clueless.
This is a city where one channel, in an attempt to draw more viewers to its news programs, started running five-minute commercials, each featuring a reporter or anchorperson waxing nostalgic about ips childhood. I dunno about you, but I watch the news for news. I don’t give a crap that the weatherman skinned his knee in the playground; just tell me tomorrow’s temperature and shut up.
I could write a tremendously long post on everything that bothers me about the morons in local media, but it has little to do with the OP, so I’ll just shut up now.
Laugh hard; it’s a long way to the bank.