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8/7: Wheel/Jeopardy moving
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The two most popular syndicated game shows for the past couple of decades, “Wheel of Fortune” and “Jeopardy” are finding new homes starting Sept. 10 on WATL-TV (My ATL TV)
Currently, “Jeopardy” is on at 4:30 p.m. on WXIA-TV and “Wheel” is on at 7:30 p.m. on the same station. Starting Sept. 10, “Wheel” will be on WATL at 7 followed by “Jeopardy” at 7:30.
For “Jeopardy” fans who work 9 to 5, this is great news. The show used to be paired with “Wheel” on WXIA but when WXIA added a 7 p.m. local newscast four years ago, “Jeopardy” got bumped to 4:30. “Jeopardy” ratings have been relatively poor in that time slot, a distant third this past May behind WSB-TV’s “Oprah” and WAGA-TV’s “Divorce Court.”
“Wheel” has done well at 7:30 p.m., finishing a solid second behind WSB-TV’s “Entertainment Tonight.”
This move helps pair the two game shows back to back again, which is common across the nation. And there are more eyeballs at 7 to 8 p.m. than 4 to 5 p.m.
The two stations are both owned by Gannett so this is not a case of poaching. In fact, it’s more a case of Gannett trying to help out WATL, which had been one of the most popular WB affiliates in the country until the WB merged with UPN a year ago to become the CW. Locally, the UPN affiliate grabbed the new network, home to “The Gilmore Girls” and “America’s Next Top Model,” and left WATL without a primetime schedule.
When Fox offered up its “My Network TV” packed with telenovelas, WATL grabbed it more out of default than anything else, but for the past year, ratings have been abysmal. This fall, My Network is mixing reality shows with ultimate fighting and movies.
In other changes at the two networks next month:
Entertainment news show “The Insider” will move to the 7:30 p.m. slot on WXIA-TV, competing head to head with WSB’s “Entertainment Tonight.”
WATL has been airing a double helping of “The Simpsons” at 7, but starting Sept. 10, those episodes will move to 11 p.m., bumping back “Friends” and “Everybody Loves Raymond” to after midnight.
On WXIA-TV, there are several other changes in the offing. A fourth hour of the “Today” show at 10 a.m. weekdays bumps “Martha Stewart” to 2 p.m. “Passions” will no longer air on the NBC affiliate. “Millionaire” will now get a double shot at 4 and 4:30 p.m. and at 12:30 p.m., Merv Griffin’s new “Crosswords” game will debut.
WATL has been airing the cancelled “The Greg Behrendt Show” at 2 p.m. But next month, Greg will be replaced by Jerry Springer’s security officer Steve Wilkos. That is not a typo.
I’ll post upcoming changes later on WAGA-TV and WGCL-TV and the new WPCH-TV, which is effectively replacing WTBS-TV (a separate TBS channel will pop up if you have a cable or satellite service.).
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By Raymon King
August 8, 2007 8:20 AM | Link to this
O. K. with me! Both together welldone.
By HDmania
August 8, 2007 9:50 AM | Link to this
Does this mean the Wheel won’t be available in HD?
By Katie
August 8, 2007 9:59 AM | Link to this
That’s great news. I have missed watching Jeopardy since I’ve been in Atlanta. I was surprised when I moved here and it was on at 4:30 in this market.
By Doug D
August 8, 2007 10:12 AM | Link to this
Hey Rodney,
I’ve been listening to chris rude since he has been in atlanta. I have been listening to his show pretty regular on the fan in the last few months. The last 2 weeks they have introduced a possible third guy for the show. Sort of like a comedian type guy they call him New York Nick. I was wondering if this guy is eventually going to be part of the show. They are calling him as of right now chris rudes stalker. Is this a way they are trying to introduce him to the listeners? They also are having him do interviews out and about in sports bars. Kinda like southside steve used to do for 96 rock. This guy is funny and hilarious and i think he would be a great addition to the show. Do you think you can get some info on this guy.
Doug D.By LionelHutz
August 8, 2007 10:14 AM | Link to this
WATL is making a major mistake of moving the Simpsons to late-night. Many people coming home from work around 7pm depend on the double dose of the Simpsons. The Fox station in Washington DC tried this move several years ago and their ratings suffered so badly (and they got such negative feedback) that they were forced to put the Simpsons back on.
By JD
August 8, 2007 10:39 AM | Link to this
WXIA needs to dump the 7PM newcast. The two other stations have 5 and 6 o’clock news. Don’t forget about CNN and Fox. Put Jeopardy/Wheel back on WXIA at 7pm and leave the Simpsons in the current slot.
By Jeff
August 8, 2007 11:28 AM | Link to this
At least Jeopardy! won’t get preempted by dumb golf or tennis tournaments when it airs on WATL. WXIA really screwed Jeopardy! fans when they would preempt Jeopardy! for golf or tennis and not re-schedule the missed shows.
By Maria
August 8, 2007 11:36 AM | Link to this
I’ll be so happy to be able to watch Jeopardy again, but I have mixed feelings about losing my evening dose of Simpsons! It’s good to kick back and laugh after work. I can’t stand the Wheel, so maybe I’ll be popping in one of my Simpsons DVDs at 7 and then flipping over to Jeopardy at 7:30.
The 7 PM hour is usually my only TV for the day. I really doubt I’ll stay up to watch Simpsons reruns at 11.
By Jean
August 8, 2007 11:55 AM | Link to this
Thanks so very much! I and many others who like this show can now watch it. The new time is the time it was for a long time till changed to afternoon. The new time is the time it shows in most other places as I have experienced when traveling.
By Joey Mills
August 8, 2007 12:25 PM | Link to this
WATL will get hundreds of complaints. I want my Simpsons still to air for an hour at 7pm. I sure as hell not interested in the granny game shows nor Brenda Wood and some stupid entertainmenr show. People want to escape the reality of the day with an hour of the Simpsons.
By Kat
August 8, 2007 1:15 PM | Link to this
Well, I hate to say I told you so, but…I actually complained to WXIA when they moved Jeopardy to 4:30. The main audience for that show is intelligent, educated people, most of whom are at work at 4:30.
By deej
August 8, 2007 2:02 PM | Link to this
By Kat August 8, 2007 Well, I hate to say I told you so, but…I actually complained to WXIA when they moved Jeopardy to 4:30. The main audience for that show is intelligent, educated people, most of whom are at work at 4:30.
People never cease to amaze me. Dare I say “most” intelligent, educated people have positioned themselves to be wherever they so choose at 4:30, and are not required to be glued to the office. Hope I haven’t rained on the self-celebration.
Oh, and I understood exactly what you meant. There are just those out there who would laugh at your thinking that you set the bar.
By G5
August 8, 2007 2:55 PM | Link to this
What No Simpsons!!
The little number of viewers that were still watching WATL has just decreased even more.
Jeopardy is for Geeks and Wheel is for Freaks. MYATL should change their name to Bad ATL.
By sean connery
August 8, 2007 5:11 PM | Link to this
Not fond of the ladies are we Rodney?
By Roz
August 8, 2007 5:18 PM | Link to this
I am ecstatic to hear this news! When they bumped Jeopardy to 4:30 years ago, I was just crushed. I don’t get a chance to watch much tv, and Jeopardy was truly my favorite show —bar none! I can’t even believe it took this long to move it back! Thank you!
By Mighty Thor
August 8, 2007 6:08 PM | Link to this
DOH! Don’t move the Simpsons
By 21st Century for 100, Alex
August 8, 2007 6:17 PM | Link to this
This good news will be even better if WATL ever wakes up and realizes that 21st century TV viewers enjoy watching programs that are broadcast in high definition.
By Christopher Cook
August 9, 2007 8:14 AM | Link to this
Jeopardy is for Geeks and Wheel is for Freaks.
Wrong. Star Trek is for geeks and Jerry Springer is for freaks.
By moving to channel 36, Wheel and Jeopardy! are going to take an initial dive in the ratings because people will tune in and not see them on channel 11. There are other stations on UHF that run the shows (ch. 38 in Boston, ch. 39 in San Diego) where they do quite well, but we’re talking about a station here affiliated by a network virtually nobody watches.
By Joey Mills
August 9, 2007 6:00 PM | Link to this
By Kat Well, I hate to say I told you so, but…I actually complained to WXIA when they moved Jeopardy to 4:30. The main audience for that show is intelligent, educated people, most of whom are at work at 4:30.
So are you saying that main audience for Jeopardy are a bunch of douche bags? Or is it the powers the be at Gwinett who is screwing the viewers of the Simpsons? I think it’s both.
By Earl M. Tapley
August 22, 2007 3:00 PM | Link to this
How can I become a home player on Wheel of Fortune?