Old school TV 8 promotional videos from 1984

[Sholmes]

They actually had a camera person outside Chopper 8 filming!! WOW. I was not around for the big change in 1983 would be great to see some of those promos

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[format this]

Gary Bazner was quite the character. One hot and dry July day, he stated “It’s so dry out, your nostrils will cement together.” He had some zingers, that’s for sure.


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[originalzzmfmjock]

Here is the story as I recall about Gary Bazner. He was not fired by channel 8. Skip Essick at WOOD radio wanted to hire Baz to take the place of the retiring Bruce Grant. Channel 8 told Skip the only way they would let him hire Baz away was if they could lure Craig James away from WZZM. They did lure Craig away with a lucrative contract and Mr. Bazner was free to do the morning show on WOOD radio.

[rugratsonline]

In 1972, Time-Life sold most of its TV stations to McGraw-Hill, but for some reason kept only one station, WOOD-TV (re-called WOTV that year), in its portfolio until 1983. The reasoning is unknown, especially as Time-Life originally planned to sell ALL its TV stations to McGraw-Hill.

[MasterB]

Cool to see the old promos surprised that WOTV/WoodTV aired prime Wheel in the first few years as I thought it was always WZZM in the 80s until WWMT took Wheel & Jeopardy combo in 93. I knew NBC aired morning/afternoon Wheel in the 80s. Also surprised to see Phil Don & Sally in the promo as I thought WWMT aired those from day 1 and Different Strokes as well I thought that have been on WXMI in the 80s although watched Different Strokes on WKBD. When WKBD was Michigan's superstation in the 80s on the most cable systems in the state.

[Bull Shannon]

Cool to see the old promos surprised that WOTV/WoodTV aired prime Wheel in the first few years as I thought it was always WZZM in the 80s until WWMT took Wheel & Jeopardy combo in 93. I knew NBC aired morning/afternoon Wheel in the 80s. Also surprised to see Phil Don & Sally in the promo as I thought WWMT aired those from day 1 and Different Strokes as well I thought that have been on WXMI in the 80s although watched Different Strokes on WKBD. When WKBD was Michigan's superstation in the 80s on the most cable systems in the state.

Diff'rent Strokes was originally broadcast on NBC, except for its final season which was on ABC.

[rugratsonline]

...Different Strokes as well I thought that have been on WXMI in the 80s although watched Different Strokes on WKBD. When WKBD was Michigan's superstation in the 80s on the most cable systems in the state.

Diff'rent Strokes was originally broadcast on NBC, except for its final season which was on ABC.

I think he was talking about the syndicated reruns.

[dwp49423]

Cool to see the old promos surprised that WOTV/WoodTV aired prime Wheel in the first few years as I thought it was always WZZM in the 80s until WWMT took Wheel & Jeopardy combo in 93. I knew NBC aired morning/afternoon Wheel in the 80s. Also surprised to see Phil Don & Sally in the promo as I thought WWMT aired those from day 1 and Different Strokes as well I thought that have been on WXMI in the 80s although watched Different Strokes on WKBD. When WKBD was Michigan's superstation in the 80s on the most cable systems in the state.

WOTV-8 aired at least the first season of Nighttime Wheel. Trying to remember if it moved to WZZM for season 2 (pairing with the Alex Trebek version of Jeopardy!) or waited one more season before the pair moved. Dawson's version of Family Feud was on WZZM but I don't recall if they dropped Feud before production ceased.

Sally Jesse Raphael started on 8. Growing up, I referred to Sally as "Ratty Tail" as TV=8 aired her show in place of daytime network programming from NBC. TV-8 did this at least three times for game shows and then independent WXMI acted as a secondary affiliate and aired them (Match Game/Hollywood Squares Hour, Time Machine, Super Password).

[matt1]

I guess that someone deleted my message about Pumbaa the warthog (don't call him pig).

[TeleCine]

There's a bit of confusion in some parts of this thread. You have to keep in mind that NBC was in the toilet in the ratings in the late 70s and early 80s so all NBC stations were suffering. This was also a time of innovation, so more live trucks and new ways of presenting news were going to happen, no matter who owned the station. Yes, LIN gets credit for doing a lot of things right but they benefited most of all from Cosby and NBC's rise in the late 80s.