Tuned In: Catching Up

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It’s been awhile since my last post, so let’s get caught up on some classic TV news:

  • Weigel Broadcasting has launched a spinoff of its popular diginet MeTV Network. H&I (Heroes and Icons) showcases action, police and western programming, including Batman, Kung Fu, The Untouchables and The Wild Wild West. It is currently available on the digital subchannels of Weigel stations in Chicago, Milwaukee and South Bend IN.
  • Speaking of digital broadcast networks, Grit TV will soon increase its coverage to nearly 75% of United States TV households. Sinclair Broadcast Group is adding the male-focused diginet to 47 stations across the country, including stations in Seattle, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Baltimore and Nashville. Grit airs mostly action and adventure movies from such studios as Paramount, Sony and Warner Bros.
  • Classic TV diginet MeTV is adding 5 new affiliates to its network. They include WHIO Dayton OH, WJRT Flint MI, KEZI Eugene OR, KERO Bakersfield CA and WKTV Utica NY. The total number of MeTV affiliates is now 166, reaching 92% of the U.S.
  • CBS is now offering a subscription streaming service that includes most current programs and a number of classics from the CBS library. CBS All Access claims to offer over 6,500 episodes, including such classic shows as The Andy Griffith Show, The Brady Bunch, Hawaii Five-O, I Love Lucy, Mission: Impossible, Perry Mason, Star Trek, Taxi and The Twilight Zone. The service costs $5.99 a month.
  • We said goodbye to several classic TV friends within the past month. Actress Polly Bergen guested on such classic shows as Dr. Kildare, The Love Boat and Wagon Train. She was a panelist on the original version of To Tell The Truth and most recently had a recurring role on the ABC drama Desperate Housewives. Bergen is perhaps best known for her role as Gregory Peck’s wife in the 1962 film Cape Fear. Also passing away recently: writer Sam Hall (he wrote for ABC daytime dramas Dark Shadows and One Life to Live) and actor-director Geoffrey Holder. Holder guested on It Takes A Thief and Tarzan (starring Ron Ely), but many remember him for his role in a series of commercials for the soft drink 7UP.

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3 thoughts on “Tuned In: Catching Up”

  1. Just watched 3 episodes of “Rat Patrol” .. Great show. Please keep it on the air. I tried to set for more episodes but unavailable.

  2. H&I recently launched in the new year here… and even in the pre-launch Promos they were advertising several series as “Coming Soon” (Commish, 21Jumpstreet, NYPD Blue, among Others) here we are the last week of February and save for a day or two when my Digital guide gave the details for the new line up while airing the launch line up, there has been no indication as when they will integrate the Cop shows into the western/war heavy line up

    so Any Idea when these shows make their H&I debut…

    I rather enjoy some of the classics, as H&I introduced me to Cheyenne and Stagecoach West… but after 6? weeks of ‘coming soon’ I’m getting curious as to when soon will be…
    — and if possible I’d like to watch some of the ‘new to H&I’ series from the beginning as I was too young to ‘get it’ when they originally aired

    • I am guessing you may start to see some of these shows in April. Many of the classic diginets, including MeTV, tweak their lineups in the spring.

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