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The rise of the daytime talk show in the late 1980s and early 1990s threatened the majority of game shows on broadcast television, but they are still alive and kicking on cable.
"The market that is most appropriate for game show development has become cable," says Bob Boden, a self-described game show historian and fanatic who is also a vice president of The Family Channel. "There has been more activity in cable game show production than there ever was on a network."
The Family Channel is cranking up its game show production with four new weekday game shows: Shop Till You Drop, Shopping Spree. Wait Till You Have Kids and Small Talk. The weekends will also feature Family Challenge.
"Game shows make a lot of sense for The Family Channel," Boden says. "We're calling on a genre that not only has family appeal but is efficient to produce and traditionally finds a balanced and dedicated daytime audience."
Game shows are one of the most inexpensive forms of television, with low production costs and inexpensive "talent." The contestants and the host are considered the talent, and if the contestants for some reason try to hold out for $100,000 per episode, they can be sent away-even without a parting gift. The payout to the contestants is often a wash for game shows, which acquire prizes free,...