topic Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV? in Community Chat

DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

HHC1 — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 02:02:48 GMT

Good evening,

I just read an article today about yet another former TRUTV anchor leaving HLN. Vinnie Politan was part of a group of "Rockstar" attorney / anchors who covered our nations most sensational trials (Casey Anthony, Jodi Arias, Sandusky, Pistorious etc). Several months ago, HLN took over coverage of all of TRUTV's trials and retained some of the legal network's anchors. Unfortunately, HLN offered an inferior product that offered truncated trial coverage and non-stop commercials. Needless to say, the former TRUTV anchors and viewers were not happy. Meanwhile, TRUTV has become a dumping ground for some "reality" shows. I can that in the future, another network will recognize the value of providing complete trial coverage.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

MathisFan — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 05:04:50 GMT

Wish it was still Court TV.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

esmerelda — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 05:08:26 GMT

That's a shame.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

hckynut — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 05:43:35 GMT

It's a shame that a bigger network doesn't take over the Live Court Room Trials. I used to DVR all the trials on HLN as soon as I realized what "In Session" was all about. Use to read the title in the listing and never bothered to look to see what it was about. Once I saw it was live trials? Was on of my favorite networks to DVR.

I remember the name Court TV, but there again I never turned it on to see what it was about. And me loving trials, either watching them or being on a jury. Don't know if HLN just couldn't attract sponsors like the big cable networks or why they stopped showing the live trials.

Always liked listening to Vinny and also liked his show that lasted a short while called HLN After Dark, I think that was the name. Use to recap the day's trial and have a mock jury that voted on certain issues. I just happened to have DVR HLN News and heard Vinny say his goodbye to everyone. Anyone know where he is going or what he is going to do?

There a few programs I DVR on TRUTV, but there are very few that are new shows. Most of them are reruns and way too many are ridiculous shows in which I have zero interest in watching them.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

bikerbabe — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 05:59:18 GMT

Good riddance. I do not believe trials should be on TV. It does not assist with public transparency. All it does is sensationalize trials and sometimes change outcomes. Trials should not make TV stars out of people.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

hckynut — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 06:13:29 GMT

On 7/19/2014 bikerbabe said: Good riddance. I do not believe trials should be on TV. It does not assist with public transparency. All it does is sensationalize trials and sometimes change outcomes. Trials should not make TV stars out of people.

Hi bikerbabe,

How are you getting along now? I know from losing so many of our felines that one can never be replaced and the ones they owned will never forget them. I hope you are feeling a little bit better now.

Just wondering if you made a decision about that kitten you mentioned in one of your posts.

I will leave the topic of this post out of this.

Take care and my best to you,

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

Yuban3 — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 11:35:23 GMT

On 7/19/2014 bikerbabe said: Good riddance. I do not believe trials should be on TV. It does not assist with public transparency. All it does is sensationalize trials and sometimes change outcomes. Trials should not make TV stars out of people.

I agree with you. Trials should not be televised and become entertainment for the public.

All it does is turn ordinary people in to armchair "detectives", who suddenly think that they know more, and know better than those who actually worked the case, and who have gone to school and graduated with a degree in detective/forensic work.

People think that by watching a couple of fictional shows of "CSI", that all of a sudden, that makes them an "expert" in forensics.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

HHC1 — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 13:28:39 GMT

On 7/20/2014 Yuban3 said:
On 7/19/2014 bikerbabe said: Good riddance. I do not believe trials should be on TV. It does not assist with public transparency. All it does is sensationalize trials and sometimes change outcomes. Trials should not make TV stars out of people.

I agree with you. Trials should not be televised and become entertainment for the public.

All it does is turn ordinary people in to armchair "detectives", who suddenly think that they know more, and know better than those who actually worked the case, and who have gone to school and graduated with a degree in detective/forensic work.

People think that by watching a couple of fictional shows of "CSI", that all of a sudden, that makes them an "expert" in forensics.

Actually, watching trials helps viewers develop a more "informed" perspective. There is a big difference between snipets on the news vs watching a trial. Further, trial watchers don't fall for CSI syndrome, they know better. The forensic process is much longer than a TV show. Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but I have personally learned a great deal from trials, news etc.. They have afforded me a broader understanding of how our legal system works and encouraged me to respect differing perspectives.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

HHC1 — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 13:31:31 GMT

On 7/19/2014 hckynut said:
It's a shame that a bigger network doesn't take over the Live Court Room Trials. I used to DVR all the trials on HLN as soon as I realized what "In Session" was all about. Use to read the title in the listing and never bothered to look to see what it was about. Once I saw it was live trials? Was on of my favorite networks to DVR.

I remember the name Court TV, but there again I never turned it on to see what it was about. And me loving trials, either watching them or being on a jury. Don't know if HLN just couldn't attract sponsors like the big cable networks or why they stopped showing the live trials.

Always liked listening to Vinny and also liked his show that lasted a short while called HLN After Dark, I think that was the name. Use to recap the day's trial and have a mock jury that voted on certain issues. I just happened to have DVR HLN News and heard Vinny say his goodbye to everyone. Anyone know where he is going or what he is going to do?

There a few programs I DVR on TRUTV, but there are very few that are new shows. Most of them are reruns and way too many are ridiculous shows in which I have zero interest in watching them.

Vinny is anchoring a Morning News show out of Atlanta. I don't live in that area. I believe his debut is coming up soon. BTW, I saw Ryan Smith on Good Morning America.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

violann — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 13:56:53 GMT

On 7/19/2014 MathisFan said:
Wish it was still Court TV.

You and I both!

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

croemer — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 15:50:12 GMT

Agreed O/P!

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

PalmSpringsTransplant — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 16:49:10 GMT

The other thing that TruTV has done is to rip off the design of shows from other networks and cheapen them to their lowest common denominator. Pawn Stars which is relatively intelligent, was reduced to Hardcore P*rn, a nasty, r*cist shoutfest with the ugliest family in creation. The Storage show on A&E became storage wars and even tried to create low end clones of the characters with the same result as hardcore p*rn. Lizard Lick, Operation Repo and the Miami tow show are basically the same with different accents.

I guess the conclusion is you watch discovery or TLC or History if you have a brain and TruTV if you don't.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

bells4me — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 16:55:03 GMT

I too was a viewer of Court TV for years. When HLN took it over they ruined it. All that is left is NG & JVM (ick). I hope another station will pick up the trials. Like any other tv show, if you don't think trials should be televised, don't watch them. Simple.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

terrier3 — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 16:57:24 GMT

I used to think that televising trials was good for our legal system.

Now after the high profile trials I have seen, I'm not so sure,

The lawyers seem to be playing to the TV audience and the jurors are just waiting to cash in with TV interviews or book deals.

Trials aren't supposed to be celebrity show try outs!

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

deepwaterdotter — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 17:22:11 GMT

Is it possible that the 'live trial' format does not attract enough advertiser dollars to warrant this type of programming?

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

terrier3 — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 17:36:27 GMT

On 7/20/2014 deepwaterdotter said:
Is it possible that the 'live trial' format does not attract enough advertiser dollars to warrant this type of programming?

No. The ads cost less and the audience is smaller, but it costs very little to televise trials. Just turn on a camera and have talking heads every now and then. It's still a moneymaker.

The issue was HLN. HLN 24 hour news format was stale and losing viewers. HLN is in a LOT more homes than TruTV, so they switched the trial format to HLN (which already had NG and Dr. D in the evening).

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

Lindsays Grandma — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 03:36:30 GMT

I used to watch HLN very often but hardly ever turn it on now. I don't know what happened but the shows are not interesting anymore. I didn't know that Vinnie left, I enjoyed watching him.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

occasionalrain — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 03:55:19 GMT

I watched Court TV and still miss it. Not all the trials presented were of the High Profile type.

I didn't care for Vinnie once he went to HLN and became a biased toned down Nancy/Jane. I like to hear both sides objectively. I like the interviews with jurors to see how they arrived at their verdict and sometimes it's clear they are none too bright. Scary for anyone who may find themselves wrongly accused.

That those watching are ill equipped to play detective is just nonsense. Many viewers are more intelligent and better educated than many/most of the detectives who decide on who's guilty and disregard any evidence that doesn't support their assumption. Added to that is the pressure to solve a case in a short time and that's why we have innocent people in prison and sometimes, especially in Texas, in the grave.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

Moonlady — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 19:00:51 GMT

Shortly after CourtTV became TruTV, TWC removed it from our lineup. I haven't missed it (or the others they removed in a failed attempt to get us to "move up") one bit.

Re: DESTROYING a Network / What happened to TRUTV?

terrier3 — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 19:04:25 GMT

On 7/21/2014 Moonlady said:
Shortly after CourtTV became TruTV, TWC removed it from our lineup. I haven't missed it (or the others they removed in a failed attempt to get us to "move up") one bit.

Time Warner owns TruTV.

They have downgraded it repeatedly and are concentrating on HLN and CNN.

TW's most popular networks are TBS and TNT, BTW - entertainment channels.