Wheel and Jeopardy Change Stations: Tampa Bay Market Shudders

Once upon a time, TV's syndicated system was a place to find unexpected treasurers. Everybody from Phil Donahue to Oprah Winfrey to Merv Griffin had classy, creative shows dotting daytime television.

But like so many media institutions, the modern shape of television has squeezed the syndication system -- narrowing the current crop of shows to a handful of series reruns, a few court shows and the occasional newsmagazine or talk effort (when the most successful new show of last season in Rachael Rey's unwatchable new talk show, you know there's trouble in paradise.)

At any rate, the biggest news in local syndication is the move of powerhouse game shows Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy from WTSP-Ch. 10 to WFTS-Ch. 28 (ABC Action News). As I note in my story today, WFTS' general manager decided three years ago to pay top dollar for the two shows, yanking shows which regularly rank as the most-watched programs on any channel in the Tampa Bay area.

There's a few other interesting shows coming to syndication locally, and I've reproduced the chart from today's Floridian story on the blog. Looks for your faves and let me know if there's any you want to see but didn't.

WFLA-Ch. 8
Today show’s fourth hour, 12 p.m. weekdays: It’s not a syndicated show, but WFLA is airing the new fourth hour of NBC’s blockbuster morning program at noon, to avoid moving its local talk show Daytime and its 11 a.m. newscast. The move also forces Montel to move to 1 p.m. and Days of Our Lives to 2 p.m.

WTSP-Ch. 10
Inside Edition and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire, 7 and 7:30 p.m. weekdays, respectively: With Wheel and Jeopardy gone, the CBS affiliate has tapped these replacements. Repeats of both also air at 9 a.m. and 9:30 a.m., respectively.

WTVT-Ch. 13
TMZ, 7 p.m. weekdays: Named for the 30-mile zone surrounding Hollywood — considered the showbiz world’s epicenter — this is a televised version of the crackling celebrity news Web site, which uncovered the Michael Richards n-word video and first reported Mel Gibson’s drunk driving arrest.
The Insider, 7:30 p.m. weekdays: Tabloid TV news show, originally developed as a segment on Entertainment Tonight, hosted by tabloid news perpetrator Pat O’Brien.

WFTS-Ch. 28
Merv Griffin’s Crosswords, 9 a.m. weekdays: The last game show created by Griffin before his August death, followed at 9:30 a.m. by reruns of Jeopardy.
Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy, 7 and 7:30 p.m. weekdays: Syndicated TV’s longtime game show successes find a new local home.

WMOR-Ch. 32
Family Guy, 6 and 6:30 p.m. weekdays: Reruns of the popular Fox animated show hit syndication here.
Law & Order Criminal Intent, 8 p.m. weekdays: NBC may have moved original episodes to the USA Network, but syndicated reruns will air here.
Reno 911, 11 p.m. weekdays: Reruns of cable series have become more popular in syndication, including this COPS spoof from Comedy Central.

WTTA-Ch. 38
Temptation, 1 and 1:30 p.m. weekdays: Based on an Australian remake of the old game show Sale of the Century.
The Steve Wilkos Show, 3 p.m. weekdays: Jerry Springer’s lead onstage security guy — yes, you read that right — gets his own talk show. Maybe I’ll get one next.

WTOG-Ch. 44
Judge David Young, 11 and 11:30 a.m. weekdays: The Miami native and former Miami-Dade Circuit Court judge is touted as the first openly gay man to have his own court show. The press materials promise “justice with a snap.” Really.
Two and a Half Men, 6 p.m and 7:30 p.m. weekdays: CBS’s most successful current sitcom debuts in syndication. Expect many fewer snaps here.