psmoviephile Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 Is TCM not showing "It's a Wonderful Life" this holiday season, or have I just missed it? I realize it's no longer in public domain, but why can't I find a showing - especially at Christmastime? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Is TCM not showing "It's a Wonderful Life" this holiday season, or have I just missed it? I realize it's no longer in public domain, but why can't I find a showing - especially at Christmastime? NBC owns the rights to the movie and will NOT lease it out. They are showing it on stations they own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dabb Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Is TCM not showing "It's a Wonderful Life" this holiday season, or have I just missed it? I realize it's no longer in public domain, but why can't I find a showing - especially at Christmastime? Howdy, Here are the only remaining airings of this film for this year: NBC Wed, Dec 24, 8:00 PM It's a Wonderful Life USA Mon, Dec 29, 9:00 AM It's a Wonderful Life NBC (and it's affiliates like USA) will probably maintain a stranglehold on airing rights until our galaxy is swallowed by the black hole at it's center. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
psmoviephile Posted December 23, 2014 Author Share Posted December 23, 2014 Thanks for the information! What a strange, complicated history the copyright on this film is. But why would NBC want exclusive rights? (I thought Paramount was now the owner). Wouldn't they profit more by leasing it to more venues? More likely, I suppose, is that their eye is on the advertising revenue they can get by restricting viewings of this movie to network television. Strange... Why would anyone these days would anyone want to watch a movie with commercial interruptions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JamesJazGuitar Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Thanks for the information! What a strange, complicated history the copyright on this film is. But why would NBC want exclusive rights? (I thought Paramount was now the owner). Wouldn't they profit more by leasing it to more venues? More likely, I suppose, is that their eye is on the advertising revenue they can get by restricting viewings of this movie to network television. Strange... Why would anyone these days would anyone want to watch a movie with commercial interruptions? The only reason someone would want to watch a movie with commercial interruptions is because they have NO other option. That is the reason NBC is doing what they are doing. What I don't know is if NBC has made money on the deal. e.g. the amount they get for running commercials make the deal a good deal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Anyone remember a certain little "pool" I tried starting up a while back??? LOL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dabb Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 The only reason someone would want to watch a movie with commercial interruptions is because they have NO other option. That is the reason NBC is doing what they are doing. What I don't know is if NBC has made money on the deal. e.g. the amount they get for running commercials make the deal a good deal. The really sad thing in all of this is.. NBC's viewership of this film is only about 7 million - out of a whopping 316 million total US citizens. It's kinda like in the film Angel and the Badman where their ornery neighbor, Frederick Carson (read: NBC), has dammed the stream on his property, preventing many of his neighbors downstream (read: rest of the peace-loving world) from receiving any water at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dargo Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 The really sad thing in all of this is.. NBC's viewership of this film is only about 7 million - out of a whopping 316 million total US citizens. It's kinda like in the film Angel and the Badman where their ornery neighbor, Frederick Carson (read: NBC), has dammed the stream on his property, preventing many of his neighbors downstream (read: rest of the peace-loving world) from receiving any water at all. Or maybe the "Big Muddy" in "THE BIG COUNTRY, Kid?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kid Dabb Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 YEAH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LsDoorMat Posted December 25, 2014 Share Posted December 25, 2014 But there is an alternative to watching it with commercial interruption - the DVD. That's how I watch it every year. No way would I sit through it with commercials. If I didn't have the DVD then I'd DVDR it, edit out the commercials, and then watch it. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tikisoo Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 But there is an alternative to watching it with commercial interruption Sure there is....seeing it at a theater! There were no fewer than 3 theaters in my area screening it this past year. We had a car full of people go with us 45 minutes to see it-what fun! (and sitting in the balcony...we could hear the reaction of the audience in the auditorium-lots of laughter & surprise! Sounded as if for many, it was the first time seeing it!) 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheGayDivorcee Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 But there is an alternative to watching it with commercial interruption Sure there is....seeing it at a theater! There were no fewer than 3 theaters in my area screening it this past year. We had a car full of people go with us 45 minutes to see it-what fun! (and sitting in the balcony...we could hear the reaction of the audience in the auditorium-lots of laughter & surprise! Sounded as if for many, it was the first time seeing it!) Agree completely--there's nothing like seeing it in a theatre. One in the area shows it every Christmas Eve and the place is packed, usually sold out with tickets sold on the black market, if there still be such a thing! It's so much fun to see it as it should be seen, and with organ music afterward, no less. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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