Some Fox Affils Keep ‘Osbournes' Off
A little too much sizzle in sizzle-reel
By Michael Malone -- Broadcasting & Cable, 4/1/2009 10:36:17 AM
At least 16 Fox stations around the country kept the Prince of Darkness in the dark--refusing to air the Ozzy Osbourne variety program Osbournes: Reloaded last night, reports the Washington Post. The paper also says that 10 more Fox stations bumped Osbournes out of prime, and that it narrowly averted greater affiliate resistance after screening the program for executives from Sinclair Broadcast Group, which owns 19 Fox affiliates.
The show debuted after American Idol last night.
The stations blanking Osbournes include WXIX Cincinnati, WFLX West Palm Beach and WGHP Greensboro. Many stations received only the promotional reel and not the actual show in advance, and made their decision based on the reel.
"It seemed too harsh for the (American Idol) audience going into it-kids, families, grandparents," says WFLX VP/General Manager John Spinola. "Without being able to see the show, I had to make a decision."
Station executives took issue with elements of the so-called sizzle reel, such as a grandmother doing a striptease and Ozzy and his wife Sharon shouting obscenities at a teenager.
Spinola, who aired news in place of Osbournes, said he'd watch the program on demand today and then decide whether to air it next time around. "I'll see if I made the right decision," he says.
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Kevin Reilly...how is THE hell could you even think of giving primetime to these bunch of idiots? Are they simply trying to re-create that pile of garbage they called a variety show from their MTV days? I mean, come on FOX! You guys should be fined and disciplined for airing this crap last night and if you want to kepe your job Reilly, I suggest you pull this nonsense off the air and never have to show it the light of day ever again! Thank goodness for the affiliates who sis not air this pile of monkey crap! What a horrible show!
Richard - 4/1/2009 4:05:10 PM EDT -
I'll not use a four letter word for this piece of tras.h show. CRUDE CRUDE CRUDE is the nicest word I could find
carl morgan - 4/1/2009 12:33:44 PM EDT -
It is about time networks opened up their eyes, and stopped no talent, has-beens, from making money hand over fist, by broadcasting immoral, repulsive, stupid, material, that has a impact on American children and adolescents. For God's sake, entertainment, should be entertainment.
Ozzy Osbourne can hardly be understood, drugs took thier toll, and his wife, who I thought had a little credibility and sense, seems to have lost it. Nip it, throw it out. America, speak up!
Oh, I'm sure that there are some ignorant people who like that kind of crap, but as for most Americans, I feel we want networks to broadcast quality material.
jillann4 - 4/1/2009 12:17:20 PM EDT
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