Game Show Network facts for kids
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| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | United States Canada |
| Headquarters | Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 1080i (HDTV) (HD feed downgraded to letterboxing 480i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Sony Pictures Television Networks |
| Parent | Game Show Network, LLC |
| Sister channels |
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| History | |
| Launched | December 1, 1994 |
| Former names | GSN (2004–2018) |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| DirecTV Stream | Internet Protocol television |
| Frndly TV | Internet Protocol television |
| Philo | Internet Protocol television |
| Sling TV | Internet Protocol television |
| YouTube TV | Internet Protocol television |
Game Show Network (often called GSN) is a TV channel in the United States. It is owned by Sony Pictures Television. The channel mostly shows game shows. This includes old favorites, new shows, and updated versions of classic games. In the past, GSN also showed reality competitions and poker games.
As of October 2019, Game Show Network was available in almost 75 million homes in America. You can watch it through traditional cable and satellite TV. The channel and its original shows are also available on online streaming services like Frndly TV, YouTube TV, and Sling TV.
Contents
History of Game Show Network
Early Years (1994–2004)
The idea for Game Show Network started in 1992. Sony Pictures teamed up with United Video Satellite Group to create a channel just for game shows. Sony also made deals to get the rights to many classic game shows. This included shows like What's My Line?, Family Feud, and To Tell the Truth.
Game Show Network officially started on December 1, 1994. The very first show aired was What's My Line?. When it launched, the channel had rights to over 40,000 episodes of game shows. The first shows on GSN were old favorites like Match Game, Family Feud, Jeopardy!, and Wheel of Fortune.
Over time, GSN added more popular shows. These included The Price Is Right, The $10,000 Pyramid, and Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. The channel also started making its own new game shows. Some of these were Lingo, Whammy!, and Inquizition. In 1998, a show called Faux Pause aired. It was a comedy show where hosts made jokes while watching old game show episodes.
In 2001, Liberty Media bought half of the channel. This led to big changes in leadership and programming.
Becoming GSN (2004–2018)
On March 15, 2004, the channel changed its name to just "GSN." It also started using the slogan "The Network for Games." GSN began to show more than just traditional game shows. It added reality television games and other competition shows. For example, it aired reruns of shows like The Mole.
GSN still made new game shows during this time. They produced new seasons of Lingo and a new version of Chain Reaction. In 2010, GSN launched a high-definition (HD) version of its channel.
Some popular shows that GSN acquired included Who Wants to Be a Millionaire and the Steve Harvey-hosted Family Feud. These shows became very important for the channel's evening lineup. GSN also created new original game shows. Some of these were Catch 21, Baggage, and The Chase.
In 2011, DirecTV (which owned most of GSN at the time) sold some of its share back to Sony Pictures. By 2012, Sony had more control over the channel.
Return to Game Show Network (2017–present)
In 2017, the channel started to use its full name, "Game Show Network," again in its commercials. By 2018, the channel's shows went back to focusing mainly on classic game show formats. This led to a full rebranding that brought back the channel's original name.
The channel's daily schedule now mostly features its own original shows. These include new shows like America Says, Common Knowledge, and People Puzzler. In 2020, Game Show Network brought back Master Minds. This show features Jeopardy! champion Ken Jennings and is hosted by Brooke Burns.
In 2019, Sony bought back all of AT&T's share in GSN. This meant Sony now fully owned Game Show Network. In 2020, Game Show Network was watched by an average of 432,000 viewers in the evening.
In 2022, Game Show Network was temporarily removed from Dish Network and Sling TV. However, it returned to both services later that month. In 2023, GSN partnered with its sister company Crunchyroll to launch the Crunchyroll Channel. This new streaming channel shows anime programs.
Programming
As of early 2024, Game Show Network shows many original programs. These include Master Minds, America Says, Split Second, Switch, People Puzzler, Blank Slate, and Hey Yahoo!.
Other popular shows airing on the network are:
- Catch 21
- Common Knowledge
- Chain Reaction
- Match Game
- Family Feud (hosted by Steve Harvey)
- Deal or No Deal
- 25 Words or Less
- Cash Cab
- Press Your Luck
- Who Wants to Be a Millionaire
- Wheel of Fortune
- The 2016 version of The $100,000 Pyramid
Syndication and Digital Streaming
Sometimes, GSN lets other TV channels show its original programs. This is called syndication. For example, reruns of America Says aired on other channels in 2019–2020. Currently, reruns of People Puzzler are also being shown on other TV channels.
In March 2020, GSN launched a digital streaming channel called Game Show Central. This channel shows older original programs from GSN. You can watch Game Show Central on Samsung and Vizio smart TVs. It's also available on streaming platforms like Pluto TV and The Roku Channel. Some of the shows you can watch on Game Show Central include Cram, Friend or Foe?, and Minute To Win It.
Images for kids
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GSN logo used from June 3, 2015 to September 30, 2018
See also
In Spanish: Game Show Network para niños
