HOLLYWOOD — The Game Show Network is about to disappear. Well, the name is about to disappear.
Like everything from the Columbia Broadcasting System to The Learning Channel to the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, the Game Show Network is going to become letters-only. Joining CBS, TLC and ESPN will be GSN.
It will be a network with a subtitle when the changeover comes March 15. They're calling it GSN: The Network for Games, at least for now.
Basically, the network wants to grow beyond new and repeat episodes of traditional game shows. "It's as if Comedy Central started out as a stand-up channel and they realized that there's a lot more to comedy than stand-up," said Rich Cronin, president and CEO of the Game Show Network. Er, uh, GSN. "There's a lot more to games than game shows."
The plan is to add game-related documentaries, reality series, casino programming, video-game programming and specials to the lineup. The documentary, "Video Game Invasion," will air March 21. "The World Series of Blackjack" will be taped later this month. "Fake a Date," a relationship/game/reality show — hosted by the original "Joe Millionaire," Evan Marriott — debuts March 17.
"Kenny vs. Spenny" is a Canadian import that looks sort of MTV-ish, with two young guys setting up odd competitions between them. "National Lampoon's Greek Games," which will air this summer, is a fraternity/sorority competition. "Vegas Weddings Unveiled," a hidden-camera show at a Las Vegas wedding chapel, will go into production shortly.
"We are serious about this," Cronin insisted, adding that it was in development long before Britney Spears' recent abortive nuptials.
GSN will also add repeats of ABC's reality/game show "The Mole" and NBC's hidden-camera show "SPY TV."
"We are really broadening ourselves to include game-related programming in a wide variety of genres," Cronin said. "And I want you to know that we will continue to have game shows. We love game shows."
But, he said, the problem is that the term "game show" brings to mind something more specific than what the cable network aspires to be. "Most people think of them as studio shows, buzzers and bells, hosts, lovely parting gifts, all those kinds of cliches that go with it."
The difference may be that the Columbia Broadcasting System was known as CBS long before it dropped the longer name. The Learning Channel used TLC for years before officially contracting. But do viewers already refer to the Game Show Network as GSN? Not that I'm aware of.
Which may be why, at least for a while, it will be GSN: The Network for Games.
"We feel that it's a really big idea to be the network for all kinds of games," Cronin said. "All games, all the time. We think that's as big an idea as being an all-news network or an all-sports network or an all-comedy network. Since we were named Game Show Network, that limited us to just game shows."
E-MAIL: pierce@desnews.com