Copyrights Keep TV Shows off DVD

Wired News: Copyrights Keep TV Shows off DVD

Eyes On The Prize is more important, but we all have our tastes and this Wired article leads with one of mine:

"WKRP in Cincinnati was one of the most popular television shows of the late '70s and early '80s, but it is unlikely ever to be released on DVD because of high music-licensing costs."

Actually the writers exaggerate the popularity (if not the quality); it struggled in the ratings due to constant time-slot changes and got killed off after only four seasons.

The music was part of the very fabric of the show, which was one of the things I loved about it when it was made back in my high school days. (That and Jan Smithers.) I was fascinated by radio as a young teen, and it was fun to envision life as a DJ - a life I later led briefly in a very non-Johnny Fever way. (However, the show is much much funnier if you have ever worked in radio.)

But copyrights cleared for the short term are not cleared for the long term, so even the rare cable reruns are cut to sonic ribbons as this site details.

Music | Television