We have to remember this!

GAC Network adds online voting to Opry coverage

By DANIEL GILBERT
Scripps Howard News Service
Monday, September 10, 2007

Another good thing has done gone on, done gone ... online.

The folks at the Great American Country (GAC) television network are adding a 21st Century riff to the John Hartford lyric, in their special coverage of the Grand Ole Opry this October.

Those who tune in to network's "Opry Live" (Saturdays, 8pm ET) -- featuring country music headliners like Trace Adkins, Alison Krauss, Trisha Yearwood and Brad Paisley -- will have the chance to weigh on in what performances they'd like to see rebroadcast for Tuesday nights, by voting their top picks at www.gactv.com.

Beginning Sept. 21, visitors to GAC's website will be able to vote weekly on a list of several shows that have aired over the past year. Previously, the network automatically programmed re-runs of Opry's live Saturday night performances for Tuesday nights.

The goal, according to GAC executives, is to create a fresher program while giving fans a more active hand in choosing what they want to see on television.

"We have done a number of interactive platforms over past two years that have been highly successful for us," said Sarah Trahern, Vice President for Programming.

"We wanted to capitalize on the experience of fans ... for them to have an interaction in terms of what's seen on the air," she said.

With online fan voting for "Opry Live", the 80-year-old country music mainstay is transitioning to its third broadcast medium, having begun as a radio program that evolved into live and televised performances.

But for this year at least, the emphasis of GAC's Opry month remains on the small screen:

-- The network will air more than 12 hours of the past year's top Opry performances for its annual Opry Marathon, the weekend of October 20 and 21.

-- Each Wednesday night at 8:00 p.m. (ET), GAC presents "The Hitmen of Music Row" -- a music-based reality series -- starring four of Nashville songwriters of note: Bob DiPiero, Tony Mullins, Jeffrey Steele and Craig Wiseman.

-- The Opry feature programming finishes with a two-hour special on Oct. 31 at 8:00 p.m. (ET), with live performances from country artists, including Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flats, Taylor Swift and Brooks & Dunn.

Jason Mease, vice president of online services, are hoping e-mails will roll in from viewers about what they want to see. GAC has already opened up programs like its Top 20 video countdown to input from online visitors -- the website's most popular feature.

Increasingly, the network hopes its website will become a one-stop point of reference for country music fans, and function as a bridge between fans and artists.

"Country music fans are hungry all the time for all the information they can get about artists and their music," Trahern said.

"We want to super-serve the country fan. We want to be the source for when an artist is playing on Opry, and what their biggest musical influences are."

http://www.scrippsnews.com/node/26683

Well, that's certainly a breath of fresh air, as opposed to dealing with say, Clear Channel, where one has NO voice.

Based on what I just read, I hope that GAC isn't going too much the way of CMT by putting TV shows on rather than videos. That was the reason I stopped watching CMT (except those rare occasions when I know that Trisha will be on.

Thanks Sandi for the info. I too hope they don't go the way of CMT with all the movies and shows. But so far, they are the best - that's for sure. I wish I still had GAC! Even their countdown is voted on by us! Which is so much better!

I still remember TNN when they too had videos and country music shows. I used to watch Crook and Chase on Sat. nights on it. But then it became all movies and shows, and no more country music. I am starting to think CMT is going the same way! There are no videos after like 6pm or so! And it makes me kinda angry at that! Oh well.

Thanks again Sandi, I didn't mean to digress!

Gotta agree with everyone here. I am so disappointed with the way CMT has been going with all the reality shows and Trick my Truck and all that stuff. I totally miss the good old days of watching TNN for Crook and Chase and Ralph Emery's shows. In fact, I found one the other day, it was Music City Tonight with Gary Chapman and Nan Sumerall (now Nan Kelly who hosts the Opry and the countdown on GAC) It was '98 I believe and Trisha was on for the whole hour doing songs from Where Your Road Leads. I had to stop and watch it because it was one of the most hysterical hours ever. Garth showed up to play and sing a couple of songs and they were gave each other a lot of grief. LOL! But the best was when Gary was playing with his "noise maker" and Trisha and Nan ganged up on him and took it away from him and banned him from playing with it. Trisha said something like if your a good boy you can have it back at the end of the show. Too funny!! I also found the old Charlie Chase Funny Business episode with Trisha - priceless! I was clearing out some stuff and came across those. Glad to still have them. Does anyone remember those from back in the day?

Yes, I definitely remember that! I pull it out and watch it about once every six months. I just laugh through it! It was the funniest thing I had ever seen. I miss all those good shows. I am glad GAC is bringing Lorianne Crook back with interviews. Tonight she is interviewing Denise Jackson which should be good. I only watch CMT when I know Trisha is going to be on. I really do not like all the shows they show.

Robin

Yeah, I'll agree with y'all. CMT is definitely going downhill with all their stupid reality shows. I'm just happy they still take the time to show music videos, but I have a feeling even that may go away withing a couple of years.

Oh how I miss Crook and Chase!!