Vintage TV shows are airing on satellite and cable channels more than ever before.
Specific TV channels have now been created to host popular and classic TV shows from yester-year. There are three US channels providing the service including MeTV, Antenna TV and Cozi TV, which have all started operating in the last five years.
The channels have been created by broadcasting stations which have lots of space to fill now that everyone has switched to a digital television connection.
These new channels have bought the rights to hundreds of old TV shows, some of which haven’t been aired for decades. Some of them have been cheap for the broadcasting stations to purchase since they are so old, so it has made sense for them to restore these vintage shows rather than have to invest huge amounts in making and developing new shows. (Media Post)
The oldest show to be purchased by the stations is The Lone Ranger which was first aired in 1949, along with Hopalong Cassidy which was aired around the same time.
Cozi airs these cowboy classics along with The Dick Van Dyke Show from the 1960s and Magnum P.I. from the 1980s.
MeTV airs The Danny Thomas Show from the 1950s, The Andy Griffith Show from the 1960s and Welcome Back, Kotter from the 1970s. Meanwhile, Antenna TV airs Father Knows Best from the 1950s, Bewitched from the 1960s and All in the Family from the 1970s.
Wyatt Earp [Via]
Other shows that haven’t been resurrected at all are also being aired, including The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin, Mr. Lucky, Wyatt Earp and The Roy Rogers Show.
The internet also plays a large role in bringing classic TV shows back. A website called RerunCentury.com has gathered a whole host of TV shows, whose rights are now in the public domain. There is The Life of Riley and The Walter Winchell Show on the site among hundreds of other almost forgotten classics.
The website hosts so many vintage shows it’s hard to not get addicted.