A Major New Network Launches In The U.S. Be Grateful You Can't Get It

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Posted by RadioActive
April 2, 2024 6:16 am
#1

It's called Merit Street Media and it's owned and run by none other than Phil McGraw, aka "Dr. Phil." The 24-hour-a-day network features hours and hours and hours of his show, including new and rerun items. He's also acquired reruns of Steve Harvey's talk show, which I have to admit I don't even remember. 

And then there's old CNN stalwart Nancy Grace, convicting people before trial on a nightly true crime program. 

If you're at all curious, here's the schedule.

Some TV stations are carrying this as an over-the-air subchannel, but none in either Buffalo or Detroit. So far, we don't get to see it here. And maybe that's the best thing for our mental health!

Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media Has Officially Launched

 
Posted by RadioActive
August 13, 2024 7:38 am
#2
Posted by Jody Thornton
August 13, 2024 9:50 am
#3

My partner watches Dominique Sacshe's YouTube channel.  She's a former new anchor for KFRC in Houston, Texas, and was hired on for Merit Street's morning show.  I find her nauseating, arrogant, phony and very far to the right politically.  She would probably fit very well with this network.

I remember Nancy Grace from CNN Headline News.  She was also very nausea-inducing.  I can only hope they're both part of the layoffs. (not sorry)


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 
Posted by Jody Thornton
August 13, 2024 9:51 am
#4

I had to check!  D'oh!

https://www.chron.com/news/houston-texas/article/dominique-layoffs-merit-street-19651598.php
Oh, well!  My girlfriend will be happy at least ...lol

 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 
Posted by Hansa
August 13, 2024 10:58 am
#5

All they need is Dr Oz and Dr Laura and they'll have a full house of quacks and charlatans.

 
Posted by Jody Thornton
August 13, 2024 11:01 am
#6

Hansa wrote:

All they need is Dr Oz and Dr Laura and they'll have a full house of quacks and charlatans.

This!  (In full agreement)
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 
Posted by Hansa
August 13, 2024 11:05 am
#7

Zelda Young used to have a quack on every day who promoted questionable naturopathic cures (he was also a firewalker in his spare time). What was his doctorate in? Metaphysics! (Seriously). So Zelda would introduce him as a "metaphysician" - most listeners would just hear that as "physician". I called the College of Physicians and Surgeons to complain that this unqualified quack was passing himself off as a medical doctor and they made Zelda change her recorded intro for him to remove any suggestion that he was a medical doctor

Last edited by Hansa (August 13, 2024 11:06 am)

 
Posted by RadioActive
August 13, 2024 11:52 am
#8

Hansa wrote:

All they need is Dr Oz and Dr Laura and they'll have a full house of quacks and charlatans.

It could be worse! There's also an online and subcarrier TV station out there called "Nosey." It's on Pluto and also on Channel 2.5 from Buffalo.

What's the programming? Non-stop Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos and Maury, with confrontational and ridiculous topics that have justifiably been named "trash television." Now you can see it 24 hours a day if you want. 

And yes, according to the tests, you ARE the father...

NOSEY TV

 
Posted by Dial Twister
August 13, 2024 12:19 pm
#9

Hansa wrote:

All they need is Dr Oz and Dr Laura and they'll have a full house of quacks and charlatans.

Throw in Dr Ronny Jackson (ConOLD's former Whitehouse physician) and you'll have a trifecta.

 
Posted by ckg927
August 14, 2024 5:16 pm
#10

Here in the States, Verizon FiOS carried Merit Street.

And for the record, you couldn't PAY me to watch that dreck.
 

 
Posted by paterson1
August 14, 2024 9:05 pm
#11

A major new network launches in the US???  Wouldn't classify this "network" anywhere near "major."  

 
Posted by RadioActive
August 14, 2024 9:06 pm
#12

It was on multiple major cable and satellite systems, as well as TV broadcast subcarriers in the U.S. at launch, with a potential audience of some 65 million people - not that all of them watched. But the potential reach was there. If that's not a high distribution rate for a brand new network I don't know what is. 

 
Posted by paterson1
August 14, 2024 11:00 pm
#13

If all 65 million of the potential audience watched them, that is slightly less than 20% of the population.  And they will not be getting anywhere near 65 million viewers. 

 
Posted by RadioActive
August 14, 2024 11:24 pm
#14

Most new stations would kill to be able to reach 20% of the audience their first day on air. And no, I would never watch it. But "Dr." Phil has a built-in audience who might. Obviously the layoffs are a sign things aren't going as well as he hoped. But to quibble over the use of the word "major" seems nitpicky to me. I'm done debating it. 

 
Posted by paterson1
August 15, 2024 7:58 am
#15

RadioActive wrote:

Most new stations would kill to be able to reach 20% of the audience their first day on air. And no, I would never watch it. But "Dr." Phil has a built-in audience who might. Obviously the layoffs are a sign things aren't going as well as he hoped. But to quibble over the use of the word "major" seems nitpicky to me. I'm done debating it. 

Nitpicky, yes it is.  But the headline of the post is misleading.  Maybe something like Dr. Phil Launches New Channel is closer to what actually happened.  If this is a major new network in the US, so is the Tennis Channel. 

 
Posted by RadioActive
July 2, 2025 3:29 pm
#16

RadioActive wrote:

It's called Merit Street Media and it's owned and run by none other than Phil McGraw, aka "Dr. Phil." The 24-hour-a-day network features hours and hours and hours of his show, including new and rerun items. He's also acquired reruns of Steve Harvey's talk show, which I have to admit I don't even remember. 

And then there's old CNN stalwart Nancy Grace, convicting people before trial on a nightly true crime program. 

If you're at all curious, here's the schedule.

Some TV stations are carrying this as an over-the-air subchannel, but none in either Buffalo or Detroit. So far, we don't get to see it here. And maybe that's the best thing for our mental health!

Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media Has Officially Launched

Well, that was quick...

Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media JV Files For Bankruptcy, Sues Partner Trinity Broadcasting For Breach Of Contract

 
Posted by RadioActive
July 14, 2025 4:49 pm
#17

RadioActive wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

It's called Merit Street Media and it's owned and run by none other than Phil McGraw, aka "Dr. Phil." The 24-hour-a-day network features hours and hours and hours of his show, including new and rerun items. He's also acquired reruns of Steve Harvey's talk show, which I have to admit I don't even remember. 

And then there's old CNN stalwart Nancy Grace, convicting people before trial on a nightly true crime program. 

If you're at all curious, here's the schedule.

Some TV stations are carrying this as an over-the-air subchannel, but none in either Buffalo or Detroit. So far, we don't get to see it here. And maybe that's the best thing for our mental health!

Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media Has Officially Launched

Well, that was quick...

Dr. Phil’s Merit Street Media JV Files For Bankruptcy, Sues Partner Trinity Broadcasting For Breach Of Contract

Some people never learn...

It's only been a dozen days since his last network went belly-up.

Dr. Phil Returns: Launches Envoy Media Co. in Comeback Bid

 


 
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