It's like MyNetworkTV isn't even trying anymore

Back in 2006, I offered no criticism of KJZZ Ch. 14 when it aired the newly launched MyNetworkTV's programming in the middle of the night.

After all, that programming consisted almost entirely of a couple of English-language telenovelas that pretty much nobody watched. Even in TV markets where they aired in prime time.

A couple of years ago, I told you that KJZZ Ch. 14 was smart to be cautious about its affiliation with MyNetworkTV. The sister-network wannabe to Fox tried a variety of programming strategies, and none of them worked.

Frankly, it barely rated a mention when KJZZ severed its MyNetworkTV ties. And it seemed like not much of anybody noticed.

Actually, it seemed like nobody noticed.

Three years after it launched, MyNetworkTV has pretty much gone out of the original programming business. Beginning this fall, the "network" — and I use that term loosely — will offer exactly two hours a week of new programming.

And that would be a two-hour installment of "WWE Smackdown!" on Friday nights.

The rest of the 10-hours-per-week schedule consists of:

 Back-to-back repeats of "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" on Mondays.

 Back-to-back repeats of "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" followed by back-to-back repeats of "Deal or No Deal" on Tuesdays.

(And these are repeats of half-hour, syndicated daytime versions of the show, not the hourlong versions that air in prime time on Fox and NBC, respectively.)

 Back-to-back repeats of the canceled CBS series "The Unit" on Wednesdays.

 A two-hour movie night on Thursdays — repeats of theatrical movies, of course.

On the one hand, you've got to figure that MyNetworkTV could hardly do worse with repeats of familiar shows than with a lineup of bad reality shows and old magic specials.

But, honestly, MyNetworkTV has devolved into nothing more than a syndication service for repeats of shows that are on other channels. Even WWE wrestling isn't exclusive — it's also available on the USA Network and WGN.

They certainly haven't asked for my advice, but if they did, I'd tell the folks at KCSG Ch. 4 in southern Utah — the state's only MyNetworkTV affiliate — it might want to back off from identifying itself with the so-called network.

Identifying yourself as "My KCSG TV" isn't going to help if MyNetworkTV goes away altogether.

And it might.

THE CONTINUING irony of MyNetworkTV is sort of amusing to contemplate.

Well, amusing if you don't work at or have stock in News Corp., the parent company of Fox and MyNetworkTV.

Essentially, News Corp. stuck it to CBS, and, in the end, got the short end of the stick itself.