TVSquad

At the beginning of the year the beautiful and sexy Jay Black presented a wonderful dissertation on the state of channel drift in cable television that discussed many of the reasons for this phenomenon. Being someone who likes to jump on an idea and trample it to death, I decided to expand on Jay's initial premise and provide some specific examples of cable networks that have drifted one way or another. Yet, being someone who likes to add something to an existing idea before the trampling begins, I decided a twist was in order.

Since a drift can range from 'small, but noticeable' to 'am I on the right channel?' a ratings system needed to be designed to determine how far a channel has gotten away from its origins. So, in the fifteen examples I list after the jump, you will see one of four categories...Minor Shift, Moderate Shift, Major Shift and Mother of All Channel Shifts. It is these four categories that you can use to agree or disagree with my findings once they are presented. So, without a continuing narration, here are the cable networks that have encountered some sort of channel drift.

Vernon Winfrey, the father of Oprah Winfrey, is writing a book about his daughter, something the TV host and entrepreneur was unaware of until informed by the New York Daily News.

Winfrey moved in with her father in Nashville after becoming pregnant at the age of fourteen. Her baby died soon after it was born. Winfrey credits her father for helping her through the difficult time, and maintains that the two of them still stay in touch. Nevertheless, Winfrey says she was "stunned" to have found out about the book through other people and not her father.

Vernon Winfrey plans to call his book Things Unspoken, which pretty much describes any book. If the things were spoken, then it would be a book on tape, you see.

Meanwhile, infamous biographer Kitty Kelley is also writing a book about Oprah.

Muppet News Flash, my favorite place for all the latest Muppet information, reports that a repeat of A&E's Sesame Street Biography will air in two parts: the first part on December 18 at 4 AM, and the second part on December 19, again at 4 AM. Unless you're a farmer or a garbage truck driver and you're used to being up that early, I suggest you fire up the ol' DVR and record it. I caught the episode when it first aired, and it's a great look at the inner workings of the program, how ideas are developed, and how the performers and artists bring the Muppets to life.

The following morning of December 20, also at 4 AM, A&E will re-air the Biography episode featuring the late Fred Rogers of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. That's three days to relive your favorite childhood PBS memories.

Author John Fante grew up in Denver in the early 20th century, the son of immigrant parents. His books were largely ignored at the time, and it wasn't until writer Charles Bukowski helped republish Fante's works that he became recognized as a master writer. While his books, including Ask the Dust, Wait Until Spring and Bandini were all hailed by critics, the public never caught on and most of his books went out of print soon after being published.

Like most writers, Fante had to make ends meet by writing things he didn't especially enjoy, and that meant penning screenplays for many films that never got made.

On December 12 at 10pm, the PBS documentary series Independent Lens will air "A Sad Flower in the Sand," a look at the late author featuring interview with his wife, Joyce Smart, his biographer Stephen Cooper and filmmaker Robert Towne.

• At 8, NBC has a new Dateline.
• UPN has a new Friday Night Smackdown! at 8.
• TLC has two new episodes of Take Home Chef at 8, followed by a new What Not To Wear.
• A&E has a new, two hour Biography at 8: "TV Game Shows."
• Sci-Fi Channel has the season premiere of Stargate at 8, followed by the season premiere of Stargate Atlantis.
• Also at 8: OLN has stage 12 of the Tour de France.
• At 9, ABC repeats the latest episode of ABC Family's Kyle XY.
• USA has a new Monk at 9, followed by a new episode of Psych.
• Another good Andy Griffith Show repeat on TV Land at 9, the one where Opie has to deal with a bully.
• At 10, AMC has American Graffiti.

• At 8, ABC has a repeat America's Funniest Home Videos, followed by repeats of Kyle XY (they're running the ABC Family show to expose it to ABC viewers), then a new 20/20.
• CBS has repeats of Ghost Whisperer, Close To Home, and Numb3rs.
• NBC has a new Dateline at 8, followed by repeats of Las Vegas and Law and Order.
• Over on FOX at 8, two 24 repeats.
• The WB has a repeat What I Like About You at 8, followed by repeats of Twins, Reba, and Living With Fran.
• UPN has a new Smackdown! at 8.
• A&E has a new Biography of Johnny Depp at 8.
• Also at 8: Disney has a new Hannah Montana, followed by a new The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.
• OLN has a preview of The Tour de France at 9.
• At 9:30, Rachael Ray explores Portland, OR on Tasty Travels.
• At 10, TCM has North By Northwest.