Fine Living Network

[menton1]

Fine Living Network is owned by the same company that owns Food TV. Except the programming is apples and oranges. ( I know Food TV Canada is different, I am talking here about Food TV USA.)

While the programming on Food TV is mostly for the dumb and dumber, Fine Living has some very noteworthy shows, for example:

Opening Soon-- terrific show tracing all the ups and downs of starting up a restaurant from the construction, design, staffing, permits, and food. True cases.

Thirsty Traveler-- travel to faraway places to discuss the culture and manufacture of exotic drinks such as Grappa, Ice Wine, and Port. Very interesting show.

Simply Wine with Andrea Immer-- straightforward, easy to follow Sommelier Andrea is great, and the show can prove quite informative and educational, as well as having some good travelogues as well.

Napa Style-- Michael Chiarello has some very good recipe and preparation ideas that show his independence and creativity. Beautiful kitchen TV set as well. Great camerawork.

Why does Scripps NEVER put these wonderful shows on Food TV USA??

[fresco]

At a guess, the viewer numbers are much lower than is the case on Food TV, and they can afford to take chances with stuff that may not have really broad appeal.

[Jinmyo]

The first two shows are FN Canada shows.

[menton1]

The first two shows are FN Canada shows.

I know Food TV Canada is different, I am talking here about Food TV USA.)

[Carolyn Tillie]

Okay, I'm figuring it out... At first, I thought FLN was perhaps a Canadian cable channel but a surf of the 'net shows it is a sister network to HGTV.

In previous threads lambasting The Food Network, I have commented how I prefer the food shows on HGTV - from the looks of it, HGTV is simply taking some of its 'better' shows and branching out (although it looks darn similar to HGTV with less decorating and craft shows).

Interesting about Chiarello too -- that was originally showed on NoCal PBS stations which could be a whole other tread... (they run upwards of 6 hours of cooking shows on weekends!).

[Keith Talent]

The Thirsty Traveler is the biggest dork on the tube. His lack of knowledge/insight is topped only by his middle Canada beer drinking hockey fan persona. I think the ultimate TV horror show should be created by sending him along with Rachel Ray and eighty bucks a day on the road. Maybe have Tyler Florence do the narration.

The only funny thing about that show is his slightly more haggard appearance in the second season. It seems the booze/travel is catching up to him.

[Chad]

It could be that Fine Living is following the same model that Food Network did. Let's call it the "drug dealer method of viewer acquisition." The first taste is always free. Keeps 'em coming back for more.

As someone mentioned during one of our interminable discussions of the downward spiral of FNTV, this is a pretty common practice in cable networks. Come in with high-quality, high-production-values, high-cost shows to capture a viewer base. Then, once a base is established, begin cutting costs, offering cheaper-to-produce shows and discontinuing the pricey material. That's why we have "Best Of" and "Top Five" instead of "A Cook's Tour."

Chad

[fresco]

As Jinmyo noted, though, two of the programs mentioned are produced in Canada and I can guarantee they are anything but big budget productions. Everything in Canadian media is produced for pennies, relative to the budgets in the US.

[menton1]

As Jinmyo noted, though, two of the programs mentioned are produced in Canada and I can guarantee they are anything but big budget productions. Everything in Canadian media is produced for pennies, relative to the budgets in the US.

OK, but I don't see why this means that Fine Living US has these good shows and Food Network US has the junk.

[fresco]

Depends on how you define junk. FN goes for the stuff they know, or are pretty sure, will generate big audience numbers. But really, does it matter where on the channel this stuff appears?

[Chad]

But really, does it matter where on the channel this stuff appears?

Yup. FNTV is part of my cable package. Fine Living is not available here. It's all up to the local cable company, but the fact that there are some great food shows out there that I can't see really bugs me.

Chad

[tommy]

But really, does it matter where on the channel this stuff appears?

Yup. FNTV is part of my cable package. Fine Living is not available here. It's all up to the local cable company, but the fact that there are some great food shows out there that I can't see really bugs me.

Chad

visit fineliving.com. they have a nice little set-up where you can request the station without having to actually call or write your cable company to tell them that you want it.

[menton1]

It's all up to the local cable company, but the fact that there are some great food shows out there that I can't see really bugs me.

Just do what I did 15 months ago: Give up cable for DirectTV, get a better picture, better service, save about 40% off the bill, and you will get FINE LIVING!! (A no-brainer!)

[SteveW]

As Jinmyo noted, though, two of the programs mentioned are produced in Canada and I can guarantee they are anything but big budget productions. Everything in Canadian media is produced for pennies, relative to the budgets in the US.

For the second season of Opening Soon, the show is listed as a co-production between Food Network Canada & Fine Living. I'm guessing they have a much bigger budget this year(now also covering the opening of US restaurants) & Fine Living is covering approx. half the cost.

Thirsty Traveler was originally aired on the Food Network when it debut in the US.

-Steve

[menton1]

Can anyone hazard a guess as to why they leave these "better" food shows off Food Network US?

[fresco]

See previous posts.

[kellycolorado]

Our cable company (Comcast) just picked up Fine Living today.

Finally! What shows are your favorites? I'm going to watch Opening Soon this afternoon, as well as Thirsty Traveller.

[jgarner53]

he Thirsty Traveler is the biggest dork on the tube. His lack of knowledge/insight is topped only by his middle Canada beer drinking hockey fan persona.

I wholeheartedly agree. While I do sort of like learning how various spirits are made, there are only so many distillery shots I can take. Though it is mildly entertaining to watch him get plowed and the subsequent behavior (repeatedly jumping into the river in Cognac). Can someone please teach him how to pronounce foreign words? He's constantly butchering them.

He was even worse as one of the color commentators on Iron Chef America, playing dumb sidekick to Alton Brown.

[Gul_Dekar]

he Thirsty Traveler is the biggest dork on the tube. His lack of knowledge/insight is topped only by his middle Canada beer drinking hockey fan persona.

I wholeheartedly agree. While I do sort of like learning how various spirits are made, there are only so many distillery shots I can take. Though it is mildly entertaining to watch him get plowed and the subsequent behavior (repeatedly jumping into the river in Cognac). Can someone please teach him how to pronounce foreign words? He's constantly butchering them.

He was even worse as one of the color commentators on Iron Chef America, playing dumb sidekick to Alton Brown.

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Come on, give the guy a break. I like Kevin Brauch! I think it's partly the way he acts on the show that makes it entertaining for me. What I get from his behaviour on the show says to me,"booze & good times go hand in hand"...

As to the not knowing his stuff, giving his own insight and what not, he was never an expert to begin with. He was just someone working in the TV industry. At least the show is fairly well researched and quite informative for the average alcoholic beverage consumer.

I quite honestly think he was asked to play dumb a bit for Iron Chef America because he handled foie gras on TT, yet seemed like he had never seen it before on ICA.

"middle Canada beer drinking hockey fan persona"?

He's from Toronto. Who doesn't drink beer? And what Canadian doesn't like hockey?

[Kevin72]

I'll echo Chad's comments and say that once Fine Living gets a "base" you'll see them roll in the reality shows, assembly line shots, borderline-offensive product placement, etc. a la FTV.

I catch Thirsty Traveller now and again and am also amused by his progressive inebriation as the episode wears on. The grappa episode was a highlight: slurring, trailing off, staggering, oh my! And I do like the cooking segments, brief as they are.

Chiarello has NapaStyle on Fine Living, the cooking show on FTV, and for a while on our PBS outlet they were still showing his old show. On a Saturday afternoon you could catch him three times in four hours!

The Rudy Maxa (sp?) travel show is also really good.

Honestly, any of these other Scripps networks could ideally play host to some of the hardcore cooking shows FTV is jettisoning. Why they couldn't have worked out a deal for Tony to just move ACT over to Fine Living (or hell, take over Thirsty Traveller) is a little puzzling.

[PDC]

Can anyone hazard a guess as to why they leave these "better" food shows off Food Network US?

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Simple. Fine Living is not a ratings sell right now. Its distribution is so limited it's not currently measured on a daily basis by Nielsen. So, the only selling point to advertisers is the perceived upscale quality of the audience.

Once a network moves out of the niche phase of development and becomes widely distributed it becomes a ratings sell and needs to appeal to a wider audience. What most of us here on egullet would perceive as "quality" would in most cases draw very, very low ratings because most of the rest of the country could care less. Such is the bane of having esoteric tastes.

[HerndonJake]

I catch Thirsty Traveller now and again and am also amused by his progressive inebriation as the episode wears on. The grappa episode was a highlight: slurring, trailing off, staggering, oh my! And I do like the cooking segments, brief as they are.

Loved the grappa episode as well. The best is near the end, when he's with the winemaker who's tanked as well, and they have to "bleep out" his cursing (winemaker) as they knock down the grappa. Classic. Would keep me watching the show just to see it happen more often.

[Carolyn Tillie]

The Fine Living Network was just added to my cable line up -- now I am finally seeing more of these shows! Opening Soon is on now and the Thirsty Traveler is on next. Also, our local NPR radio station is started to advertise this channel's existence.

We been really enjoying the various wine shows that have been on this new cable channel as well.

What a breath fresh air from The Food Network!