Welcome to
,
America's Favorite
Music Video Show
On October 18, 1996, this was The 80s Server Totally Awesome! site of the day.
Introduction:
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Night Tracks was a music video show that appeared on late night weekends on TBS Superstation (Turner Broadcasting System in Atlanta, Georgia USA). It made its debut on Friday, June 3, 1983 and the first video shown was "Family Man", by Daryl Hall & John Oates. I can still recall that fantastic moment like it was yesterday. At first Night Tracks was only 12 hours each weekend, but later expanded with another hour on Saturday nights with its Top 10 (Top 20 in 1990) CHARTBUSTERS music video countdown show in 1984. In 1985 Night Tracks expanded its Friday night lineup with Power Play. This would be the peak period with up to 14 hours of Night Tracks programming (unless it was delayed and abbreviated by Atlanta Braves Baseball, NBA Basketball games, etc.) until Spring of 1989 when it and TBS Superstation unfortunately gradually started cutting down on the hours and quality of the shows. A last ditch effort was made by first sampling an Alternative format in the Spring of 1991 and later ditching the Pop/Soft Rock format to a full time Alternative and Rap format in August 1991. That proved to be a dud and its last show aired on the last weekend of May 1992. Since the demise of Night Tracks, have you noticed that eMpTyV doesn't use that Exclusive logo as often on new music video acquisitions? That was because Night Tracks and other music video shows were its competition! After the competition were all eliminated, eMpTyV execs must have felt that they could slack off and degrade itself by showing mostly Alternative, Rap, or no videos with shows that has nothing to do with music. Now eMpTyV has finally revamped their lineup so where are the old competitors? Remember those music video shows like USA Network's NIGHT FLIGHT, the syndicated NEW YORK HOT TRACKS (similar to Night Tracks), AMERICA'S TOP 10 with Casey Kasem, and Friday Night Videos? Now you know what I mean! Please don't let eMpTyV get away with this music video monopoly in America. You say there's VH1? That's also owned by the parent company of eMpTyV. Same goes for eMpTyV 2 which is presently carried on very few cable systems. eMpTyV has given me a bad impression. If any Night Tracks fans are still out there, here's your chance to let TBS Superstation know that Night Tracks needs to be revived in order for the Viacom ruined MTV Networks to have some competition. Also, eMpTyV was once owned by Warner AMEX but was sold to Viacom in 1986. Today, AOL Time Warner is the parent company of TBS Superstation. It's time to convince them to reenter the music video broadcasting business. Reviving Night Tracks and completely restoring its old timeslots would be a good start.  Contact TBS Superstation online and ask them to revive Night Tracks especially that their parent company AOL Time Warner is currently working on a new music channel to compete against eMpTyV! They could bring the creators of Night Tracks back on board to produce new Night Tracks shows for TBS Superstation.Snail Mail & Phone Numbers: TBS Superstation |
To me, watching music videos from any other source is like eating a sandwich without using Miracle Whip.
The Hosts:
eMpTyV has VJs and so did Night Tracks, but unlike eMpTyV, none of them were seen (only heard) until the Christmas 1991 episode and the Make Your Own KLF Video Contest Promo. All Night Tracks shows have two hosts and always a male and a female even when an interim host is sitting in.
Joanne Erhart (1983-1989) Her 6+ year hosting stint is the longest. Frazer Smith (1986-1988), (1989-1991) The only person to have two hosting stints. He is currently hosting The Green Room on All Comedy Radio. Mike Carruthers (1988-1989) Now hosts a 90-second informational segment called "Something You Should Know". Cynthia Fox (1989-1991) Currently an on air personality (DJ) on 95.5 KLOS-FM in Los Angeles. Philip Philasteen (1991-1992) The rowdiest Night Tracks host ever! We also get to see him in the Christmas 1991 special and the Make Your Own KLF Video Contest promo which is unusual in Night Tracks tradition. Nile Fair (1991-1992) The only Night Tracks host with a British accent. We also get to see her in the Christmas 1991 special and the Make Your Own KLF Video Contest promo which is unusual in Night Tracks tradition. Heath Adams (1991-1992) (NOTE: Interim hosts are not included.) If you were in the Night Tracks' staff, please correct me if I misspelled any names and I also need to know who were the hosts of Country Tracks, the short lived one hour Night Tracks sister music video show. Also, If anyone knows what are they doing now please let me know. |
Notes and Trivia:
If I was Pope John Paul II back when Ted Turner made the insulting Pope Jokes in 2001, I would have forgiven him if he would have brought back Night Tracks!
First Night Tracks giveaway: Shalamar "Dead Giveaway" (08/1983)
Here's a little trivia. Can you name two music videos from movie soundtracks that Arnold Schwarzenegger had a starring role in those movies and a cameo appearance in the music videos?
The answer is... (You can watch the two music videos so check them out!)
I find it very surprising that TBS Superstation does not mention a hint of Night Tracks on its web site as a part of 20 years of broadcasting history while it mentions Tush, the variety show that Night Tracks replaced (Yes, I remember that show.).
I haven't seen all 20 clips of TBS Superstation's greatest moments, but I am willing to bet the house that Night Tracks is not in there. If that is the case, and since TBS Superstation started its 21st year on December 17, 1996, I would like to take the liberty of adding a 21st greatest moment which is
- June 3, 1983: TBS Superstation enters the music video industry with the premiere of Night Tracks!
Night Tracks' history (06/83 to 05/92= 9 years) was almost 3/5 of TBS Superstation's (12/76 to 05/92= 15½ years) by its cancellation in 1992 and even by the 20th Anniversary, it was still 45%. Compare this with National Geographic Explorer which recently celebrated its 10th Anniversary which makes it over 50% SO WHY ARE THEY TREATING NIGHT TRACKS AS IF IT NEVER EXISTED?
TBS Superstation now has 1980s Night on Friday Nights where they play movies from the 1980s. I think they should also play music videos from the '80s straight from the Night Tracks archives. I mean, why not? Nobody seems to have any national '80s retro music video shows at the moment.
Disclaimer:
The Night Tracks Web Site is a fan produced web page intended exclusively as an informational entertainment base for fans of NIGHT TRACKS and its crew. This is also an awareness base for the NIGHT TRACKS revival campaign (by simply sending feedback to TBS Superstation by means of electronic mail, postal mail, facsimile, and/or telephone). All logos and references to the music video show are owned by the respective trademark and copyright holders. This page claims no official association with, nor knowingly infringes upon these trademarks and copyrights held by TBS Superstation and Lynch/Biller Productions.
NIGHT TRACKS theme music by Michael Cruz.
is (or was?) a registered service mark of Turner Program Services, Inc.
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Last modified on Tuesday, June 3, 2008.
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