SitcomsOnline.com News Blog

Happy New Year; Classic TV Stamps Coming Soon; RTN Launches Today in a PA Market

Happy New Year! We welcome in 2009 today as we get ready for yet another year of TV/sitcom news for you here on the SitcomsOnline.com News Blog. Another year, and another year to say thanks for visiting everyday! We are entering our fourth year (season four!) of non-stop news. So far almost 3 1/2 years of news every single day (since August 2005). We have you to thank because you continue to visit! Here's to another year! Enjoy the TV marathons today we relayed to you yesterday!

Classic TV is coming to a US postage stamp near you! Folks who grew up as television came of age will delight in a 20-stamp set included in the Postal Service's plans for 2009 recalling early memories of the medium. Most of the commemorative stamps are priced at 42 cents, the current first-class rate. However, a rate increase is scheduled in May and the size will depend on the consumer price index. The Early TV Memories stamp set is scheduled for release Aug. 11 in Los Angeles.
Among programs to be commemorated in the 20-stamp series: the Groucho Marx-hosted game show You Bet Your Life, where saying the secret word got the player $100. Also on the list are The Adventures of Ozzie & Harriet, Alfred Hitchcock Presents, The Dinah Shore Show, Dragnet, The Ed Sullivan Show, The George Burns & Gracie Allen Show, Hopalong Cassidy, The Honeymooners, Howdy Doody, I Love Lucy, Kukla, Fran and Ollie, Lassie, The Lone Ranger, Perry Mason, The Phil Silvers Show, Red Skelton, Texaco Star Theater, The Tonight Show and The Twilight Zone.

Early last year we told you about RTN coming to a Pennsylvania affiliate in early 2009, now we have gotten word that that affiliate launches TODAY! WJAC in the Johnstown area of PA, will air classic favorites such as Leave it to Beaver, McHale's Navy, Magnum P.I., Dragnet and others. The Retro Television Network will be broadcast over WJAC-TV's 6.2 digital channel. Comcast subscribers can view this programming in the area on Channel 106 and Atlantic Broadband subscribers can view RTN in the area on channel 110. RTN will replace NBC's Weather Plus Channel which was discontinued by the network.