Channels & viewing

[JetsetA320]

Dear ROKU, 

I notice that seasons of the former ABC TV sitcom, Bewitched, are shown on ROKU periodically.  For a while, in 2024, I was able to watch Seasons 1, 2, 3 and 4.  Most recently, I was able to watch Seasons 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.  I am assuming this is by design.  Not sure why all 8 Seasons cannot be viewed altogether.

In particular, I have noticed an issue with Season 4.  When viewing during these last few months of 2024, when Seasons 4 through 8 were being broadcasted, there were only a few episodes, more toward the end of that Season 4, not the entire Season 4.  I didn't understand why Season 4 was not being shown in its entirety.  

Now that we've change into 2025, I noticed that ROKU has reverted back to broadcasting only Seasons 1, 2 and 3.  I am unable to view Season 4 at all.  So, in essence, I was unable to view Season 4's earlier episodes last year, and now that we're in 2025, I cannot access Season 4 at all.

Is this an issue with that particular sitcom?  I thought I would bring this to your attention.

Thanks.

JetsetA320

[AvsGunnar]

@JetsetA320 

All the content available to these channels/apps are licensed for a period of time.  Sometimes, not all episodes or seasons are available to be licensed.  Bewitched has been showing on Roku for quite a while now so likely more of the episodes and seasons are becoming unavailable or the licensing is beginning to expire for the affected episodes and/or seasons.

Generally, adviseable to just search elsewhere within the other free channels/apps that may be offering the content and see if the content is available there.  Currently, though, i do not see it available for free other than the Roku Channel.

[JetsetA320]

Dear AvsGunnar,

Thanks for your explanation.  I do have to ask, however, as you explained, even with good viewership for this particular series, I am assuming, the fact, as you pointed out, that this series has been streaming for "a while", can still make it more difficult to keep certain episodes active and, therefore, available for us to view?  In other words, what we were able to view before, may not be possible with certain television series that have been streaming for quite a while at this point? 

Thanks for your advice.  I will watch the three (Seasons 1 through 3) now and then look and see what will be incorporated into the next group which should be nearer to about late March/early April.

JetsetA320  

[Strega2]

Basically a commercial TV operation licenses some content (under conditions like time, region, possible number of viewers etc.) and they try to sell that to as many customers (advertisers) as possible, hopefully with enough markup to more than pay for their licensing fees and operating fees.

And then the TV channel and the customer hope the viewers (in the preferred demographics) show up to actually consume the ads.

Sometimes specific episodes have specific issues like: some licensed content can't be re-licensed, customer (advertiser) has some issue with it, etc. etc.

All of these things can change over time. Most viewers don't keep watching the same stuff forever. If you want something reliably available to you forever, Blu Rays and DVDs are better for that.

By the way, none of the above is specifically related to streaming. This description would have worked in 1950 too. (Except that DVDs and Blu Rays didn't exist yet.)

[JetsetA320]

Thanks, Strega2 for your explanation as well. 👍

[JWS9518]

To add, sometimes viewership dwindles for a series as well (especially older series) and so the series is removed for a period of time to add fresh content and to help keep that ad revenue flowing.  They do this in part to hopefully create a demand for the content that was removed (especially content that was popular in the past) so that it can be brought back into circulation at a later date.

[JetsetA320]

Dear JWS9518,

This too is very helpful to have me understand how this works.  I appreciate your feedback and everyone else's, too.

JetsetA320