Fox Movie Channel's rotation

I notice that for the first time in at least a few years, The Fox Movie Channel has scheduled Leave Her to Heaven, September 8 at 11:00 AM ET. I've already blogged about this before, as it's one of my favorite movies, so I'd like to take another opportunity to talk about the way Fox programs its movie channel.

Frankly, and I think I've said this once before, I find it baffling. Granted, Fox doesn't have as much access to movies as TCM, but they've still got a reasonably-sized library, especially since they're more willing to show recent movies. I don't particularly have a problem with showing newer movies in prime time, since their aim is to bring viewers to the channel. However, their use of the studio's older product leaves a lot to be desired. They seem ot bring some of the old movies out of the vault, subject them to rerun abuse, showing them a bunch of times over, say, a six-month period -- and them stick the films back in the vault, not to be seen on FMC for another few years. Perhaps it costs less in rights management fees to do it this way. I happen to be a game-show fan, and I know that it costs less for Game Show Network to get the rights to, say, one years of Jeopardy! and show it three times through than it does to get the rights to three consecutive years and show them back-to-back. It also doesn't seem to make much of a ratings difference either way, which is why cable channels subject their programming to rerun abuse.

Still, it's maddening. Fox and TCM are about the only ones who have any interest in showing these old movies, and it's a shame to have them sit in the vault deteriorating.