The CW Television Network ( The CW ) is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network (UPN), and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB Television Network. The "CW" name is derived from the first letter of the names of these corporations ( C BS and W arner Bros.). The network features a lineup of shows that, according to its President of Entertainment Dawn Ostroff, "appeal to women 18 to 34-years-old." The network currently airs programming 6 days a week: Monday through Friday afternoons and evenings (in prime time), and Saturday morning children's programming.
The network debuted programming after its two predecessors, UPN and The WB, ceased independent operations on, respectively, September 15 and September 17, 2006. The CW's first two nights of programming—Monday and Tuesday, September 18 and September 19, 2006—consisted of reruns and launch-related specials. The CW marked its formal launch date on Wednesday, September 20, 2006, with a 2-hour season premiere of America's Next Top Model .
The CW lineup has featured on a mixture of programming that originated on both UPN and The WB along with its own original programs.
History
Joining forces
The CW is a successor to The WB and UPN, both of which launched in January 1995. However, both networks can be seen as descendants of the Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN), a joint venture between Warner Bros. and Chris-Craft Industries, which launched in 1993. The two companies later became partners in The WB and UPN, respectively, and PTEN continued as a separate syndication service until folding in 1997.
Both UPN and The WB started just as the Fox network had begun to secure a foothold in the American viewing lineup. Both launched to limited fanfare and generally poor results. However, in the subsequent 11 1/2 seasons, both networks were able to air several series that became quite popular, such as UPN's Star Trek: Voyager , Star Trek: Enterprise , Moesha , The Parkers , Girlfriends , All Of Us , Veronica Mars , and WB's Buffy the Vampire Slayer (TV series) , Angel , Dawson's Creek , 7th Heaven , Felicity , Charmed , Everwood , and Smallville .
Towards the end of their opening decade, both television networks were in decline, unable to reach the audience or have the effect that Fox had gained within its first decade, much less that of the Big Three (ABC, CBS, and NBC). In the eleven years UPN and the WB were on the air, the two networks lost a combined $2 billion. Rather than facing questionable futures as separate networks, executives from CBS and Warner announced on January 24, 2006, that they would shut down their respective networks (UPN and WB) and combine resources to form a new broadcast network, to be known as The CW Television Network, that would at the outset feature programming from both networks as well as new content.
CBS chairman Les Moonves explained that the name of the new network was formed from the first letters of CBS and Warner Bros, joking, "we couldn't call it the WC for obvious reasons." Although some executives reportedly disliked the new name, Moonves stated in March that there was "zero chance" the name would change, citing research claiming 48% of the target demographic was already aware of the CW name.
On-Air
Like both UPN and The WB, The CW targets its programming to younger audiences. CBS and Warner Bros. hoped that combining their networks' schedules and station lineups would strengthen The CW into a fifth "major" broadcast network. Unlike the "Big Four" broadcast networks, The CW does not offer national news or sports programming to their affiliates; however, some affiliates do broadcast local news and/or sports, and many, mostly CW Plus stations, air the nationally syndicated Orlando-based morning show, The Daily Buzz .
On September 11, 2006, a new, full version of the network website, www.cwtv.com, was launched. The website now contains links to The CW4Kids and now features more in-depth information of CW shows.
"The New CW" launched with a premiere special/launch party from CBS-produced Entertainment Tonight at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank on September 18, 2006, after a repeat of the 7th Heaven 10th-season finale; the same schedule was repeated on September 19, 2006 with Gilmore Girls' 6th-season finale. The network continued to air season finales from the previous season through the rest of the first week, except for America's Next Top Model and SmackDown! , which launched their new seasons on September 20-September 22 respectively, with full-night premieres. When America's Next Top Model launched on September 20, 2006, The CW scored a 3.4/5 (with hourly ratings of 3.1/5 and 3.6/6; The CW placed 5th overall) in the households and a 2.6 rating in the Adults 18-49 (The CW placed 4th in the A18-49) beating Fox's 2.2. The network's second week consisted of all season/series premieres for all other series from September 25-October 1, with the exception of Veronica Mars , which debuted its third season on October 3.
WWE Friday Night SmackDown stopped airing on The CW after the September 26, 2008 episode due to negotiations ending between WWE and The CW Network. The network later confirmed that the CW had chosen not to continue the WWE broadcast because the network had redefined its target audience as exclusively 18- to 34-year-old women. Thanks to the WWE, MyNetworkTV has beaten The CW in the Friday ratings every week since its debut, though The CW continues to beat MyNetworkTV overall.
Relationship with Media Rights Capital
On May 9, 2008, The CW announced it would lease its Sunday lineup (5:00-10:00 p.m. ET) to an outside company, Media Rights Capital (MRC). The move allowed The CW to concentrate on its Monday-thru-Friday schedule (Sundays have historically been a low-rated night for the network) while giving MRC the right to develop and schedule programs of its own choosing and reap ad revenue generated by its lineup. The Sunday series that were scheduled—2 reality series ( 4Real and In Harm's Way ) and 2 scripted series ( Valentine and Easy Money )—performed poorly in the ratings (averaging only 1.04 million viewers), prompting The CW to scrap its agreement with MRC and program Sunday nights on its own as of November 30, 2008. (See "Schedule" section of this article.) The above-mentioned series halted production the previous month and likely will not finish out their runs. Surviving Suburbia , another MRC-developed show that had a planned Spring 2009 debut on the CW Sunday schedule, remained in production and was eventually picked up by ABC.
In July and August 2009, both Valentine and Easy Money finished off their runs via a burn-off of unaired episodes on Sunday evenings at 7pm ET/PT before the Sunday night movie.
The future
The CW has generally struggled in the Nielsen ratings since its inception, primarily placing fifth in all Nielsen statistics, and in several slots, has even been outrated by the Spanish language Univision. This has led to speculation in the industry (including a May 16, 2008 Wall Street Journal article) that CBS, Warner Brothers, or both companies could abandon the venture if ratings do not improve. However, The CW's fortunes were buoyed in the fall of 2008 and 2009 thanks to increased ratings in its 18-34 female demographic and the buzz that some of its newer series (such as Gossip Girl , 90210 and The Vampire Diaries ) have generated. Executives of both companies have emphasized their commitment to the network. Indeed, the CW's 2009-2010 season is a firm go to launch in mid-September 2009, although the network did discuss the idea of an earlier launch for the season—as early as July 2009—in an effort to get ahead of the other networks' fall premieres and to help offset poor performances of summer repeats.
On May 5, 2009, the network announced it was beginning the process of giving the five hours of network time on Sundays back to the CW affiliates as of fall 2009, thus becoming a weeknight-only network in primetime, along with The CW Daytime and The CW4Kids Saturday block. Subsequently in mid-May, 65% of the network's affiliates, including those airing the CW Plus schedule, have signed agreements to continue to air the replacement MGM movie package on Sunday, which will be offered in the 2009-10 season through MGM's syndication division as a traditional movie syndication package meant for the CW's former Sunday primetime slot.
Affiliates
Main article: List of CW affiliatesFollowing the network announcement, The CW immediately announced ten-year affiliation agreements with the Tribune Company and CBS Television Stations Group. Tribune originally committed 16 stations (including its flagship broadcast stations WGN-TV in Chicago, KTLA in Los Angeles and WPIX in New York; another committed station, KSWB/San Diego, joined Fox in August 2008) that were previously affiliated with The WB, while CBS committed 11 of its UPN stations (including WKBD in Detroit, WPSG in Philadelphia, KBHK-TV in San Francisco and WUPA in Atlanta). These stations combine to reach 48 percent of the United States. Both groups also own several UPN/WB stations that did not join The CW in overla
Direct tv satellite system - Dish memphis network satellite system ...
... system Dish lincoln network satellite system Dish mobile network satellite system Dish montgomery network satellite system Dish free network satellite system waco Dish free network ...
Local Networks - Get Dish Now! Free Dish Network System from VMC ...
Get a satellite TV system from Dish Network and up to four receivers installed free when you sign up for service. ... Waco, TX Washington, DC Washington, NC Waterloo, IA West ...
DISH Network HD Local Channels and HD Local Markets Available on DISH ...
You've arrived at the best DISH Network satellite retailer! Dish Systems ... And, best of all, DISH Network offers a FREE upgrade to a ... Tucson, AZ » Tulsa, OK » Waco, TX ...
DISH Network Satellite Local TV Channels
Waco, TX; Washington ... Let us Pay your Dish Network Bill become an affiliate and get paid. Want to make $100 every time you give a satellite system ... 7" Screen - Free Dish Network ...
Dish Network Satellite HD TV
Waco, Texas Lansing, Mich. Wichita Falls, Texas Lincoln, Neb. Wilkes-Barre, Penn. Dish Network has promised to offer local ... installation of their satellite television system. A free ...
301 dish network receiver satellite - Dish free network satellite ...
... satellite system washington Dish missoula network satellite system Dish free network satellite system tyler Dish free network satellite system waco Free dish network satellite Dish ...
Get Dish Now! Free Dish Network System from VMC Satellite
Get a satellite TV system from Dish Network and up to four receivers installed free when you sign up for service. ... Waco, TX Washington, DC Washington, NC Waterloo, IA ...
DishPronto - Start building your DISH Network system
Your best source for dish network and satellite television. Get free dish network equipment here.
DISH Network HD Local Channels Available For Waco - Temple - Bryan ...
DISH Network offers the most HD Local Channels with 6 months of DishHD Free ... Network satellite retailer! Dish Systems ... DISH Network currently has 59 HD local markets including Waco ...
Texas Dish Network Offers Free Dish TV TX System
Special Texas Dish Network offers from the top authorized online Dishnetwork TX Retailer. Free 1-4 Room Dish TV Texas Satellite TV System installed in your house.