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“The CW” redirects here. For other uses, see CW.
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched during the 2006 television season. It features a mixture of programming from both UPN and The WB television networks, which ceased independent operations on September 15, 2006 and September 17, 2006 respectively. According to CW's President of Entertainment Dawn Ostroff, the network's "shows are going to appeal to the 18- to 34-year-olds."[1] The CW is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, owner of UPN, and Warner Bros. Entertainment, a subsidiary of Time Warner, majority owner of The WB. Its name derives from the first letter of the names of these two corporations (CBS and Warner Brothers). The network began operations on Monday, September 18, 2006 with two nights of reruns and launch-related specials; however, The CW marketed its formal launch date as Wednesday, September 20, 2006 with the 2-hour season premiere of America's Next Top Model.[2]
History
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. In the subsequent eleven-and-a-half seasons, despite a number of series that became minor or cult hits, neither network was able to attain the stature that Fox had gained in its first decade, much less that of the longstanding Big Three of ABC, CBS, and NBC. Both networks were losing money, although The WB was profitable for a few seasons. Reports indicated that the prospects for both networks were fading quickly. Nonetheless, the January 24, 2006 announcement that CBS and Warner Bros. would effectively combine the two networks' operations came as a surprise to most in the industry. Image:The CW logo.png The original CW logo introduced at the announcement of launch. 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,[3] Moonves stated in March[4] that there was "zero chance" the name would change, citing research claiming 48% of the target demographic was already aware of the CW name. At the network's first upfront presentation — May 18, 2006 — a new logo was unveiled to replace the provisional blue-rectangle logo used in January. The logo is a green-and-white insignia which has drawn comparisons to the logo of CNN, another company with Time Warner ownership interest. On September 11, 2006, a new, full version of the network website, www.cwtv.com, was launched. The website now contains links to Kids WB and now features more in-depth information of CW shows.
AffiliatesFollowing the network announcement, The CW immediately announced ten-year affiliation agreements with the Tribune Company and CBS Television Stations Group. Tribune committed 16 stations (including its flagship broadcast stations WGN-TV in Chicago, KTLA in Los Angeles and WPIX in New York) that were previously affiliated with The WB, while CBS committed 11 of its UPN stations (including WKBD in Detroit, WPSG in Philadelphia 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 overlapping markets. As part of its agreement, Tribune agreed to divest its interest in The WB and did not take an ownership interest in The CW. The network stated that it would eventually reach 95 percent of the United States. In markets where both UPN and The WB affiliates operate, only one station became a CW affiliate. Executives were on record as preferring the "strongest" stations among existing The WB and UPN affiliates. In most cases, it was obvious where the new network would affiliate; there were only a few markets where the WB and UPN affiliates were both relatively strong. However, as the "merger" was structured not as a merger in the legal sense, but as a new network launching at the same time as two others shut down, The CW was not obligated by existing affiliations with The WB and UPN. It had to negotiate from scratch with individual stations. As a result, in some markets, the CW affiliate is a different station than either the former The WB and UPN stations. In Helena, Montana, ion affiliate KMTF became a CW station. In Honolulu, Hawaii, The CW did not appear until early January 2007 where it is carried on a digital subchannel of local FOX affiliate KHON. In Las Vegas, Nevada, independent station KVCW signed for CW affiliation. The network has also affiliated with some digital channels, usually newly-launched subchannels of a local Big Four affiliate, in several markets. While WGN-TV in Chicago is part of the new network, its out-of-market Superstation WGN feed, which did not air WB programming, similarly does not air programs from The CW Network. Due to the availability of "instant duopoly" digital subchannels, that will likely be easily available on cable and satellite, and the overall lack of a need to settle for a secondary affiliation with shows aired in problematic timeslots, both the CW and MNTV launched with far greater national coverage than that enjoyed by UPN and the WB when they started in 1995. UPN for several years had gaps in the top 30 markets, and by 2005 managed to reach only 85% of the population. This resulted in secondary affiliations with other networks and the resulting diluted ratings when programs were shown out of their intended timeslots, or the lack of the program airing at all (a problem experienced by many Star Trek fans with Star Trek: Voyager and Star Trek: Enterprise). Launching RepercussionsThe announcement of The CW caused the largest single shakeup of U.S. broadcast television since the Fox/New World Communications alliance of 1994 and the subsequent launches of UPN and The WB the following year. While The CW debut affected more markets, it was unlikely to cause the same degree of viewer confusion, as no affiliates of the four major networks dropped those affiliations to join The CW. (Some "big four" affiliations did change at this time, but for unrelated reasons.) The WB and UPN were the first major television networks to close since the collapse of the DuMont Television Network in 1955, although other small broadcast television networks have also ceased operations over the years. In those media markets where there were separate The WB and UPN stations, one local station was left out in the merger; most of those stations have signed with MyNetworkTV while others elected to become independent stations. Some stations (mainly digital subchannels, some WB 100+ cable channels, and struggling low-power stations) which received neither network's affiliation opted instead to sign off permanently and cease to exist. It became clear that the Fox Television Stations Group, which purchased several UPN affiliates from former UPN co-owner Chris-Craft Industries in 2002, was impacted. Its UPN affiliates in five major markets would not be affiliated with The CW, due to the agreement with Tribune, and Fox made it clear it would not even seek the affiliation for its four UPN stations elsewhere. All UPN logos and network references were quickly removed from their stations. Shortly thereafter, Fox announced that it was starting MyNetworkTV, a programming service meant to fill the two nightly prime time hours that opened up on its UPN-affiliated stations after the start of The CW. Fox also offered the service to other stations.[7] Problems with Time Warner CableA number of households around the country were not able to see the new network when it premiered on September 18, due to stations in several markets not being able to strike a deal with Time Warner Cable (TWC). In markets like Charleston, South Carolina; El Paso, Texas; Honolulu, Hawaii; Palm Springs, California; Beaumont, Texas; and Corpus Christi, Texas, where the CW is broadcast on a digital subchannel of the station's primary affiliate, there have been unsuccessful attempts in getting Time Warner Cable to carry The CW on their basic cable lineups.[8] The CW is 50% owned by TWC's parent company, Time Warner. Some affiliates have since signed deals with TWC, but not all stations have landed within the analog listings. For example, WSTQ in Syracuse, New York can only be viewed on channel 266.[9] Currently, the largest market without a known affiliate is the Johnstown / Altoona market, Nielsen's DMA #98. WPCW channel 19, in Pittsburgh, is the closest affiliate and is carried on both Johnstown and Altoona's cable systems. MarketingImage:The CW.jpg A screenshot from a CW promo featuring a special CW remix version of "Here I Come", a song by Fergie and will.i.am. Note the "Free to be" branding. The network's first marketing campaign, "Free to Be", was created internally and by the Troika Design Group brand agency.[10] The campaign included advertisements in bus stops, on billboards, on the Internet, in magazines, and on television. It contained stars of the CW shows such as Gilmore Girls, Veronica Mars, Supernatural, America's Next Top Model, Smallville and One Tree Hill with their signature green background. The "Free to Be" was followed by a word unique to the character, show, or scene. Such descriptives have included "witty" (to describe Gilmore Girls), "super" (Smallville), "scary" (Supernatural), "fierce" (America's Next Top Model), "cool" (One Tree Hill), "funny" (Everybody Hates Chris), "tough" (WWE Friday Night SmackDown!) and "fearless" (Veronica Mars). Some additional spots are themed for other purposes without CW stars, for example "Free to be tricky" for Halloween and "Free to be famous" for The CW Daytime. The ads normally include one more descriptive—"together"—used to unify the network and its programming with the viewer. Imaging and presentation
Online Media & Music
Dixie Chicks ad controversyIn October 2006, The Weinstein Company claimed The CW had rejected ads for Shut Up & Sing, a new film documenting the controversy over prior Dixie Chicks statements about George W. Bush, citing "concerns we do not have appropriate programming in which to schedule this spot". The network says the statement was not a rejection, merely an opinion on whether the network was the right place to air the ad, and that it would air the ad if airtime was bought. The same ads were rejected by NBC, but accepted by CBS and individual local stations.[12] ProgrammingThe CW Network airs a 13-hour primetime lineup including Monday through Friday nights from 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sundays from 7:00-10:00 p.m. ET; Sunday from 5:00-7:00 p.m. ET outside of prime time as well as a Monday-Friday afternoon block from 3:00-5:00 p.m. ET and a five-hour Saturday morning animation block. Altogether, the new network programs 30 hours a week over seven days. Returning comedies are in red; new comedies are in pink; returning dramas are in green; returning reality shows are in yellow; new reality shows are in gold; sports entertainment programming is in purple. Scheduled premiere dates are shown in parentheses. All times are Eastern and Pacific (subtract one hour for Central and Mountain time).
Specials
Line-Up Notes & UpdatesFor shows in developments see Lists of programs broadcast by The CW
Renewed for Fall 2007
Midseason/Summer 2007
NOTE: Hidden Palms was initially set to air March 6, 2007 at 9pm, but the timeslot was given to Pussycat Dolls Present: The Search for the Next Doll instead. [29]
RatingsDebut performanceThe CW officially launched on September 18, 2006. However, it marketed its official debut as September 20, 2006, with the seventh-cycle premiere of America's Next Top Model. Top Model saw a 10% increase in viewership from the same time the previous year. On its debut night, The CW was Wednesday's number-one network in its target demographics (adults 18-34 and women 18-34), and was the fourth-most-watched network, beating Fox. On September 22, The CW again ranked fourth, tying Fox.[30] That distinction came on the strength of the debut of WWE Friday Night SmackDown! The two-hour show finished second for the night in the target demographic of men 18-34 (1.9/8) in the Nielsen overnight ratings. SmackDown! also beat Fox in adults 18-34 (1.4/6) and in total viewers (3.8 million).
Network executives
See alsoFootnotes
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