January 25, 2006
The WB and UPN merge to form new fifth network, the CWOn the heels of news that Disney is acquiring Pixar, two of the six networks on the air are disappearing. They will be replaced by a new network, the CW, it was announced in a joint statement from parent companies CBS Corp. and Time Warner Inc.
The Tribune Co., which has a minority stake in the WB, will carry the new network on 16 of its stations: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Houston, Miami, Denver, St. Louis, Portland, Indianapolis, San Diego, Hartford, New Orleans and Albany. CBS, which owns UPN through parent Viacom, Station Group television markets will carry the network on stations it has in Philadelphia, San Francisco, Atlanta, Detroit, Tampa, Seattle, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, West Palm Beach, Norfolk, Oklahoma City and Providence. These two companies alone will bring the new network to nearly half the country, including 20 of the top 25 television markets. Both have guaranteed to broadcast the stations line-up for at least a decade.
The new network will continue the WB's six-night primetime format, as well as its flagship Saturday morning children's line-up. How the new line-up will shake out remains unclear, though four shows from UPN ("America's Next Top Model", "Everybody Hates Chris", "Girlfriends", "Veronica Mars") and four from the WB ("Smallville", "Gilmore Girls", "Supernatural", "Reba") are mentioned in the press release. WWE's "Smackdown" is also expected to make the transition to the new network.
John Maatta, Chief Operating Officer of the WB, will transition to the same title at the new network. Dawn Ostroff, UPN's network president, will be the president of entertainment at the new network. No word on whether David Janollari, current president of the WB, will have a role in the new network.
Read the original press release here. What a brave new world this is.
- ADAM LENHARDT
Adam
Freelance Film Critic
Albany, NY
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