UPN-WB to Merge

[Cheaptimes]

UPN, WB to Combine to Form New Network
By SETH SUTEL, AP Business Writer
47 minutes ago

NEW YORK - Two small, struggling television networks, UPN and WB, will merge to form a new network called The CW, executives from the companies that own them said Tuesday.

The announcement was made by executives from CBS Corp., which owns UPN, and Warner Bros., a unit of Time Warner Inc., which owns WB.

Both UPN and WB had struggled to compete against larger rivals in the broadcast TV business, including Walt Disney Co.'s ABC, News Corp.'s Fox, General Electric Co.'s NBC and CBS Corp.'s CBS.

The new network will launch in the fall, the executives said, and both UPN and WB will shut down. It will be a 50-50 partnership between Warner Bros. and CBS, and the network will be carried on stations owned by the Tribune Co., which is a minority owner of the WB network.

Among the Tribune's TV stations that will join the new network are its flagship WGN in Chicago as well as WPIX in New York, and KTLA in Los Angeles.

Leslie Moonves, chief executive of CBS Corp., said the new network will air 30 hours of programming seven days a week aimed in part at young audiences.

Barry Meyer, the head of Warner Bros., said the network would be run by the current executives of UPN and WB.

Maybe Smackdown wont be on peroid this fall

 

[Cricket14]

prolly get played on a diff channel

 

[GHP]

damn, I hope some network buys up everybody hates chris thats my favorite show right now and it would be a damn shame if it got cancelled because it was on a shitty network. Funny thing is a probably watch UPN more than any of the top networks just cuz they play reruns of all my favorite old shows like the simpsons and malcolm in the middle

 

[Ke-noe]

It's probably going to be on a different channel.

 

[GeeZus]

NOT MANY OTHA CHANNELz WILL HOST WRESTLE'N UNLESS ITz AT A STRANGE HOUR....

DEN AGAIN, IF DA CHANNELz RATINz R SHITTY, IT COULD WORK OUT...

HOPEFULLY SMAKDOWN WILL GET A GOOD DEAL WHEREVA DEY GO IF IT UPN/WB DONT STIK WIT'EM....


- GEEzUz

 

[Ke-noe]

Smackdown's Future Revealed:

UPN and World Wrestling Entertainment recently worked out a quiet deal to keep WWE SmackDown! on the air for two more seasons, reports Variety.

This essentially clears up the talk that the UPN-WB merger put SmackDown! in jeopardy; between this news and the press release, UPN is clearly committed to bringing WWE SmackDown! to the new network.

When SmackDown! was first moved to Friday, a number of wrestling analysts suggested that the move was a sign of UPN planning to rid itself of the wrestling program. At the time, it was explained that said conclusion was without merit - it made more sense to put the established SmackDown! on Friday so that the new "Everybody Hates Chris" could be given the Thursday slot - and recent comments from UPN management have further indicated that wrestling will continue to be a part of the network's schedule.

 

[timdown]

it'll be on the new network that cbs is making, starting in november. i think its called cb.