New CW network to be owned 50/50 by CBS and Time Warner
(AP) — 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.
Chicago’s Tribune Co. is a minority owner of the 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 and CBS Corp.’s.
Read the full story in the Chicago Tribune.
I’m assuming that this means that many shows that are currently on The WB and UPN will get cancelled, right?
Well, it worked for Fox.
I think this is a cool idea. Either they’re going to make a few good shows, or do what the public education systems can’t and drive people to books.
My vote’s with Fred. I haven’t watched anything on the WB since Angel was cancelled, and the last thing I tried to watch on UPN was the Twilight Zone remake with Forrest Whitaker. I honestly think the last thing I regularly watched that UPN aired was B5, but that technically might have been the pre-UPN PTEN package.
Just color me cynical. What I’m yearning for is a network with the ‘nads to acquire good & smart content, then keep it on the air in the face of waves of apathy from the vast majority of the brain-dead herds who watch the tube. Just ’cause it’s the right thing to do. They deliver that, and I’ll find myself caring bunches. Insert snide smirk here.