Prime Time Entertainment Network
The Prime Time Entertainment Network (PTEN) was an American television network that was operated by the Prime Time Consortium, a joint venture between the Warner Bros. Domestic Television subsidiary of Time Warner and Chris-Craft Industries. First launched on January 20, 1993, and operating until 1997, the network mainly aired drama programs aimed at adults between the ages of 18 and 54. At its peak, PTEN's programming was carried on 177 television stations, covering 93% of the country.[1]
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| Type | Defunct broadcast television network |
|---|---|
| Country | |
| Availability | National |
| Owner | Warner Bros. Domestic Television Chris-Craft Industries |
Launch date | January 20, 1993 |
| Dissolved | October 27, 1997 |
| Affiliates | List of affiliates |
History
Origins
At the time of PTEN's founding, co-owner Chris-Craft Industries owned independent television stations in several large and mid-sized U.S. cities (among them its two largest stations, WWOR-TV in New York City and KCOP-TV in Los Angeles) through its BHC Communications and United Television divisions, which formed the nuclei of the network.[2]
PTEN was launched as a potential fifth television network, and was created in reaction to the success of the Fox network (which debuted in October 1986, seven years before PTEN launched) as well as the successes of first-run syndicated programming during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It offered packaged nights of programming to participating television stations, beginning with a two-hour block on Wednesday evenings, with a second block (originally airing on Saturday, before moving to Monday for the 1994-95 season) being added in September 1993.[3] Originally, the station groups involved in the Prime Time Consortium helped finance PTEN's programs; however, that deal was restructured at the beginning of the network's second year.
The service sought affiliations with various television stations not affiliated with the Big Three television networks. However, close to half of PTEN's initial affiliates were stations that were already affiliated with Fox; as a result, these stations usually scheduled PTEN programming around Fox's then five-night prime time schedule (although Fox would expand its schedule to seven nights with the addition of programming on Tuesdays and Wednesdays on January 19, 1993, the day before PTEN launched). PTEN launched on January 20, 1993, with two series: the science fiction series Time Trax and the action drama Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.[2]
Demise
PTEN faced two obstacles created by its parent companies, that would affect the network. On November 2, 1993, the Warner Bros. Entertainment division of Time Warner announced that it would form its own fifth network, The WB Television Network, as a joint venture with the Tribune Company,[4] Six days earlier, on October 27, Chris-Craft Industries announced the launch of the United Paramount Network (UPN), in a programming partnership with Paramount Television (which would become part-owner of the network in 1996). As a result, the core Chris-Craft independent stations (as well as those owned by Paramount) would serve as charter stations of the new network; Chris-Craft also chose to pull out of the partnership to focus on operating UPN.
The network also faced issues from some PTEN-affiliated stations that took issue with the network's barter split, which gave nine minutes of advertising time per hour to the syndicator, leaving only five minutes for the stations to sell and program locally. PTEN also ran into difficulty when the studio was forced to let stations out of their back-end commitments for several series. PTEN adopted a variable schedule for the 1995-1996 season, for affiliates to schedule around The WB and UPN's programming on the night of their choosing. With Chris-Craft pulling out of the venture, PTEN essentially became a syndication service for its remaining shows. The network ceased operations in 1997. One of the two series that aired during the service's final year of operation, the science fiction drama Babylon 5, would later be revived by TNT, where it aired for a fifth and final season beginning in 1998.
Programming
Former programming
Series
- Babylon 5 (February 22, 1993, as a made-for-TV movie; January 26, 1994 – October 27, 1997, as a weekly series)
- Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (January 27, 1993 – January 1, 1997)
- Pointman (January 24, 1994, as a made-for-TV movie; January 26–November 27, 1995, as a series)
- Time Trax (January 20, 1993 – December 3, 1994)
Movies and mini-series
- The History of Rock 'n' Roll (March 6, 1995) 10 hour documentary[5]
- Island City (March 2, 1994)
- The Wild West (March 22–26, 1993)
Affiliates
| Market/city of license | Station[6] | Owner(s) at the time of affiliation | Years of affiliation |
| Albany | WXXA-TV 23 | Heritage Broadcasting Group (1993–1994), Clear Channel Communications (1994–) |
1993–1995 (secondary) |
| Alexandria | K47DW 47 | Delta Media | |
| Amarillo | KCIT 14 | Epic Broadcasting Corporation | 1993–1995 (secondary) |
| Anchorage | KYES-TV 5 | 1993–1995 | |
| Atlanta | WATL 36 | Fox Television Stations, Qwest Broadcasting |
1993–1997 |
| Augusta, Georgia | WFXG 54 | Pezold Management Associates Inc. | 1993–1994 |
| Augusta, Georgia | WJBF 6 | Spartan Radiocasting | 1995 |
| Bainbridge | WTLH 49 | ||
| Bakersfield | KUZZ-TV 45 | Buck Owens | |
| Baltimore | WNUV 54 | Abry Communications, Glencairn, Ltd. |
|
| Baton Rouge | WGMB 44 | ||
| Billings | KSVI 6 | ||
| Birmingham | WABM 68 | ||
| Bloomington, Illinois | WYZZ-TV 43 | ||
| Bloomington/Indianapolis | WTTV 4 | River City Broadcasting, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
1993-1997 |
| Boise | KTRV-TV 12 | ||
| Boston | WSBK-TV 38 | New World Communications, Paramount Stations Group |
|
| Bryan | KYLE 28 (satellite of KWKT) |
||
| Buffalo | WUTV 29 | Act III Broadcasting, Abry Communications, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
1993-1997 |
| Cadillac | WGKI 33 (now WFQX-TV) |
Gary Knapp | |
| Cape Coral | WFTX 36 | Wabash Valley Broadcasting | 1993-1997 |
| Cape Girardeau | KBSI 23 | ||
| Cedar Rapids | KOCR 28 (now KFXA) |
Metro Program Network | |
| Charleston, West Virginia | WVAH-TV 11 | Act III Broadcasting, Abry Communications, Glencairn, Ltd. |
1993-1997 |
| Charlottesville | WVIR-TV 29 | Waterman Broadcasting Corporation | |
| Chico | KCVU 30 | ||
| Cincinnati | WSTR-TV 64 | Abry Communications, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
1993-1997 |
| Cleveland-Canton-Akron, Ohio | WUAB 43 | Cannell Broadcasting | 1993-1997 |
| Colorado Springs | KXRM-TV 21 | ||
| Columbia, South Carolina | WACH 57 | Ellis Communications | |
| Columbus, Georgia | WLTZ 38 | J. Curtis Lewis | |
| Columbus, Ohio | WBNS-TV 10 | Dispatch Broadcast Group | 1993-1997 |
| Corpus Christi | K47DF 47 | ||
| Danville, Kentucky | WDKY-TV 56 | ||
| Davenport | KLJB-TV 18 | Grant Broadcasting System II | |
| Dayton | WKEF 22 | KT Communications, Max Media |
|
| Denver | KDVR 31 | Renaissance Broadcasting, Fox Television Stations |
1993-1997 |
| Derry | WNDS 50 (now WWJE-DT) |
CTV of Derry | |
| Des Moines | KDSM-TV 17 | River City Broadcasting | |
| Detroit | WXON 20 (now WMYD) |
1993-1997 | |
| Dothan | WDHN 18 | Morris Multimedia | |
| El Centro | KECY-TV 9 | ||
| El Paso | KCIK-TV 14 (now KFOX-TV) |
1993-1997 | |
| Elmira | WETM-TV 18 | Smith Broadcasting | |
| Eureka | KBVU-TV 29 | ||
| Evansville | WFIE 14 | Cosmos Broadcasting | |
| Fairbanks | K07UU 7 (now KFYF) |
Tanana Valley Television Company | |
| Fargo | KVRR 15 | Red River Broadcasting | |
| Flint | WSMH 66 | ||
| Fort Collins | KFCT 22 (satellite of KDVR) |
Renaissance Broadcasting, Fox Television Stations |
|
| Fort Pierce | WTVX 34 | Whitehead Media | 1993-1997 |
| Fort Smith | KPBI-LP 46 (now KPBI-CA) |
Pharis Broadcasting | |
| Fort Worth-Dallas | KTXA 21 | Paramount Stations Group | 1993-1997 |
| Gary-Chicago | WPWR-TV 50 | Newsweb Corporation | 1993-1997 |
| Grand Rapids | WXMI 17 | Dudley Communications | |
| Great Falls | KFBB-TV 5 | Dix Communications | |
| Green Bay | WGBA 26 | Aries Telecommunications | |
| Greensboro-High Point-Winston-Salem | WGGT 48 (satellite of WNRW) (now WMYV) |
Guliford Broadcasters | |
| Greenville | WYDO 14 (satellite of WFXI) |
||
| Hartford-New Haven | WTIC-TV 61 | Renaissance Broadcasting | September 1993 – 1997, replacing WTXX |
| Helena | K21DU 21 (satellite of KFBB-TV) (now KHBB-LP) |
Dix Communications | |
| Henderson-Las Vegas | KVVU-TV 5 | Meredith Corporation | 1993-1997 |
| Hilo | KHBC-TV 2 (satellite of KHNL) |
Providence Journal Broadcasting | |
| Honolulu | KHNL 13 | Providence Journal Broadcasting | |
| Houston | KTXH 20 | Paramount Stations Group | 1993-1997 |
| Huntsville | WZDX 54 | ||
| Jackson, Mississippi | WAPT 16 | Northstar Television, Argyle Television |
|
| Jackson, Tennessee | WMTU 16 (now WJKT) |
||
| Jacksonville | WNFT 47 (now WJAX-TV) |
RDS Broadcasting | 1993–1995, 1995-1997 (secondary) |
| Jamestown | KJRR 7 | Red River Broadcasting | |
| Johnstown | WWCP-TV 8 | Peak Media of Pennsylvania | |
| Kansas City | KSMO-TV 62 | Abry Communications, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
|
| Kingsport | WKPT-TV 19/W30AP 30 (W30AP now WAPK-CD 36) |
Holston Valley Broadcasting Corporation | |
| Knoxville | WKCH-TV/WTNZ 43 | Ellis Communications | |
| Kokomo | WTTK 29 (satellite of WTTV) |
River City Broadcasting, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
1993-1997 |
| Lafayette, Louisiana | KLAF-LD 46 | Delta Media | |
| Lansing | WSYM-TV 47 | Journal Broadcast Group | |
| Little Rock | KLRT-TV 16 | ||
| Louisville | WDRB 41 | 1993-1997 | |
| Los Angeles | KCOP-TV 13 | Chris-Craft Television: KCOP Television |
1993-1997 |
| Lubbock | KJTV-TV 34 | ||
| Lynchburg | WJPR 21 (satellite of WFXR-TV) (now WWCW) |
Grant Broadcasting System II | |
| Madison | WMSN-TV 47 | ||
| Memphis | WLMT 30 | Mass Media, Inc. | |
| Miami | WDZL 39 (now WSFL-TV) |
Renaissance Broadcasting | 1993-1997 |
| Midland, Texas | KPEJ 24 | ||
| Milwaukee | WVTV 18 | Gaylord Entertainment Company, Glencairn, Ltd. |
1993-1997 |
| Minneapolis | KMSP-TV 9 | BHC: United Television | 1993-1997 |
| Mobile | WPMI-TV 15 | Clear Channel Communications | |
| Monroe | KARD-TV 14 | Banam Broadcasting | |
| Montgomery | WCOV-TV 20 | Woods Communications | |
| Morehead City | WFXI 8 | ||
| Nashville | WZTV 17 | Act III Broadcasting, Abry Communications, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
|
| New Orleans | WNOL-TV 38 | Quincy Jones Broadcasting Qwest Broadcasting |
1993-1997 |
| Ocala | WOGX 51 | Wabash Valley Broadcasting Meredith Corporation |
1993-1997 |
| Oklahoma City | KOCB 34 | Superior Broadcasting | |
| Omaha | KPTM 42 | Pappas Telecasting | |
| Orlando | WOFL 35 | Meredith Corporation | 1993-1997 (secondary) |
| Panama City | WPGX 28 | ||
| Pembina | KNRR 12 (satellite of KVRR) |
Red River Broadcasting | |
| Philadelphia | WPHL-TV 17 | Tribune Broadcasting | 1993-1997 |
| Phoenix | KUTP 45 | BHC: United Television | 1993-1997 |
| Pittsburgh | WPTT-TV 22 (now WPNT) |
Eddie Edwards Glencairn, Ltd. |
|
| Plattsburgh | W27BI/WWBI-LP 27 | ||
| Portland, Maine | WPXT 51 | Pegasus Broadcast Television | |
| Portland, Oregon | KPTV 12 | Chris-Craft TV:Oregon TV | 1993-1997 |
| Portsmouth-Norfolk, Virginia | WGNT 27 | Centennial Broadcasting | |
| Providence, Rhode Island-New Bedford, Massachusetts | WNAC-TV 64 | Northstar Television, Argyle Television |
|
| Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, North Carolina | WLFL 22 | Paramount Stations Group Sinclair Broadcast Group |
|
| Reno | KAME-TV 21 | ||
| Richmond | WRLH-TV 35 | Act III Broadcasting, Abry Communications, Sullivan Broadcasters |
|
| Roanoke | WFXR-TV 27 | Grant Broadcasting System II | |
| Rochester, New York | WUHF-TV | Act III Broadcasting, Abry Communications, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
1993-1997 |
| Sacramento | KRBK-TV/KPWB-TV 31 (now KMAX-TV) |
Koplar Broadcasting, Pappas Telecasting |
|
| Salina | KAAS-TV 18 (satellite of KSAS-TV) |
||
| Salinas | KCBA 35 | Ackerley Broadcasting | |
| Salt Lake City | KJZZ-TV 14 | Larry H. Miller | |
| San Angelo | K55AA 55 (satellite of KTXS-TV) (now KTXE-LP 38) |
||
| San Antonio | KRRT 35 (now KMYS) |
Paramount Stations Group, Jet Broadcasting |
|
| San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose | KBHK-TV 44 (now KBCW) |
United Television | 1993-1997 |
| Santa Fe | KASA-TV 2 | Providence Journal Company | |
| Santa Maria | KCOY-TV 12 | Stauffer Communications | |
| Savannah | WJCL 22 | J. Curtis Lewis | |
| Secaucus, NJ-New York City | WWOR-TV 9 | BHC:Pinelands Chris-Craft Industries |
1993-1997 |
| Shreveport | KMSS-TV 33 | ||
| Spokane | KHQ-TV 6 | ||
| Springfield, Illinois | WRSP-TV 55 | ||
| Springfield, Missouri | KDEB-TV 27 (now KOZL-TV) |
||
| St. Louis | KPLR-TV 11 | Koplar Broadcasting | 1993-1997 |
| St. Petersburg-Tampa | WTOG 44 | Hubbard Broadcasting, Paramount Stations Group |
1993-1997 |
| Sweetwater | KTXS-TV 12 | ||
| Syracuse | WSYT 68 | ||
| Tacoma-Seattle | KSTW 11 | Gaylord Entertainment Company Paramount Stations Group |
1993-1997 |
| Thief River Falls | KBRR 10 (satellite of KVRR) |
Red River Broadcasting | |
| Tijuana-San Diego | XETV 6 | Televisa | 1993-1997 |
| Toledo | WUPW 36 | Ellis Communications | |
| Tucson | KTTU-TV 18 | Clear Channel Communications | |
| Urbana | WCCU 27 (satellite of WRSP-TV) |
||
| Visalia | KMPH-TV 26 | Pappas Telecasting | |
| Waco | KWKT 44 | ||
| Wailuku | KOGG 15 (satellite of KHNL) |
Providence Journal Broadcasting | |
| Washington, D.C. | WDCA 20 | Paramount Stations Group | 1993-1997 |
| Waterbury | WTXX 20 (through early 1993) (now WCCT-TV) |
Counterpoint Communications | 1993-1997 |
| Wichita | KSAS-TV 24 | ||
| Wichita Falls | KJTL 18 | Epic Broadcasting Corporation | |
| Winston-Salem | WNRW 45 (now WXLV-TV) |
Act III Broadcasting, Abry Communications, Sinclair Broadcast Group |
|
| Vanderbilt | WGKU 45 (satellite of WGKI) (now WFUP) |
Gary Knapp | |
| Yakima | K53CY 53 | ||
| York | WPMT 43 | Renaissance Broadcasting |
References
- Susan King (January 23, 1994). "Space, 2258, in the Year 1994". Los Angeles Times. Times Mirror Company. p. 4. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
- Jim Benson (May 28, 1993). "Warner weblet to 2-night sked". Variety. Cahners Business Information.
- Mike Freeman (May 31, 1993). "PTEN goes to two evenings, sort of". Broadcasting & Cable. Cahners Business Information. p. 16.
- Time Warner TV Network to Cover 40% of Nation, The Buffalo News, November 2, 1993. Retrieved May 28, 2013 from HighBeam Research.
- B, M (March 6, 1995). "rock 'n' roll finds home on Internet" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable. Retrieved March 16, 2020.
- Lee Whiteside (April 6, 1995). "B5: Babylon 5 TV Station List/Times updated!". rec.arts.sf.tv. Google Groups. Retrieved November 27, 2006.
- Mike Freeman (January 17, 1994). "Lots of action in action-adventure genre". Broadcasting & Cable.
- Mike Freeman (August 29, 1994). "Action escalates For Syndicators". Broadcasting & Cable. Cahners Business Information.
- David Tobenkin (April 24, 1995). "Fate of WB's `Pointman' undecided". Broadcasting & Cable. Cahners Business Information.
- Lee Whiteside (April 6, 1995). "B5: Babylon 5 TV Station List/Times updated!". rec.arts.sf.tv. Google Groups. Retrieved November 27, 2006.