Prime Time Entertainment Network
 |
|
| Type | Defunct broadcast television network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Availability | National |
| Owner | Warner Bros. Domestic Television, Chris-Craft |
| Launch date | January 20, 1993 |
| Dissolved | 1997 |
The Prime Time Entertainment Network (also known as PTEN) was a United States television network launched in 1993 by the Prime Time Consortium, a joint venture between Warner Bros. Domestic Television and the Chris-Craft group of independent stations. Originally, the station groups in the consortium helped finance the shows on PTEN, but that deal was restructured at the beginning of the network's second year. At its peak, PTEN had 177 stations covering 93% of the country.[1]
Contents |
[edit] History
[edit] Origins
PTEN was launched as a potential fifth network, and offered packaged nights of programming to television stations, beginning with a two-hour block, with second block added one year later.[2] However, close to half of PTEN's initial affiliates were Fox stations, and PTEN programming was usually scheduled around Fox's then five-night prime time schedule.[3] Some PTEN-affiliated stations took issue with the network's barter split, which gave nine minutes of advertising time per hour to the syndicator, leaving only five minutes to the stations. The network also ran into difficulty when the studio was forced to let stations out of their back-end commitments for several series.
[edit] Demise
When Chris-Craft pulled out of the partnership and realigned with the just-launched UPN in 1995, and Warner Bros. launched The WB with the Tribune station group, PTEN essentially became a syndication service for its remaining shows. The network closed down in 1997.
Due to the corporate structure of Warner Brothers, no PTEN shows can be found in continued syndication, despite multiple offers by many networks to broadcast the more popular shows such as Babylon 5. Due to this same structural issue, all intellectual properties that debuted on PTEN are mothballed to the maximal extent WB has the rights to.
[edit] Programming
The most successful PTEN program was the science fiction drama Babylon 5. Other shows included Pointman, Island City, Time Trax, and Kung Fu: The Legend Continues and two 10-hour documentary mini-series: The Wild West and The History of Rock 'n' Roll.
[edit] Broadcast schedule
[edit] Spring 1993 season (PTEN's first season)
| Day | 8PM | 9PM |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | Time Trax | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues |
| Movies & Mini-Series | Babylon 5 (Sunday, 2/22/1993) | The Wild West |
[edit] 1993-94 season[4]
| Day | 8PM | 9PM |
|---|---|---|
| Wednesday | Babylon 5 | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues |
| Saturday | Time Trax | |
| Movies & Miniseries | Island City Pointman |
History of Rock 'n' Roll |
[edit] 1994-95 season
| Day | 8PM | 9PM |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | Babylon 5 (1) | Pointman (1) |
| Wednesday | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues (1) |
1) Airtimes not verified.
[edit] 1995-96 season
| Day | |
|---|---|
| random | Babylon 5 |
| random | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues |
[edit] 1996-97 (PTEN'S fifth and final season)
| Day | |
|---|---|
| random | Babylon 5 |
| random | Kung Fu: The Legend Continues |
[edit] Network affiliates
This film, television or video-related list is incomplete; you can help by expanding it with reliably sourced additions.[edit] References
- ^ Susan, King (January 23, 1994). "Space, 2258, in the Year 1994". Los Angeles Times. pp. 4. http://articles.latimes.com/1994-01-23/news/tv-14354_1. Retrieved June 25, 2009.
- ^ Mike, Freeman (May 31, 1993). "PTEN goes to two evenings, sort of". Broadcasting & Cable. pp. 16.
- ^ Benson, Jim (May 28, 1993). "Warner weblet to 2-night sked". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR107288.html?categoryid=14&cs=1.
- ^ Benson, Jim (May 28, 1993). "Warner weblet to 2-night sked". Variety. http://www.variety.com/article/VR107288.html?categoryid=14&cs=1.
- ^ Whiteside, Lee (1995-04-06). "B5: Babylon 5 TV Station List/Times updated!". rec.arts.sf.tv. Google Groups. http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.tv/browse_thread/thread/98843822ed20a79c/5dbb63b15ca806e7?lnk=st&q=%22Prime+Time+Entertainment+Network%22+%22station+list%22+95&rnum=1. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
- Freeman, Mike (January 17, 1994). "Lots of action in action-adventure genre". Broadcasting & Cable.
- Freeman, Mike (August 29, 1994). "Action escalates For Syndicators". Broadcasting & Cable.
- Tobenkin, David (April 24, 1995). "Fate of WB's `Pointman' undecided". Broadcasting & Cable.
- Whiteside, Lee (1995-04-06). "B5: Babylon 5 TV Station List/Times updated!". rec.arts.sf.tv. Google Groups. http://groups.google.com/group/rec.arts.sf.tv/browse_thread/thread/98843822ed20a79c/5dbb63b15ca806e7?lnk=st&q=%22Prime+Time+Entertainment+Network%22+%22station+list%22+95&rnum=1. Retrieved 2006-11-27.
