TruTV

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trutv
TruTV logo.svg
Launched July 2, 1991
(as Court TV)
January 1, 2008
(as TruTV)
Owned by Turner Broadcasting System
(a Time Warner Company)
Picture format 1080i (HDTV)
480i (SDTV)
Slogan Not Reality. Actuality.
Country United States
Headquarters Atlanta, Georgia
Formerly called Court TV (July 1, 1991 - December 31, 2007)
Website truTV.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV (U.S.) 246 (HD/SD)
1246 (VOD)
Dish Network 242 (HD/SD)
9430 (HD)
DirecTV (Latin America) 220
Cable
Available on many cable systems Check local listings

TruTV (formerly Court TV) is an American cable television network owned by Turner Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Time Warner.[1] The network launched as Court TV in 1991, changing to TruTV in 2008. Its programming has traditionally consisted of reality legal programming and legal dramas, such as legal-based news shows, legal-based talk shows, live homicide trial coverage, court shows, police force shows, and other criminal justice programming. Throughout its evolution, the network has branched out into more "caught on video" reality programs, or as TruTV calls it, "actuality" television.

Contents

History[edit]

Court TV launched on July 1, 1991, originally only available to three million subscribers.[2] Its original anchors were Fred Graham, who was still at the network twenty years later, and Cynthia McFadden, who later joined ABC News. In 1998, NBC sold its share of the network to Time Warner. That same year, it began running several original and acquired programs in prime time, such as Homicide: Life on the Street and Forensic Files.

The network was born out of two competing projects to launch cable channels with live courtroom proceedings, the American Trial Network from Time Warner and American Lawyer Media and In Court from Cablevision and NBC. Both projects were present at the National Cable Television Association in June 1990.[3] Rather than trying to establish two competing networks, the projects were combined in December 1990. Liberty Media would join the venture in 1991. TruTV was originally known as Court TV and featured continuous live trial coverage, with analysis by anchors. The network came into its own during the Menendez brothers first trial and later the O.J. Simpson murder trial. It was led by law writer Steven Brill. Brill left the network in 1997.

In 2004, recognizing the growth of its primetime programming, Court TV split itself into two divisions. Daytime trial coverage was branded as Court TV News, and primetime and weekend programming was branded as Court TV: Seriously Entertaining. Time Warner bought full control of Court TV in 2006 and began running it as part of Turner Broadcasting. The buyout of Court TV marks Time Warner's first instance of buying a TV network - rather than selling one - since the acquisition of TBS Networks in 1996.

As part of the rebranding, daytime trial coverage, which previously aired from 9:00AM ET to 5:00PM ET, was cut back to 9:00AM ET to 3:00PM ET and branded as "In Session." From 3:00PM ET to 5:30PM ET on weekdays and throughout the weekend, it runs original investigation-based programming and several new reality shows not related to law enforcement.

TruTV HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of TruTV, which is available nationally on DirecTV and Dish Network and regionally on AT&T U-verse, Comcast, Time Warner Cable, Cox Cable, Cablevision, Verizon FiOS and RCN.[4] In March 2011, the channel saw a surge of deals to carry its HD feed, due to its coverage of the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament, (and subsequent tournaments) which was its first ever live sports programming.[5]

Programming[edit]

Main article: List of programs broadcast by truTV
In Session logo

In Session (the successor to Court TV News) provides live coverage of trials, legal news, and details of highly publicized crimes during their news programming hours from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. ET every weekday (except during national holidays). Their coverage takes viewers into the courtrooms and shares analysis from anchors and guests to help viewers understand legal proceedings. In Session also runs a blog, Sidebar, where the In Session team posts updated legal news and analysis. In Session moved to a new studio in Atlanta at the CNN Center on November 16, 2009. It will be part of, and produced by, TruTV's sister network, HLN. In Session anchors also appear on CNN to provide legal analysis about current crime stories and trials.

Sports coverage[edit]

On February 8, 2010 TruTV premiered NFL Full Contact a show that gave a behind the scenes look at the television production for major football events such as the Super Bowl, NFL draft and Pro Bowl and season opener. The show was not renewed for a second season.

On March 15, 2011 and March 16, 2011 TruTV entered the live sports avenue by showcasing the inaugural First Four round of the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. The agreement is part of the new contract between Turner Sports and CBS Sports resulting in shared coverage of the NCAA Tournament through 2024. TruTV featured games up until the Elite 8 round. In addition to games, TruTV had the studio show Inside March Madness after every day of action. TruTV's college basketball coverage was not limited to the NCAA Tournament. On April 1, 2011 the network aired the Reese's All-Star Game, featuring top players from schools across the country. TruTV currently has a show from NFL Films in development tentatively titled Semi-Pro that will focus on a group of semi-professional football players.

In 2011, TruTV tried to secure the rights for National Hockey League coverage, but lost to NBC and NBC Sports Network.[6]

Websites[edit]

In addition to TruTV.com, the network also operates The Smoking Gun, a website that focuses on legal items often pertaining to famous people, such as mug shots and other public documents.[7] It also owns the website Crime Library, which provides detailed information about infamous crimes and how they were solved.[8]

They as well host Dumb as a Blog, a blog dedicated to "dumb" human misfortune.[9]

Online coverage of current trials (including In Session) is now hosted at sister website CNN.com's "Crime" section. TruTV also maintains truTV video, a streaming video player, where users can watch "footage of car chases, dumb criminals, gun fights, drunk drivers, drug busts, naughty girls, police, things that blow up, taser attacks, naked thieves and more!"

Radio[edit]

On February 3, 2003, Court TV Plus debuted on Sirius Satellite Radio, featuring audio from Court TV programs. Originally on Channel 134, it was moved in September 2005 and aired on Channel 110 until the channel ceased operations on January 1, 2008.

International[edit]

Canada[edit]

Main article: Investigation Discovery (Canada)

Court TV Canada, a Canadian version of the channel under its previous format, owned by CHUM Limited (and later acquired by CTVglobemedia which then sold their assets to Bell Canada under the Bell Media sudsidary), launched on September 7, 2001. Unlike its U.S. counterpart, it did not rebrand under the TruTV name and continued to operate as Court TV until August 30, 2010 when, as part of a wider licensing agreement with Discovery Communications and CTV, Court TV was officially replaced by Investigation Discovery Canada.

The U.S. version of CourtTV had earlier been approved by the CRTC as an eligible foreign signal in 1997, and indeed had been carried by several Canadian service providers prior to the launch of the domestic service.[10] However, Court TV/TruTV was never withdrawn as an eligible foreign signal, meaning that, particularly with the end of the licensing agreement with CTV, there are few hurdles preventing TruTV from re-emerging at some future point on Canadian service providers.[11]

Latin America[edit]

Main article: TruTV (Latin America)

The channel was launched on April 1, 2009 in Latin America replacing Retro, also owned by Turner Broadcasting System. The announcement was made on March 25, 2009 by Turner Broadcasting System Latin America.[12] The channel has the same programming, idents and bumpers from the U.S. version.

Asia[edit]

Main article: TruTV (Asia)

The channel was launched on April 1, 2010 in several markets in Asia including Indonesia, Mongolia, the Philippines and Singapore on StarHub TV channel 446. The channel is owned and operated by owned by Turner Broadcasting System Asia Pacific and has similar programming, idents and bumpers to the U.S. version, but many are also created by the Turner regional office in Hong Kong. It also has its own dedicated website for the region.

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Turner Brand - TruTV". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  2. ^ Lee Winfrey (July 7, 1991). "Courtroom network banks on real-life drama". The Pittsburgh Press. 
  3. ^ "Fledgling Cable Networks Are Poised for Flight". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  4. ^ "DirecTV Update". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  5. ^ "Cablevision, Comcast, DirecTV among providers on board in advance of March Madness". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  6. ^ "Fox and Turner Considering NHL TV Deal?". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  7. ^ "The Smooking Gun: Public Documents". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  8. ^ "Crime Library - Crime News and Stories". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  9. ^ "Dumb as a Blog: Daily Digest". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  10. ^ "Public Notice CRTC 1997-96". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  11. ^ "Revised list of non-Canadian programming services authorized for distribution as of 1 October 2012". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 
  12. ^ "Turner Broadcasting System Latin America, Inc.lanza un nuevo canal: truTV". Retrieved 9 November 2012. 

External links[edit]

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=TruTV&oldid=557181192"