Start TV
File:StartTV logo.png | |
Type | Free-to-air television network |
---|---|
Country | |
Availability | Nationwide, via digital terrestrial television (U.S. coverage: 45%) |
Headquarters | Chicago, Illinois |
Owner | Start TV LLC[1] (Weigel Broadcasting) |
Key people |
|
Launch date | September 3, 2018 |
Picture format | 480i widescreen (SDTV) (4:3 programming adapted to 16:9) |
Affiliates | List of affiliates |
Official website | www |
Start TV is an American free-to-air television network owned by Weigel Broadcasting. Predominantly carried on the digital subchannels of its affiliated television station in most markets, it primarily airs classic television drama series from the 1980s through the 2000s, with a focus on dramas, police and legal procedurals geared toward female audiences. The network originates from Weigel Broadcasting's headquarters on North Halsted Street in Chicago, Illinois.[2][3]
History
On July 18, 2018, Weigel Broadcasting announced the formation of Start TV, with plans to launch the network on Labor Day of that year (September 3).[2] The network initially debuted on the subchannels of five of Weigel's TV stations, three stations owned by Bahakel Communications, 17 CBS TV stations,[4][5][6] and three CW owned-and-operated stations.
Weigel indicated that CBS suggested the idea for the network to allow more modern programming not being carried by cable networks or streaming services to find a place to air.[7] Start TV officially launched on September 3, 2018, at 6:00 a.m. Eastern Time, with the pilot episode of Touched by an Angel ("The Southbound Bus") as its inaugural broadcast. Variety 's 2019 Nielsen ratings list showed that Start TV averaged 114,000 viewers in prime time, up 65% from the 2018 average.[8]
Programming
As with its male-targeting sister network Heroes & Icons, Start targets a female niche with a more recent focus than MeTV, carrying a number of police procedurals and legal procedurals led by women. The network features series from a narrower timeline and focuses on more recent content than Decades, its sister network.[7] It also has a uniform programming schedule with shows airing mainly at the same time seven days a week, along with some marathons.[2] Start TV also has the standard three-hour block of children's programming on Sunday mornings between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time in order to fulfill educational programming requirements mandated by the Federal Communications Commission, sourced from Bellum Entertainment Group.
Current programs
- The Closer (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Cold Case (September 3, 2018 – present)
- The Division (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Family Law (September 3, 2018-April 28, 2019, October 15, 2019 – present)
- Joan of Arcadia (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Medium (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Profiler (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Touched by an Angel (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman (September 3, 2018 – present)
- Crossing Jordan (January 1, 2019 – present)
- Unforgettable (January 1, 2019 – present)
- The Good Wife (January 1, 2019 – present)
- Strong Medicine (January 1, 2019-April 28, 2019, October 15, 2019 – present)
- Ghost Whisperer (April 29, 2019 – present)
- Cagney & Lacey (October 14, 2019 – present)
- In Plain Sight (October 14, 2019 – present)
- Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye (October 15, 2019 – present)
Source:[4]
E/I programming
- On the Spot (September 9, 2018 – present)
- Coolest Places on Earth (September 9, 2018 – present)
- Zoo Clues (September 9, 2018 – present)
- Animal Atlas (September 9, 2018 – present)
- Wonderful World (September 9, 2018 – present)
Former programs
- Early Edition (September 3, 2018-October 14, 2019)
- Promised Land (December 31, 2018-October 14, 2019)
Affiliates
As of August 2018[update], Start TV has affiliation agreements with television stations in 27 media markets encompassing 20 states, covering 45.52% of the United States.[9] The network is carried on the digital subchannels of television stations in most of its markets (with potential exceptions in certain areas where a future affiliate may opt to carry the network on its main feed), and is also carried on cable television providers through their digital tiers at the discretion of the affiliate's parent station in certain markets. The network initially launched primarily on subchannels of stations owned by Weigel Broadcasting and CBS Television Stations. (In many of the CBS markets, Start TV displaced Weigel and CBS's classic television network venture Decades, with Weigel assuming the local Decades affiliation rights on stations it owns in certain markets where CBS Television Stations owns a CBS and/or CW owned-and-operated station, such as Los Angeles and Chicago.) Bahakel Communications also contributed stations to serve as charter affiliates.[2]
In South Bend, Indiana (where Weigel Broadcasting owns ABC affiliate WBND-LD, CW affiliate WCWW-LD and MyNetworkTV affiliate WMYS-LD) and Milwaukee, Wisconsin (where Weigel owns CBS affiliate WDJT-TV, independent station WMLW, MeTV owned-and-operated station WBME-CD and Telemundo affiliate WYTU-LD), the network displaced This TV on WCWW-LD2 and WYTU-LD3, effectively leaving that network without an affiliate in either market. (Weigel – which was part-owner of that network from its founding in October 2008 – had continued to hold the This TV affiliation rights for the Milwaukee market after Tribune Broadcasting assumed Weigel's interest and operational responsibilities in the network in November 2013; Tribune's Milwaukee station, WITI has not claimed the This TV affiliation in the market despite Weigel moving the This affiliation to lower-tier channel slots several times.)[10]
Current affiliates
City of license/market | Station | Virtual channel |
Physical channel | Primary affiliation | Owner | Date of affiliation | Replaced[2][9] |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Alabama | |||||||
Montgomery | WBMM | 22.3 | 18 | The CW | Bahakel Communications | September 3, 2018 | Heartland |
Arizona | |||||||
Phoenix | KUTP | 45.5 | 26 | MyNetworkTV | Fox Television Stations | Coming Soon (Per Start TV website)[11] | |
California | |||||||
Los Angeles | KCBS-TV | 2.2 | 31 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Sacramento–Stockton–Modesto | KOVR | 13.2 | 25 | ||||
San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose | KPIX-TV | 5.2 | 29 | ||||
Colorado | |||||||
Denver | KCNC-TV | 4.2 | 35 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Florida | |||||||
Tampa–St. Petersburg | WTOG | 44.2 | 44 | The CW | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Miami-Fort Lauderdale | WFOR-TV | 4.2 | 22 | CBS | |||
Orlando | WKMG-TV | 6.4 | 26 | Graham Media Group | December 2018 | ||
Jacksonville | WJXT | 4.3 | 42 | Independent | 2019 | This TV | |
Georgia | |||||||
Atlanta | WUPA | 69.2 | 36 | The CW | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Hawaii | |||||||
Honolulu | KITV | 4.3 | 20 | ABC | Lilly Broadcasting | October 2018 | |
Idaho | |||||||
Boise | KRID-LD | 22.6 | 22 | NewsMax TV | Idaho TV 22 | September 3, 2018 | Untamed Sports TV |
Illinois | |||||||
Chicago | WBBM-TV | 2.2 | 12 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
WMEU-CD | 48.2 | 32 | Independent | Weigel Broadcasting | Independent | ||
Rockford | WFBN-LD | 35.3 | 35 | Heroes & Icons | |||
Indiana | |||||||
Fort Wayne | WISE-TV | 33.5 | 34 | The CW | Quincy Media | ||
Indianapolis | WBXI-CD | 47.1 | 47 | Primary | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
South Bend | WCWW-LD | 25.2 | 25 | The CW | Weigel Broadcasting | This TV | |
Iowa | |||||||
Cedar Rapids | KCRG | 9.4 | 9 | ABC | Gray Television | March 1, 2019 | |
Davenport | KWQC-TV | 6.5 | 36 | NBC | February 1, 2019 | ||
Kansas | |||||||
Topeka | WIBW-TV | 13.4 | 13 | CBS | Gray Television | February 28, 2019 | |
Massachusetts | |||||||
Boston | WBZ-TV | 4.2 | 30 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Michigan | |||||||
Detroit | WWJ-TV | 62.2 | 44 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Flint | WJRT | 12.4 | 12 | ABC | Grey TV | August 30, 2019 | |
Marquette | WZMQ | 19.4 | 19 | MeTV | Lilly Broadcasting | ||
Minnesota | |||||||
Duluth | WDIO | 10.4 | 10 | ABC | Hubbard Broadcasting | ||
Hibbing | WIRT | 13.4 | 13 | ABC | |||
Minneapolis–St. Paul | WCCO-TV | 4.2 | 32 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Walker–Bemidji | KCCW-TV | 12.2 | 12 | ||||
Missouri | |||||||
St. Louis | KNLC | 24.6 | 14 | MeTV | Weigel Broadcasting | September 3, 2018 | |
Nebraska | |||||||
Omaha | WOWT | 6.5 | 22 | NBC | Gray Television | February, 2019 | |
New York | |||||||
Albany | WNYT | 13.3 | 12 | NBC | Hubbard Broadcasting | June 1, 2019 | Heroes & Icons |
New York City | WCBS-TV | 2.2 | 33 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
North Carolina | |||||||
Charlotte | WCCB | 18.5 | 27 | The CW | Bahakel Communications | September 3, 2018 | |
Raleigh | WRAL-TV | 5.3 | 48 | NBC | Capitol Broadcasting Company | June 4, 2019 | |
Ohio | |||||||
Cleveland | WBNX-TV | 55.5 | 30 | Independent | Winston Broadcasting Network | December 1, 2018 | |
Cincinnati | WBQC-LD | 25.10 | 28 | Independent | Elliot Block | December 30, 2019 | Heroes & Icons |
Pennsylvania | |||||||
Philadelphia | KYW-TV | 3.2 | 26 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Pittsburgh | KDKA-TV | 2.2 | 25 | ||||
Erie | WICU-TV | 12.4 | 12 | NBC | Lilly Broadcasting | ||
South Carolina | |||||||
Columbia | WOLO-TV | 25.2 | 8 | ABC | Bahakel Communications | September 3, 2018 | This TV |
Myrtle Beach | WFXB | 43.3 | 36 | Fox | 2019 | ||
Tennessee | |||||||
Kingsport, Tennessee | WKPT-TV | 19.5 | 19 | Holston Valley Broadcasting Group | October, 2019 | ||
Texas | |||||||
Dallas–Fort Worth | KTVT | 11.2 | 19 | CBS | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Houston | KPRC-TV | 2.4 | 35 | NBC | Graham Media Group | December 1, 2018 | |
San Antonio | KSAT-TV | 12.5 | 12 | ABC | January 2019 | ||
Belton/Killeen/Temple/Waco | KNCT | 46.3 | 46 | The CW | Gray Television | January 2, 2019 | |
Utah | |||||||
Cedar City, Utah (Salt Lake City) | KCSG | 8.3 | 14 | Heroes & Icons | Weigel Broadcasting | September 3, 2018 | |
Virginia | |||||||
Roanoke/Lynchburg, Virginia | WSLS-TV | 10.4 | 34 | NBC | Graham Media Group | 2019 | |
Washington | |||||||
Tacoma (Seattle) | KSTW | 11.2 | 11 | The CW | CBS Television Stations | September 3, 2018 | Decades |
Bellingham | KVOS-TV | 12.5 | 35 | Heroes & Icons | Weigel Broadcasting | ||
Wisconsin | |||||||
Eau Claire | WEAU | 13.5 | 38 | NBC | Gray Television | ||
Green Bay | WBAY-TV | 2.5 | 23 | ABC | February 1, 2019[12] | ||
Madison | WMTV | 15.5 | 19 | NBC | June 1, 2020 | ||
Milwaukee | WDJT-TV | 58.5 | 58 | CBS | Weigel Broadcasting | September 3, 2018[10] | |
WYTU-LD | 63.2 | 17 | Telemundo |
References
- ^ "Start TV |". Start TV.
© 2020 START TV LLC
- ^ a b c d e Mark K. Miller (July 18, 2018). "Weigel To Launch 'Start TV' Female Diginet". TVNewsCheck. TVNewsCheck Media. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ Robert Feder (July 19, 2018). "Weigel to launch Start TV digital network with CBS Television Stations". RobertFeder.com. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ a b Tara Bitran (July 18, 2018). "TV News Roundup: Netflix Offers First Look at 'Narcos: Mexico,' Trailer for Rev Run's 'All About the Washingtons'". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ Melissa Hudson (July 18, 2018). "Weigel Broadcasting Co. to launch new 'Start TV' network in association with CBS television stations". WBND-LD. Weigel Broadcasting. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ Phil Kurz (July 30, 2018). "Start TV Diginet To Showcase Strong, Resourceful Women". TVTechnology. Future plc. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ a b Chris Foran (July 19, 2018). "New over-the-air TV channel, Start TV, to focus on shows with strong female leading characters". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 29, 2018.
- ^ Schneider, Michael (26 Dec 2019). "Most-Watched Television Networks: Ranking 2019's Winners and Losers". Variety. Retrieved March 6, 2020.
- ^ a b "Stations for Network - Start TV". RabbitEars. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ a b Chris Foran (August 27, 2018). "TV channel-surfing: Start TV and Justice Milwaukee are in, This TV's out, and Movies! is moving". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Gannett Company. Retrieved August 28, 2018.
- ^ Start TV - Where to Watch https://www.starttv.com/wheretowatch/#AZ
- ^ "WBAY TV-2 adds H&I and Start TV to channel line up". January 25, 2019. Retrieved January 25, 2019.