USA NETWORK

'USA Network' is a popular American cable television network with about 89 million household subscribers as of 2005. The network shows a variety of original and second-run programming, from syndicated TV series to edited movies. USA also shows some sports coverage, such as select golf tournaments, the U.S. Open (tennis), and annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Since 2004, they have broadcast portions of the Olympic Games, along with many other NBC Universal basic cable channels. Previously, it had a weekly boxing show named ''USA Tuesday Night Fights'', which ran for 17 years. USA was also the home of World Wrestling Entertainment (then called the World Wrestling Federation or WWF)'s flagship cable TV shows from the channel's launch until September 2000, and currently since October 2005.
Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily been gaining popularity recently, thanks in part to breakout hits like the detective series ''Monk'', ''Psych'' (a series about a fake psychic who helps solve crimes), the return of ''WWE Raw'', the sci-fi mini-series turned regular series ''The 4400'', and the psychic series based on the novel by Stephen King, ''The Dead Zone''. Reruns of '' and '' are also frequently shown and are popular on the network, as is another NBC Universal property, ''House''.
NBC Universal announced before NBC released their 2007-08 fall schedule on May 13, 2007 that ''Criminal Intent'' would be renewed for a seventh season. However, the new episodes of the series would premiere on USA beginning in fall 2007, with episodes repeating later in the season on NBC, most likely to shore up any programming holes created by a failed series. Although this is not the first time a broadcast series has moved to cable (As early as 1987, NBC's revival of ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' moved to USA Network), it is a first in that a series which moved to cable will continue to show episodes on a broadcast network during its first-run era ^[1].
A high definition version of the channel is scheduled to launch in the fall of 2007.
Alan Kalter was the network's main promotional voice throughout the 1980s and much of the 1990s.

USA Network timeline

★ 'September 27, 1977:' Originally organized as the Madison Square Garden Network (not to be confused with the New York City regional sports network of that name), the channel became one of the first national television channels when it chose to use satellite delivery as opposed to traditional television broadcasting.

1980s

★ 'April 1980:' The channel changed its name to USA Network after the ownership structure was reorganized under a joint operating agreement by the UA-Columbia Cablevision cable system (now known as Cablevision Systems Corporation ) and MCA Inc. (whose assets are currently owned largely by NBC Universal and Vivendi SA).

★ '1981:' Time Inc. (who eventually merged with Warner Communications to form Time Warner) and Paramount Pictures Corp. (then a division of Gulf+Western; now a part of Viacom with its television division, now named CBS Paramount Television, part of CBS Corporation) took minority ownership stakes in USA.

★ '1987:' Ownership consolidates under Paramount and MCA, each with 50 percent ownership.

1990s

★ '1991:' Japanese electronic giant Matsushita buys MCA.

★ 'September 24, 1992:' USA launches a sister network, the Sci Fi Channel

★ '1994:' Viacom buys Paramount.

★ '1995:' The Seagram Company buys MCA Inc.

★ '1997:' Seagram buys out Viacom's 50% interest and gains complete ownership of USA and Sci Fi and sells both channels to Barry Diller's Home Shopping Network, which renames itself USA Networks, Inc.

★ '1999:' From Universal Studios and bankrupt Polygram, respectively, USA buys October Films and Gramercy Pictures, renaming them USA Films, and PolyGram Video, renaming it USA Home Video.

2000s

★ '2000': USA Networks buys Canada's North American Television, Inc. (a joint partnership between the CBC and Power Corporation), owner of cable TV channels Trio and Newsworld International. (The CBC continued to program NWI until 2005, when it sold the channel to a group lead by Al Gore, who relaunced it as Current TV)

★ '2001:' USA Networks sells its non-shopping TV and film assets (including the USA Network, the Sci Fi Channel, the Trio channel, USA Films (which is rechristened as Focus Features) and Studios USA) to Vivendi Universal. USA and the other channels are folded into Vivendi's Universal Television Group.

★ '2003:' General Electric's NBC agrees to buy 80% of Vivendi Universal's North American-based filmed entertainment assets, including Universal Pictures and Universal Television Group in a multibillion dollar purchase, renaming the merged company NBC Universal.

★ '2004:' NBC Universal officially takes over as owner of USA and its sibling cable channels except for Newsworld International, which is bought by an investment group led by Al Gore and Joel Hyatt, who rebrand the network with a new title, "Current TV", in fall 2005.

USA programming, past and present

'Children and teen programming'

★ ''American Bandstand'', a short-lived 1989 revival of the long-running dance series

★ ''Calliope'', children's anthology program

★ ''Commander USA's Groovie Movies'', (1985–1989)

★ ''Dance Party USA'', teen-oriented dance program (similar to ''American Bandstand'', 1986–92)

★ ''Kidd Video'', (2004-2006)

★ ''Radio 1990'', a music-video and magazine show hosted by Lisa Robinson and Kathryn Kinney (1983–1986)

★ ''Tattooed Teenage Alien Fighters from Beverly Hills'', preteen-oriented ''Power Rangers'' clone

★ ''USA Action Extreme Team'', action-oriented successor to the ''USA Cartoon Express''

★ ''USA Cartoon Express'', animation block with ''USA Network Kids Club'' segments in-between them (most of the cartoons shown were '70s Hanna-Barbera titles)

★ ''USA High'', teen-oriented sitcom

★ ''USA Live'' (1995–2000), an afternoon program that mixed court shows with live lifestyle segments, hosted by Kathleen Murphy (1995–1998) and later by Bertice Berry (1999–2000). This replaced the station's popular game show programming.

USA late night series

★ ''Night Flight'', (1981–1988)—late-night anthology with music videos, short films and miscellaneous programming

★ ''Camp Midnite'', 1989, Friday night variety-talk show hosted by Dick Wilson with music by Scooter Pietsch. Cast include Caroline Schlitt and Tony. Produced by dick clark productions.

★ ''USA Up All Night'', schlock-y feature films hosted by Gilbert Gottfried, Caroline Schlitt, and Rhonda Shear (c. 1988–1999).

USA Sunday afternoon series

★ ''Kung Fu Theatre''

USA original series

★ ''Alfred Hitchcock Presents'' (newer version bought when NBC canceled it) black & white intros were colorized and storylines were remade.

★ ''The Big Easy'', short-lived series based on the film.

★ ''Burn Notice (TV series)'' A spy drama produced by 20th Century Fox Television.

★ ''Campus Cops'', comedy series.

★ ''Check it Out!'', USA's first original co-production with Canada's CTV, a supermarket-based sitcom starring Don Adams.

★ ''Airwolf'', Season 4 — 24 episodes.

★ ''Duckman'', adult-oriented animated comedy series starring Jason Alexander.

★ ''G vs E''

★ ''Touching Evil'', adapted from the British TV series.

★ ''Bumper Stumpers''

★ ''Cannonball Run 2001''

★ ''Chain Reaction (game show)''

★ ''Combat Missions''

★ ''Counterstrike''

★ ''Dance Party USA''

★ ''Farmclub''

★ ''Free 4 All''

★ ''Happy Hour''

★ ''Jackpot (game show)''

★ ''Kojak'', a revamped version of the 1973–78 detective series that debuted in March 2005.

★ '', original episodes of former NBC series beginning in fall 2007, with reruns continuing on NBC

★ ''Made in the USA'', a reality competition in which inventors presented their best ideas while competing in weekly challenges

★ ''Monk'', a comedic mystery series that has become USA's signature show

★ ''Nashville Star'', a country music singing competition in the mold of ''American Idol'' (2003-present).

★ ''La Femme Nikita'', a CTV-made drama series based on the French film (which was also remade as ''Point of No Return'')

★ ''Pacific Blue'', ''Baywatch''-like drama

★ ''Psych'', a comedic mystery series about a man pretending to be a psychic

★ ''Silk Stalkings'', a Canadian mystery series

★ ''Smush'', a game show hosted by Ken Ober

★ ''The 4400'' (In Association with Sky Television), a sci-fi miniseries that debuted in July 2004. It returned as a regular weekly series on June 5, 2005.

★ ''The Dead Zone'', mystery/paranormal series

★ ''Weird Science'', a fantasy-oriented comedy series based on the 1985 film of the same name.

World Wrestling Entertainment programming

★ ''WWF All American Wrestling'' (1983-1994), WWF's Sunday-afternoon showcase series hosted by "Mean" Gene Okerlund and co-hosted by the likes of Bobby "The Brain" Heenan and Hillbilly Jim.

★ ''WWF Action Zone'' (1994-1996), replaced All American Wrestling on Sunday afternoons. Originally aired as a live-to-tape show featuring marquee matches. Was changed in 1995 to a recap show. Originally hosted by Vince McMahon & Todd Pettengill. Was later hosted by Pettengill and Dok Hendrix.

★ ''WWF Superstars'' (1996-2000), replaced Action Zone on Sunday mornings. Aired in syndication from 1986 before being moved to USA Network in 1996. Was a stand alone show, featuring matches, until being changed to a recap show in 1997. Moved to TNN in 2000.

★ ''WWF Tuesday Night Titans'' (1984-1986), WWF's weekly interview series hosted by Vince McMahon and Lord Alfred Hayes, a precursor to ''Prime Time Wrestling''. Moved to Friday nights in 1985 and became known as TNT.

★ ''WWF Prime Time Wrestling'' (1986-1993), replaced Tuesday Night Titans. WWF's weekly prime time airing of certain matches from the syndicated ''WWF Superstars'' and ''WWF Wrestling Spotlight'' series, hosted by Gorilla Monsoon and Bobby "The Brain" Heenan.

★ ''WWF Monday Night Raw'' (1993-2000, 2005-present), replaced Prime Time Wrestling and became the flagship WWE wrestling program. Moved to TNN/SpikeTV in 2000. Came back to USA Network in 2005.

★ ''WWF Mania'' (1993-1996), Saturday morning recap show hosted By Todd Pettengill.

★ ''WWF LiveWire'' (1996-2000), replaced Mania on Saturday mornings. Started as a live call in show before being changed to a recap show in 1997. Moved to TNN in 2000.

★ ''WWF Sunday Night Heat'' (1998-2000), once a live show airing before pay per view events. In 2000 it moved to MTV and later on moved to SpikeTV. In 2005 it became a B-show for ''Raw'', airing on WWE.com

★ ''WWE A.M. RAW [1]'' (2005-present), a program showing recaps from the previous week's ''Raw''.

Sports events

Current

★ U.S. Open tennis championship

★ Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show

★ The Masters 1st and 2nd Rounds

Former

★ PGA Tour golf on most Thursdays and Fridays until 2007, when the rights were transferred to The Golf Channel

★ Major League Baseball (1979-1983)

★ World League of American Football (1991 and 1992)

★ Many college football and college basketball games

★ ''Tuesday Night Fights'' (1982-1998)

★ National Basketball Association (1979-1984)

★ National Hockey League (1980-1985)

Historical programming notes

★ For many years (1985 to 1995), USA had an afternoon game show block, with shows such as ''Scrabble'', ''The $25,000/$100,000 Pyramid'' and ''Press Your Luck''. It also had original game shows, such as Canada's Global Television Network's ''Bumper Stumpers'', ''The New Chain Reaction'', ''Jackpot'', ''Quicksilver'', and ''Free 4 All''. The rise of GSN, and its virtual monopoly on the rights to most game show reruns, effectively killed this programming block as well as the similar one that had aired on CBN Cable Network.

★ USA also reran 1981–84 episodes of the soap opera ''The Edge of Night'' from 1985–89. Another game show, ''Smush'', aired in 2001.

★ At one point, USA shared channel time/space with two upstart cable nets, C-SPAN and Black Entertainment Television; both these services would be listed in ''TV Guide'' under "USA", with a disclaimer that the program is a presentation of either BET or C-SPAN. Later, it simulcast Bloomberg TV in the early-morning hours, which moved to E! in 2004.

★ In the late 1980s to the mid 1990s, USA had a morning to afternoon court show block, with court shows such as ''Divorce Court'', ''Superior Court'', ''The Judge'' and ''The People's Court.

★ In 1995 and 1996, USA aired ''USA Live'', a three-hour programming block in afternoons, featuring two classic Judge Wapner episodes of ''The People's Court'' and two episodes of ''Love Connection''. During the shows' commercial breaks, a live host (Kathleen Murphy) would interact with an audience on the set of a fake New York City coffee shop about the shows they were watching and ask their opinions of the content. A regular guest analyst during ''The People's Court'' segments was former NYC Mayor Ed Koch. His appearances inspired the 1997 revival of ''The People's Court'', on which he initially presided as judge.

USA Network slogans

★ 1980-1987: It's a Great Place to Stay

★ 1987-1993: America's Favorite Cable Network

★ 1993-1995: The Remote Stops Here

★ 1995-1999: The Cure for the Common Show

★ 1999-2005: You Are Here

★ 2005-present: Characters Welcome

★
★ The slogan incorporates the use of television spots featuring USA original characters interacting with each other or the world (with humorous effect)

Internationally

Other countries (such as Brazil and Latin America) have their own USA Network versions, but in 2003, most were renamed "Universal Channel", presumably to avoid jingoistic connotations (note that USA's logo at the time was an American flag-esque symbol, accentuating jingoism).
In February 2007, Shaw Communications submitted an application to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), to bring the USA Network to Canada. However, because of programming rights issues in Canada, certain programs would be subjected to blackout, including ''WWE Raw''.^[2]

References

1. http://nbcumv.com/release_detail.nbc/entertainment-20070513000000-allthree034law.html
2. http://www.channelcanada.com/Article1744.html

External links

★ Official Site

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