 The Paramount Network’s logo as of February 25, 2024 | |
| Type | General entertainment cable network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Headquarters | 5555 Melrose Avenue, Hollywood, California, United States |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | 1080i HDTV (downscaled to letterboxed 480i for the SDTV feed) |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Paramount Media Networks (Paramount Global) |
| Parent | MTV Entertainment Group |
| Key people | |
| Sister channels | |
| History | |
| Launched | March 7, 1983 |
| Former names | The Nashville Network (1983–2000) The National Network (2000–2001) The New TNN (2001–2003) Spike TV (2003–2006) Spike (2006–2018) |
| Links | |
| Website | paramountnetwork.com |
| Availability | |
| Streaming media | |
| Associated Streaming Service | Paramount+ |
Paramount Network (formerly Spike Channel from 2003 until 2018) is an American basic cable television channel owned by the MTV Entertainment Group unit of Paramount Media Networks, a division of Paramount Global. The network's headquarters are located at the Paramount Pictures studio lot in Los Angeles.
The channel was originally founded by a partnership between radio station WSM and Westinghouse Broadcasting as The Nashville Network (TNN) and began broadcasting on March 7, 1983.[1][2] It initially featured programming catering towards the culture of the Southern United States, including country music, variety shows, outdoors programming, and motor racing coverage (such as NASCAR). TNN was purchased by the Gaylord Entertainment Company in 1983.[3] After Gaylord bought CMT in 1991, TNN's music programming was shifted to CMT, leaving TNN to focus on entertainment and lifestyle programming.
In 1995, TNN and CMT were acquired by Westinghouse, which was in turn acquired by Viacom in 1999. Under Viacom ownership, TNN would phase out country-influenced programming in favor of a general entertainment format appealing to Middle America. It was renamed The National Network in September 2000, coinciding with the network premiere of WWF Raw. In August 2003, TNN relaunched as Spike TV, which targeted a young adult male audience. From June 2006, the network's programming had a more explicit focus on the action genre, while in 2010, the network had an increased focus on original reality series. This culminated with a final rebrand in 2015 to emphasize gender-balanced series (such as Lip Sync Battle) and a return to original scripted programming.
On January 18, 2018, Spike relaunched as Paramount Network, aiming to align the network with its namesake studio (which previously lent its name to the now-defunct United Paramount Network), and to position it as a flagship, "premium" channel. Paramount Network's most successful original program was Yellowstone—which quickly became its flagship series, and has spawned multiple spin-offs on Paramount+, the streaming service owned by its parent company Paramount Global. The network has also featured limited engagements of new Paramount+ original series by Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan, using Yellowstone as a lead-in. Between 2020 and 2021, most of Paramount Network's original programming would either be cancelled, or moved to other Paramount Global outlets, as part of a proposed plan to relaunch the network with a focus on made-for-TV films. By January 2022, these plans had been scrapped due to the impact of COVID-19, and success of the Yellowstone franchise; leaving it, and Spike holdover Bar Rescue, as the channel's only original, first-run programs.
As of December 2023[update], approximately 61.33 million pay television households in the United States received Paramount Network;[4] down from 80.24 million in September 2018.[5]
Cite error: There are <ref group=note> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=note}} template (see the help page).
- ^ Schwed, Mark (March 5, 1983). "Nashville Network -- Giant Commercial for Country Music". UPI. Retrieved March 18, 2018.
- ^ "The Nashville Network Begins With Optimism". The New York Times. UPI. March 11, 1983. ProQuest 122145731.
- ^ Berg, Eric N. (July 2, 1983). "Grand Ole Opry Finds a Buyer". The New York Times. ProQuest 122147165.
- ^ "U.S. cable network households (universe), 1990 – 2023". wrestlenomics.com. May 14, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ^ "Nielsen coverage estimates for September see gains at ESPN networks, NBCSN, and NBA TV, drops at MLBN and NFLN". awfulannouncing.com. 10 September 2018. Retrieved July 28, 2019.