Court TV
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| Court TV | |
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| Type | Cable television network |
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| Country | United States and Canada |
| Availability | United States |
| Founder | Steven Brill |
| Slogan | "The Whole Truth", Daytime; "Seriously Entertaining", Primetime |
| Owner | Court TV Networks (a subsidiary of TBS Networks, owned by Time Warner) |
| Key people | Marc Juris (General Manager) Marlene Dann (Executive Vice President) |
| Launch date | July 1, 1991 |
| Website | CourtTV.com |
- For the Canadian channel, see CourtTV Canada
The Courtroom Television Network, more commonly known as Court TV, is an American cable television network owned by Time Warner that launched on July 1, 1991. On May 15th, 2006, it was announced that Time Warner bought Liberty Media's 50% ownership in the channel, making Time Warner (within its TBS Networks division) the sole owner of Court TV.[1]
On March 13, 2007, Time Warner announced that Court TV will be changing its name, look and logo as part of a network overhaul planned for later this year. The network will no longer be called Court TV as of Jan. 1, 2008, and will revamp its daytime trial coverage and add in prime several new reality series (or, as the network prefers to call them, "real-life series"). Daytime programming will be redone and will lead into a 3-5 p.m. ET/PT block with talk shows hosted by Nancy Grace and Star Jones. Grace's Closing Arguments, currently two hours, will shrink to one and will run at 3, followed by the yet-unnamed Jones show at 4 ET/PT. Trial coverage will move to the network's broadband Website during the afternoon. [1]
Steve Koonin, President of Turner Entertainment Networks, said the goal is to find a new name that suggests a broader lineup of shows. He said that the new target audience of the network is viewers known internally as "real engagers." They skew male and young, 18 to 49 years old. Koonin believes that this audience wants programs that focus on real people and real situations. [2]
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[edit] History
Court TV was founded in 1991 as an all news joint venture between Time Warner, Liberty Media, and NBC. Originally, the channel aired only actual courtroom trials, which included the proceedings along with analyses by anchors. In 1995, viewership increased when they aired the OJ Simpson Trial In 1997, Founder Steven Brill left Court TV. By 1998, NBC sold their share to Time Warner, resulting in a 50/50 partnership between Time Warner and Liberty Media. That same year, or a year before, Discovery Communications, owner of Discovery Channel, made and dropped a bid for Court TV,also, the channel began carrying original and acquired shows like Homicide: Life on The Street and Forensic Files. In 2001, Court TV celebrated its 10th anniversary while Time Warner merged with AOL,and former half sister channel Comedy Central celebrated its 10th anniversary. In 2002, Time Warner acquired AT&T's stake in Time Warner Entertainment(which AT&T acquired in 2000), resulting again 50/50 ownership with Liberty Media. In 2003, Viacom wanted to buy Court TV for MTV Networks, but Time Warner and Liberty Media declined to let them buy it. In 2004, Court TV made a new look and turned itself into two separate divisions: Court TV News and Court TV Primetime, which bills itself as "Seriously Entertaining". On May 15th, 2006, Time Warner bought the remainder of Liberty Media's shares in the channel for $735 million. Court TV is now worth nearly $1.5 billion, mostly due to its new programming and the increasing popularity of the network.
To begin 2007, retransmission consent issues forced Court TV off Dish Network systems.[2] Court TV returned to Dish Network in its former channel position on February 9, 2007.[3]
Court TV is now available in more than 86 million homes. Its programming includes movies (both original and off-network), news (with editorial content), and simulcasts of trials which often involve high-profile criminal cases. In 2006, the network was the 25th-most-popular ad-supported cable network among all viewers. [3]
[edit] Television programming
[edit] CourtTV News
CourtTV News provides live coverage of trials, legal news, and details of highly-publicized crimes during their news programming hours from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Their coverage takes viewers into the courtrooms and shares analyses from anchors and guests to help viewers understand the legal proceedings.
[edit] Programs
- Bloom & Politan: Open Court with Lisa Bloom and Vinnie Politan
- Best Defense with Jami Floyd
- Banfield & Ford: Courtside with Ashleigh Banfield and Jack Ford
- Nancy Grace: Closing Arguments with Nancy Grace
- Catherine Crier Live with Catherine Crier
[edit] Anchors, Correspondents, and Contributors
- Ashleigh Banfield
- Lisa Bloom
- Jean Casarez
- Catherine Crier
- Jami Floyd
- Jack Ford
- Nancy Grace
- Fred Graham
- Savannah Guthrie
- Eddie Hayes
- Beth Karas
- Rikki Klieman
- Vinnie Politan
- Adaora Udoji
- Ron Kuby
- Star Jones Reynolds
[edit] Court TV Primetime
Court TV also provides primetime programs that pertain to criminal stories. The programs include dramas, movies, documentaries, and television series.
[edit] Programs
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[edit] Original Movies
- The Exonerated
- Chasing Freedom
- The Interrogation of Michael Crowe
- Guilt by Association
[edit] Turner Takeover
When Time Warner acquired the remainin 50% of Court TV Networks from Liberty Media for its TBS Networks unit, many of the Court TV staff wre laid off during the transition to the TBS Networks Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. State).
The buyout of Court TV marks Time Warner's first instance of buying a TV network, rather than selling one, other the acquisition of TBS Networks in 1996. In 2003, former half sister Comedy Central was sold to Viacom for its MTV Networks unit. In 2006, the same year Time Warner bought Court TV, Time Warner's Turner South, (now SportSouth) was sold to News Corporation's Fox Entertainment Group.
[edit] Websites
In addition to their own website, Court TV also operates The Smoking Gun, a website which focuses on legal items often pertaining to famous people, such as mug shots and other public documents. Court TV also owns the website Crime Library: Criminal Minds and Methods, which provides detailed information about infamous crimes and how they were solved. Court TV Extra, a broadband video site, airs live trials online and keeps an archive of highlights.
[edit] Radio
| Court TV Radio | |
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| Broadcast area | Contiguous United States & Canada |
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| First air date | February 3, 2003 |
| Frequency | Sirius Channel 110 |
| Format | Trials and legal programming |
| Owner | TBS Networks (Time Warner) |
| Website | www.sirius.com/CourtTV |
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 now airs on Channel 110.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Time Warner buys remaining part of Court TV
- ^ Network's Press Release On Court TV Being Removed From Its Programing
- ^ Court TV Back on Dish Network
