Hughes Television Network

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Hughes Television Network (HTN) was an American television network created by billionaire Howard Hughes.

It never lived up to its dream of being the nation's fourth TV network, following the demise of the DuMont Television Network. HTN limited itself to broadcasting sports events, including the Stanley Cup Finals, PBA Bowling and special programming, and provided facilities links to a loose network of stations, who were usually independents or affiliates of ABC, CBS, or NBC.

Contents

[edit] Sports Network Incorporated

The Hughes Television network had its origins as Sports Network Incorporated in 1956. Dick Bailey[1] created Sports Network Incorporated to fill the voids in sports coverage by the Big Three networks. Originally working traffic at ABC, Dick conceived a cost effective means of broadcasting away Major League Baseball games to their home cities. After executives at ABC rejected this idea Dick formed Sports Network, proved his idea a success and pioneered many innovations we now find commonplace in televised sports. Sports Network Incorporated produced programs[2] for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Big Eight Conference, the PGA Tour, St. Louis University, among others. From 1963-1968, Sports Network Incorporated did a syndicated broadcast of the NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship[3]. After 12 years, the network was sold to Howard Hughes and became the Hughes Television Network, with Dick Bailey as president.

[edit] Monday Night Football

According to various reports, the National Football League was poised to give HTN prime time broadcast rights for Monday Night Football because negotiations with ABC were failing. However, ABC eventually struck a deal with the NFL.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ Dick Bailey; Television Executive, 80
  2. ^ A pioneer in the field of sports entertainment and broadcasting, Webster Groves native Greg Marecek founded Sports Network Incorporated, where he produced programs for the St. Louis Cardinals, the Big Eight Conference, the PGA TOUR, St. Louis University, among others.
  3. ^ This is incorrect, of course, as NBC didn't beginning televising the tournament until 1969. Sports Network Incorporated did a syndicated broadcast from 1963 through 1968.
Preceded by
NHL Network		 NHL network broadcast partner in the United States (with CBS)
1980		 Succeeded by
USA
This article about a television station is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.