Star Television Network

Star Television Network
Type broadcasting network
Country US
Founded

1987
by

  • Harry Handley
  • Walter Windsor
  • John Tyler

[1]

Slogan TV Heaven[2]
Headquarters Orlando, Florida
Owner
  • Harry Handley
  • Walter Windsor
  • Cathy Bamberg
  • Satellite Music Network Inc.
  • Dale W. Lang

[3][4]

Key people
 Dale W. Lang (chair)[2]
Ron Eikens (CEO)[5]
Launch date
 September 1990
Dissolved January 14, 1991[5]
Former names
 Starcast
Affiliates list

Star Television Network (STN or Star, also referred to as Starcast) was an attempt at a fifth broadcasting network based in Orlando, Florida.

The network would start out as a classic show network using cheaper 1950s and 1960s programming.[3] Expected programs as of August 1988 were "direct response" programs, Honey West, Judge Roy Bean, Mr. and Mrs. North,[4] The Invaders, The Rebel, The Life of Riley,[6] My Little Margie,[5] Richard Diamond, Private Detective, movies and game shows.[2] STN expected to buy newer programs and originate their own programming once on a firm operating status.[4]

The network was facing competition in sign up affiliates from the Home Shopping Network and Fox, which went after the bigger markets.[7] But a station signing up with the network was expect to save about 90% on their programming costs according to the network. Also ad cost for the national advertisers was expect to be about 68% of the major network rates.[1]

History

Star Television Network Inc. (STN) announced the Starcast network in October 1987 as needing $15 million to launch and had just started contacting potential affiliates. The network expected to sign up 30 stations by the April 1989 launch date and have 18 hours of broadcasting a day.[3] After the Black Monday, October 1987 stock market crash, Star's investors pulled out.[4] By January 1988, the company had 70 stations willing to sign on to the Star Television Network.[7]

By April 1989 the projected launch date, STN pushed back their launch to July due to programming negotiations and financing hold ups. While 64 stations had provisionally signed on as affiliates in markets like Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Jacksonville, Florida and Bunnell, Florida to an estimated reach of 40 million households. The network was then in talks with an additional 33 stations. At this time, an affiliation fee ranging from $2,750 to $60,000 annually would be paid by the stations based on their market size instead of the standard network payments to affiliates. 36 minutes in a day would be allocated for network sold advertising.[1] STN missed the July launch due to lack of additional funding and set a new September 1 deadline for enough affiliates to sign on for a possible November 1 launch. The network expected to be based at Universal Studios Florida. At this time, the network restructured its affiliate agreement in dropping the annual carriage fee for the addition of some infomercials and a refundable deposit of $1,500 to $175,000 based on the station's size. The number of affiliates at launch and infomercials was a requirement to bring on replacement investor Dale W. Lang, owner of Lang Communications, which then owned several magazines including Success and Working Woman magazine. As the infomercials would bring a steady source of income for the network and are mostly to be provided by Quantum Marketing International.[4]

Missing the September 1, 1989 affiliate total deadline, the network push back the launch to September 1990. As of August 12, 1990, there were 21 signed stations reaching 13.7 million households. Also, STN moved operations to a rented studio in Winter Park, Florida.[6] Additional, broadcasting hours were reduced to 8 hours plus 4 hours of direct response programs. The network expect to have revenue reach $100 million in its second year of operations.[2]

STN launched with 10 affiliates reaching 9 million homes while the additional stations were not ready or failed to receive FCC approval. With fewer stations, Star sold less through the infomericals thus not meeting company goals. The infomerical companies were having their own problems thus unable to produce newer shows. Lang could not add more funding into the company due to difficulties at Lang Communications. Lang and the company sought out other investors to no avail.[5]

The Star Television Network shut down on Monday January 14, 1991 at 4 AM. and laid off all 25 staffers and released their shows commitments back to the syndicator.[5]

Known affiliates

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Strother, Susan G. (April 18, 1988). "Oldies Broadcasts Set To Begin In July Financing And Program Negotiations Stalled Start". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "THE MEDIA BUSINESS; TV Network Is Planned". New York Times. AP. July 13, 1990. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Strother, Susan G. (October 15, 1987). "New Network Would Offer Tv's Oldies Orlando Broadcasters Plan To Recycle '50s, '60s Shows". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 4.4 Strother, Susan G. (August 25, 1989). "Network Plan Near Deadline". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 Strother, Susan G. (January 17, 1991). "Tv Network Signs Off - Out Of Cash". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Strother, Susan G. (July 12, 1990). "Tv Network Plans September Debut". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 Strother, Susan G. (January 25, 1988). "Star Television Network...". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved January 20, 2015.