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i: Independent Television, or simply i, is a broadcast and cable television network first broadcast on August 31, 1998 under the name Pax TV (early on in its development, it was called PaxNet). The network is owned by ION Media Networks (formerly Paxson Communications), in which NBC Universal had a 32% share, up until 2004. Programming was initially family-oriented and contained little or no sex, overt violence, or strong language, but with recent programming deals, the network has deviated from that to some degree. The network changed its name at the beginning of July 2005.
Overview Named PAX TV in 1998 by Lowell 'Bud' Paxson, co-founder of the Home Shopping Network and chairman of Paxson Communications. Paxson, a born-again Christian (since 1985), was fed up with the amount of sex, violence, and language on network television and decided to create a network which would carry only programming devoid of such content. While the network was named PAX TV, it created some original programs such as and Doc, which have since been cancelled. Unlike most TV networks in the United States such as ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC, i has a national feed that is part of basic DBS packages as well as having its affiliates carried by cable TV systems (PBS is the only other network to have a national feed). i programming consists of some original programming mixed with reruns of various TV shows and movies and some Christian-oriented programming such as Live Prayer with Bill Keller and Dr. Charles F. Stanley. The network is currently in somewhat of a gap between the Big Five and smaller networks. As of 2006, i was viewable in approximately 91 million homes, "or 83% of primetime television households in the U.S. through its broadcast television station group and pursuant to distribution arrangements with cable and satellite distribution systems." * The network has 94 VHF and UHF-owned-and-operated or affiliate stations in the U.S., although these stations are mainly poorly watched UHF stations, and not all of the stations air is complete nightly transmission. Some local i stations used to rebroadcast that market's NBC affiliate's newscasts at a later time, but have since discontinued that practice. i is not considered by many to be on par with the five existing major national broadcast networks. It has no over-the-air stations in several major markets, most notably Charlotte, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis (the last city received i only by way of a low-power repeater of the i station in Mount Vernon, Illinois, which has subsequently changed affiliations). Typically, i television shows average only 1% of the viewing audience, which is considerably lower than any other (major) broadcast network. To compare, the "big 3" networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) frequently garner 15-25% of the viewing audience. From Pax to i On June 28, 2005, Paxson announced it would rebrand Pax as i, in order to reflect a new strategy of "providing an independent broadcast platform for producers and syndicators who desire to reach a national audience." After the transition was complete, Pax TV would continue to air programming under its Pax brand on one of its digital channels over the air and in select cable homes (see below). Some media observers have jocularly postulated that i is code for "infomercial." During the transition period, the Pax and i logos were both placed on-screen: the former in the bottom-left corner, and the latter in the bottom-right corner. With this rebranding also came the following changes to the programming lineup: Differences between i and other broadcast networks i: Independent Television, unlike other broadcast networks, does not necessarily allow its owned and operated stations to air syndicated programming during the daytime and late night hours. Syndicated programming accounts for a majority of local network affiliate and independent stations revenue. Network programming (on stations that have a network affiliation) and infomercials make up the rest. Since paid programming makes up most of i 's schedule, the "pro" is that it is the main source of revenue. However, this is also a "con" since i relies more on infomercials rather than sitcoms and dramas; sponsors of television series often have qualms about their message being lost on stations whose primary content is infomercials and other paid programming. During the 2005-2006 season, i launched only one new series, Palmetto Pointe, a teen drama series which only lasted six episodes. The fact that i airs more infomercials than they do series programming is the main reason why some satellite operators dropped i affiliates from their channel lineups. i is the only broadcast network that has never filled its entire primetime schedule with originally produced programming and replaced series that have ended with newer programming, opting to air past series instead. Also, i, along with the newly-launched MyNetworkTV, are the only broadcast networks never to air a sitcom produced for the network. Network troubles In 2003, the predecessor Pax network scaled back its operations, presumably due to financial losses. it was originally offering five or six new series each season. That year the number of new series airing on Pax dwindled to just two: and Doc, which were pulled in 2004 because Pax's international backer, CTV, pulled out of producing the shows. The organization seemingly recovered a year later when seven TV series made it to Pax's 2004-05 schedule. In the Spring of 2005, it was reported that Pax intended to break its contract with NBC Universal, which eliminated most of their entertainment programming, and rely on infomercials, talk shows, and other paid programming to help increase cash flow. However, the network issued a press release on May 25, 2005, in which Paxson Communications chairman Lowell "Bud" Paxson was quoted as saying: In November of 2005, NBC Universal was granted a transferrable option to purchase a controlling stake in Paxson Communications. If this option is exercised, NBC would acquire approximately 63 i affiliates. As part of the agreement, Lowell Paxson left the network (and its parent company). According to a statement on its website, DirecTV planned to terminate its agreement with the i Network in February of 2006 and would drop i as well as its local channels from the DBS service. DirecTV cited that "most of (i Network's) programming consists of infomercials and other promotional shows", despite an earlier promise by network executives that the network "would consist of general, family-oriented entertainment". To appease DirecTV officials, the network decided to junk some infomercials and shopping shows and replace them with old public domain movies. The channels were expected to be removed from the service by February 28 2006. However, in May 2006, it was announced that DirecTV and Ion Media had come to a new carriage agreement. In early 2006, it was announced that the i affiliates in Memphis, Tennessee (WPXX-TV), Rapid City, South Dakota (KKRA-LP) and Greenville, North Carolina (WEPX, as well as WPXU-TV in Jacksonville, North Carolina) would add programming from MyNetworkTV in September 2006, thus causing programming airing on i to be unavailable on these stations while MNTV is broadcasting. This blow comes after losing some affiliates in New Mexico, New York, and Illinois completely. In April of 2006, it was reported i owes more than US $250,000,000 to creditors *. NBC has decided not to rebroadcast any of its shows on i, although doing so could maximize its minority, perhaps soon to be majority, stake. For example, the game shows Deal or No Deal and The Apprentice are re-aired on CNBC. However, in 2006 i did strike several major content deals (see details below) in hopes of assuring its long-term future. Programming Outside of primetime, i primarily airs informercial and paid religious programming (with the exception of qubo on Friday afternoons; see below). Current primetime schedule As of Sunday, October 29, 2006: Comedies are in red; dramas are in green; movies and special programming are in yellow. Schedule is subject to change. Multiplexing On its local affiliates, i has made notable use of "multiplexing," or splitting a digital TV channel into separate subchannels. * On these subchannels, it has carried/will carry several digital services/channels. Pax/i digital service The Pax/i digital service airs reruns of cancelled original programming (such as Miracle Pets and Dirty Rotten Cheater), as well as movies and sitcom episodes that have fallen into the public domain, in place of many of the infomercials that air on the main network feed. The primetime schedule remains the same as the main network. The service used the Pax name and bug long after Pax had changed its name to i, until about September 2006. Around that same time, the service was discontinued on many local i affiliates (where it had been carried on a digital subchannel) to make way for a 24-hour qubo digital channel (see more below). It is still available through various cable/satellite providers and is used as an alternative to the main network feed on some local affiliates. qubo On May 8, 2006, ION Media Networks, NBC Universal, Corus Entertainment's Nelvana, Scholastic Books, and Classic Media and its Big Idea Productions unit announced plans to launch qubo, a new children's entertainment endeavor spread across all medium platforms, including video-on-demand on digital cable *. The new project features new and library programming from the partners, each one producing a new series a year. The primary goal for qubo is to "champion literacy and values in the children's television category" *. Qubo made its debut on NBC and Telemundo on September 9 2006, with NBC's qubo block repeating on i on Fridays at 3:00pm *. A 24-hour digital television network will be carried on one of is digital channels beginning in early 2007; as a consequence to this, the Pax/i digital service was replaced on numerous i affiliates with a repeating promo loop in late September 2006. iHealth On May 31, 2006, ION Media Networks announced plans to rollout a "24-hour digital broadcast network dedicated exclusively to consumer healthcare and healthy living" in 2007. * In the meantime, i has been airing a series of specials called Healthy Body, Healthy Mind on Saturday nights at 8 PM ET/PT. Each episode deals with a specific health issue. * The Worship Network The Worship Network was originally founded in 1992 to "create an atmosphere in the home to inspire and encourage a quiet time to worship God." When Pax launched in 1998, The Worship Network provided overnight programming. The next year, Pax and The Worship Network struck a deal in which the network would be carried on a digital subchannel of Pax 24 hours a day. Today, The Worship Network continues to be carried on digital subchannels of local i affiliates and in some cases, is used as an alternative to the main i network feed. It is also seen around the world through its 250 broadcast affiliates. * Recent programming deals In 2006, ION Media Networks reached three separate programming deals. The first two were with major programming suppliers announced within a week of each other. The third would bring original programming to the i network, among other things. On June 27, 2006, ION announced a comprehensive programming deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution, giving them broadcast rights to movies and programming owned by Warner. * On July 5, 2006, i announced a similar deal with Sony Pictures Television, giving them broadcast rights to movies and programming owned by Sony. * Starting in September, programs and feature-length movies from both libraries were phased into the primetime schedule. On October 25, 2006, ION announced "an exclusive programming alliance" with RHI Entertainment (formerly Hallmark Entertainment). Under this agreement, RHI will program the 7-11 PM time periods on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights for two years starting July 1, 2007. The agreement also makes way for the US broadcast premieres of at least six RHI productions each year. * See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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