List of defunct television networks in the United States
This is a list of American defunct television networks.
Former TV networks
Educational
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise TV | Video on Demand channel | |
| H2 | A+E Networks | Shut down on February 29, 2016 and replaced with Viceland |
| Knowledge TV | Jones International | Closed several months after being sold to Discovery Communications. |
| Research Channel | University of Washington | Shut down on August 31, 2010. |
| UniversityHouse | Northern Arizona University | Telecourses from Northern Arizona University; was carried on Dish Network's "Public Interest" tier. |
Entertainment
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 3net | Discovery Communications / Sony / IMAX | 3D television channel launched on February 13, 2011 and shut down on August 12, 2014. |
| ARTS | Hearst Corporation/ABC | Merged with The Entertainment Channel to form A&E in 1984. |
| Automotive Television Network | Global Television / Fidelity Capital | |
| Channel America | ||
| Colours TV | Black Star Communications | Ceased operations on July 13, 2011 for unknown reasons. |
| Computer Television Service | ||
| Documentary Channel | Participant Media | Merged with Halogen TV and replaced by Pivot on August 1, 2013. Pivot shut down October 31, 2016. |
| Fearnet | NBCUniversal | Shut down on July 30, 2014. |
| Fox Reality Channel | News Corporation | Shut down on March 29, 2010, replaced with Nat Geo Wild. |
| Freeview | DirecTV | Rebranded to The 101 Network on 2005, and then got rebranded to the Audience Network on June 1, 2011. |
| G4 | G4 Media (NBCUniversal) | Shut down on December 31, 2014, replaced with Esquire Network. |
| Ha! | Viacom Media Networks | Merged with The Comedy Channel to form Comedy Central in 1991. |
| INHD2 | In Demand Networks LLC | iN Demand ceased operation of INHD2, which was a companion network to INHD, on January 1, 2007. INHD would later be relaunched as MOJO HD. |
| The Interactive Channel | Source Media | |
| Jones Computer Network | Jones Intercable | |
| The Lottery Channel | ||
| MOJO HD | Comcast, Cox Communications, Time Warner | Formerly INHD, ceased operations on December 1, 2008. |
| Movietime | NBCUniversal | Rebranded as E! on 1991. |
| National Jewish Television Network | Existed in the 1980s until at least some point in the 2000s. | |
| Network 1 | Network Telephone Services | Channel allowed viewer participation through 800 and 900 phone numbers. |
| PlayCable | Interactive format features video games, existed in the early 1980s. | |
| Prevue Channel | Lions Gate Entertainment | Launched as Prevue Guide, then modified slightly into Prevue Channel. Purchased by TV Guide in 1999 and renamed TV Guide Channel and then TV Guide Network, on April 20, 2013 it became TVGN, and now Pop. |
| Soapnet | Disney/ABC | Soap opera network specializing in showing current and past soap operas ceased operations on December 31, 2013 |
| The Silent Network | Specialized channel aimed at hearing-impaired people; existed in the 1980s. | |
| SingleVision | GlobalComm 2000 | |
| Talk TV | Ed Cooperstein | |
| TNN | Viacom Media Networks | Originally The Nashville Network later renamed The National Network. Purchased by Viacom and relaunched as Spike. |
| Trio | NBCUniversal | Relaunched as Sleuth in January 1, 2006, and then relaunched as Cloo on August 15, 2011. |
| Guide Plus | Existed briefly in the 1990s, airing on some cable systems in lieu of Prevue Channel. TV Guide wanted back in the game, so they purchased Prevue in 1999 and renamed it TV Guide Channel and then TV Guide Network, and now it is TVGN. | |
| Varsity TV | Varsity Media Group, Inc. | High school student-produced programming |
| WWOR EMI Service | RKO General (1979–1987), MCA (1987–1991), Pinelands, Inc. (1991–1993), Chris-Craft Industries (1993–1997), Eastern Microwave, Incorporated (uplinker, 1979–1996; Superstation programmer, 1990–1996), Advance Entertainment Corporation (uplinker and Superstation programmer, 1996) | National version of New York City's WWOR-TV. Existed c. 1989–1997 |
Family
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Nick Gas | Viacom, MTV Networks | On December 31, 2007, The N became its own channel. The Nick Gas channel was shut down when The N became its own channel. It retired on September 28, 2009 to TeenNick. The channel ended on April 23, 2009 on Dish Network for Cartoon Network's west coast feed. |
| Noggin | Originally broadcasting educational programming from the 1980s to present, the station changed to being half TeenNick and half Nick Jr. The station ultimately became Nick Jr. while TeenNick replaced Nick Gas. | |
| PBJ | Luken Communications | Digital subchannel broadcast network airing programs from the Classic Media library. |
| Total Communication Network | Total Communication Network | Entertainment and educational programming aimed at hearing-impaired children. |
Lifestyle
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Applause | Parasol Media | |
| Arts & Antiques Network | CYMA Productions | |
| Discovery Health Channel | Discovery Communications | Merged with FitTV to create Discovery Fit & Health on February 1, 2011, then Discovery Life on January 15, 2015. It got replaced with Oprah Winfrey Network on January 1, 2011. |
| Fashion and Design Television | Anthony Guccione | |
| Fine Living Network | E.W. Scripps Company | Shut down on May 31, 2010, replaced with Cooking Channel. |
| i-Life TV | The Inspiration Networks | Opened Halogen TV on October 24, 2009, merged with the Documentary Channel and replaced by Pivot on August 1, 2013. |
| Kaleidoscope | Channel for the disabled | |
| Lime | Went online-only February 25, 2007. Formerly Wisdom Network. | |
| Wedding Central | Rainbow Media | Ceased operations July 1, 2011. |
| Wine TV | Ceased operations in 2009. |
Music
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Americana Television Network | Americana Television Network Inc. | Country, blues, bluegrass, jazz and gospel music videos. |
| The Box | Music channel that originated in 1982 and ceased operations in 2001 when replaced by MTV2. | |
| Cable Music Channel | Turner Broadcasting | Started in the 1980s by Ted Turner to compete with MTV. Unlike MTV, it had no VJs. It was short lived. |
| Classic Music Channel | Classical Broadcasting Company | |
| The Gospel Network | ||
| Hit Video USA | 1980s video channel based out of Texas, aired on some broadcast channels during overnight periods. | |
| International Music Feed | Universal Music Group | Aired music videos from various artists from around the world, purchased by Hubbard Broadcasting in 2008 and subsequently shut down on March 31, 2008 in order to expand distribution for Hubbard channel Ovation TV. |
| m Channel | Aired syndicated music videos, TV shows, movies and news. Was folded under decision of the owner/creator of the network. | |
| MOR Music TV | Channel which aired music videos and performances in conjunction with selling albums. | |
| NOYZ | Bullfrog Media | Ceased operations in early January 2008 after parent company's bankruptcy. |
| The Tube Music Network | Ceased operations October 1, 2007. | |
| Z Music Television | Contemporary Christian Music video channel; not to be confused with movie service Z Channel; shared channel space with BET in some areas. |
News and information
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ABC News Now | Disney/ABC | Lacked significant distribution with low cable and satellite carrier pick up. Was closed in favor of using the channel's few carriage deals to support Fusion a new Hispanic focused news channel geared towards a younger audience. |
| America's Talking | NBCUniversal | Relaunched as MSNBC. |
| All News Channel | CONUS Communications | Aired on USSB and later DirecTV; its programming was carried by many over-the-air television stations during the late night hours. |
| American Political Channel | ||
| America's Voice | aka National Empowerment Television, or NET | |
| CBS TeleNoticias | ||
| DoD News Channel | Defense Media Activity (US Government) | Formerly Pentagon Channel, turned off on April 17, 2015. |
| CNNfn | Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner) | 1995–2004; a few cable systems switched the channel space to CNN International after discontinuation. |
| NBC Weather Plus | NBC | Distributed via the digital subchannels of NBC affiliates and digital cable. Ceased operations in 2008 due to purchase of an interest in The Weather Channel.[1] |
| NewsTalk Television | Multimedia, Inc. | Existed from 1994 to 1995; formerly known as the Talk Channel. |
| Newsworld International | Canadian Broadcasting Corporation/USA Broadcasting | Replaced by Current TV in August 1, 2005, and then Al Jazeera America on August 20, 2013. Ceased operations on April 12, 2016. |
| The 90's Channel | Public Communicators, Inc. | Relaunched to become Free Speech TV in 1995 |
| Satellite News Channel | a joint venture between ABC and Group W | News |
| Tempo Television | Formerly Satellite Program Network and then opened CNBC on April 17, 1989. |
Regional news networks
| Name | Location | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local News on Cable | Norfolk, Virginia | Belo Corporation | Also called LNC5 |
| Southern Arizona News Network | Tucson, Arizona | KVOA Communications, Inc. | |
| TXCN | Texas | Gannett Company | Also called Texas Cable News |
Pay-per-view
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Action Pay-Per-View | BET network, and later TVN Entertainment | Di-function channel. |
| Adam & Eve Channel | Adam & Eve Communications Inc. | Adult pay-per-view and home shopping |
| AdultVision | Playboy Enterprises | Adult pay-per-view |
| American Exxxtasy | Home Dish Satellite Network Inc. | Adult pay-per-view |
| Cable Video Store | General Instrument (Original), Graff Pay-Per-View (second) | |
| Guest Cinema | Adult pay-per-view | |
| Star Channel | Showtime Networks. (CBS Corporation) | Relaunched to become The Movie Channel in 1979. |
| Request TV | Liberty Media and 20th Century Fox | Also operated a Spanish-language pay-per-view channel, Request En Español. |
| Rendezvous | Adult pay-per-view | |
| Spectradyne | Adult pay-per-view | |
| StarDust Theatre | Home Dish Satellite Network Inc. | |
| Tuxxedo Network | Home Dish Satellite Network Inc. | Adult pay-per-view |
| Wometco Home Theater | Wometco Enterprises |
Premium movies
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| The B-Movie Channel | ||
| Cable Theater | Existed from late 1970s–early 1980s. | |
| Festival | HBO | 1980s premium channel from HBO. |
| INTRO Television | Liberty Starz | Originally called TV!; renamed INTRO Television, carrying the same programming format. Replaced by Encore PLEX (eventually changed to MoviePlex) in 1997. |
| Home Theater Network | Premium movies | |
| Movie Mania | Formerly B-Mania!, B-Movie channel, no longer broadcasting as of October 2006. | |
| MovieVision | Premium movies | |
| ONTV | Also had sports and events. | |
| Preview | ||
| PRISM | Spectacor | 24-hour premium cable television channel intended for cable customers in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania metropolitan area. Channel infrastructure is still used for Comcast Sportsnet Philadelphia. |
| SelecTV | Starion Entertainment | |
| Spectrum | ||
| Spotlight | Times Mirror | Premium movies |
| Starcase | ||
| Super Time/Star TV | San Francisco over the air channel like ONTV via KTSF-TV. Named Super Time during the late 1970s and Star TV in the early 1980s. | |
| SuperTV | ||
| Z Channel | Movie channel |
Public Interest
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PBS YOU | PBS | Service ended in January 2006; most stations replaced service with American Public Television's Create network. |
| ThinkBright | WNED-TV | Ceased in 2011. |
Religion
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| PTL Satellite Network | Evangelical Christian network known for broadcasting The PTL Club hosted by Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. | Collapsed in the wake of a sex and embezzlement scandal that resulted in Jim Bakker being sentenced to prison. On the air from 1977 to 1987. |
Shopping
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| America's Collectibles Network | Multimedia Commerce Group Inc. | Closed on October 15, 1993 with Jewelry Television. |
| America's Store | IAC/InterActiveCorp | Ceased broadcasting on April 3, 2007. |
| Advertising Television | Web Broadcasting Systems Inc. | |
| BET-Home Shopping Network | BET Holdings, Inc. / Home Shopping Network | |
| Black Shopping Network | ||
| Cable Value Network | Tele-Communications Inc. | Merged with QVC in 1989. |
| Consumer Resource Network | Seventh Medium | |
| Cupid Network Television | Capital Distribution | Adult home shopping |
| Global Shopping Network | ||
| Q2 | Home shopping. Spinoff of QVC, existed briefly in the mid 1990s. | |
| Resort & Residence TV | Aired on DirecTV; ceased operations on March 28, 2011. | |
| Shop at Home Network | Jewelry Television | Ceased broadcasting on March 7, 2008. |
| Shop Television Network | J. C. Penney and Shop Television Network, Ltd. | Was also known as JCPenney Television Shopping Channel until closure in 1991. |
| TV Car Showroom | Hachette Filipacchi Magazines | |
| ViaTV Network | RSTV Inc. | |
| ValueVision | ValueVision Media | Shut down on 2001 to ShopNBC, and then to ShopHQ on January 1, 2014. |
Sports
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Classic Sports Network | ESPN Inc. | Purchased by ESPN and renamed ESPN Classic. |
| CNN Sports Illustrated | Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner) | Existed from 1996–2002. |
| CSS | NBCUniversal and Charter Communications | Existed from 1999–2014 |
| Empire Sports Network | Adelphia Cable | Existed from 1990–2005. |
| ESPN 3D | ESPN Inc. | Turned off on September 30, 2013. |
| Fight Now TV | Channel Zero | Existed from May 2011 to June 2014. |
| Football Network | Existed briefly in 2003. | |
| Fox Sports World | 21st Century Fox | Formerly Fox Soccer, Replaced by FXX on September 2, 2013. |
| FSN Chicago | Became Comcast SportsNet Chicago | |
| Men's Outdoor and Recreation | Ceased operations. | |
| MountainWest Sports Network | Mountain West Conference (MWC), CBS Corporation, Comcast | Mountain West Conference sports; existed from September 2006–June 2012. |
| NASCAR Hot Pass | NASCAR / DirecTV | Exclusive to DirecTV existed from 2007 to 2012. |
| National College Sports Network | CBS Corporation | Switched to CSTV on 2003, and then CBS College Sports Network on 2008, and then finally CBS Sports Network on April 4, 2011. |
| Outdoor Life Network | NBCUniversal | Renamed to Versus on September 25, 2006, and then became the NBC Sports Network on January 2, 2012, and then shorted down to the NBCSN on September 23, 2013. |
| Prime Network | Liberty Media | Existed from 1983–1997. |
| SpeedVision | SPEED Channel Inc. (21st Century Fox) | Renamed Speed, replaced by Fox Sports 1 on August 17, 2013. |
| Sports Time | Anheuser-Busch | St. Louis and Midwest Cable Sports station; existed from April 1984–March 1985. |
| SportsChannel | became Fox Sports Net | |
| Sports News Network | Mizlou Communications | Existed from February–December 1990. |
| Trax | Networks Development Corporation | |
| Turner South | Turner Broadcasting System (Time Warner) | Purchased by Fox Cable Networks and renamed SportSouth. |
| TVS Television Network | Now part of Margate Entertainment. | |
| Universal Sports Network | NBCUniversal | Ceased operations November 16, 2015 |
| University of North Dakota Sports Network | University of North Dakota, WDAZ-TV, Midcontinent Communications | Formerly known as Fighting Sioux Sports Network (FSSN) Ceased on March, 2012. |
| Victory Sports One | Minnesota Twins Baseball Network/Minnesota Gophers Sports | |
| Water Channel | MCE Television Networks Inc. | |
| Web Sports Net | Web Broadcasting Systems Inc. | Text-based sports news service. |
| World Championship Sports Network | Existed from 2005–2008. |
Spanish
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| La Familia Cosmovision | The Inspiration Networks | Ceased operations on January 9, 2015. |
Ethnic
African-American
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Black Family Channel | Ceased operations April 30, 2007. To launch as broadband network, subscriber base sold to Gospel Music Channel. Formerly MBC Network. | |
| Bridges TV | Muslim | Ceased operations on March 15, 2012. |
| Caribbean Satellite Network | ||
| New Urban Entertainment Television (NUE-TV) | Space Station TeleVision, co-owned by Dennis Brownlee and Robert Townsend. Investors included Quincy Jones, Leo J. Hindery Jr., David Falk, and Alfred Liggins III. | Ceased operations in May 2001; formerly shutdown in October 2002. Senior Council Pat Irvin, Human Resources Director Renee Barfield, Cindy Mahmoud, Senior Vice President Gordon Boelter, Executive Vice President of Programming, Donovan Myrie, News Director, Craig Henry, Director of Music, Monte Powell, Director of Programming, Rick Porterfield, Production Director. |
| The MBC Movie Network | Minority Broadcasting Corp. | |
| World African Network |
Asian
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| AZN Television | Comcast | Formerly International Channel; First nationwide television cable channel dedicated to Asian Americans. Ceased operations on April 9, 2008. |
| MTV Chi | Viacom Media Networks | An MTV World network dedicated to Chinese American audiences; launched on December 6, 2005, and shut down on April 30, 2007. |
| MTV Desi | An MTV World network dedicated to South Asian American audiences; launched on July 12, 2005, and shut down on April 30, 2007. | |
| MTV K | An MTV World network dedicated to Korean American audiences; launched on June 27, 2006, and shut down on April 30, 2007. |
German
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| ChannelD | First German private television satellite channel in North America 2001–2002. | |
| Dolphin-TV | Dolphin-TV German Television Inc. | German private television satellite channel 2006–2007. |
| GermanTV | Deutsche Welle TV, ARD & ZDF (German Public Broadcasters) | Satellite channel 2001–2005. |
Irish
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| CelticVision |
High definition
| Name | Owner | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Voom HD Networks | Rainbow Media (Cablevision) | 15 All-HD networks, ceased broadcasting on January 20, 2009. |
References
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