Prime Time Entertainment Network


The Prime Time Entertainment Network was an American television network that was operated by the Prime Time Consortium, a joint venture between the Warner Bros. Domestic Television subsidiary of Time Warner and Chris-Craft Industries. First launched on January 20, 1993, and operating until 1997, the network mainly aired drama programs aimed at adults between the ages of 18 and 54. At its peak, PTEN's programming was carried on 177 television stations, covering 93% of the country.

History

Origins

At the time of PTEN's founding, co-owner Chris-Craft Industries owned independent television stations in several large and mid-sized U.S. cities through its BHC Communications and United Television divisions, which formed the nuclei of the network.
PTEN was launched as a potential fifth television network, and was created in reaction to the success of the Fox network as well as the successes of first-run syndicated programming during the late 1980s and early 1990s. It offered packaged nights of programming to participating television stations, beginning with a two-hour block on Wednesday evenings, with a second block being added in September 1993. Originally, the station groups involved in the Prime Time Consortium helped finance PTEN's programs; however, that deal was restructured at the beginning of the network's second year.
The service sought affiliations with various television stations not affiliated with the Big Three television networks. However, close to half of PTEN's initial affiliates were stations that were already affiliated with Fox; as a result, these stations usually scheduled PTEN programming around Fox's then five-night prime time schedule. PTEN launched on January 20, 1993, with two series: the science fiction series Time Trax and the action drama .

Demise

PTEN faced two obstacles created by its parent companies, that would affect the network. On November 2, 1993, the Warner Bros. Entertainment division of Time Warner announced that it would form its own fifth network, The WB Television Network, as a joint venture with the Tribune Company, Six days earlier, on October 27, Chris-Craft Industries announced the launch of the United Paramount Network, in a programming partnership with Paramount Television. As a result, the core Chris-Craft independent stations would serve as charter stations of the new network; Chris-Craft also chose to pull out of the partnership to focus on operating UPN.
The network also faced issues from some PTEN-affiliated stations that took issue with the network's barter split, which gave nine minutes of advertising time per hour to the syndicator, leaving only five minutes for the stations to sell and program locally. PTEN also ran into difficulty when the studio was forced to let stations out of their back-end commitments for several series. PTEN adopted a variable schedule for the 1995-1996 season, for affiliates to schedule around The WB and UPN's programming on the night of their choosing. With Chris-Craft pulling out of the venture, PTEN essentially became a syndication service for its remaining shows. The network ceased operations in 1997. One of the two series that aired during the service's final year of operation, the science fiction drama Babylon 5, would later be revived by TNT, where it aired for a fifth and final season beginning in 1998.

Programming

Former programming

Series

Market/city of licenseStationOwner at the time of affiliationYears of affiliation
AlbanyWXXA-TV 23Heritage Broadcasting Group,
Clear Channel Communications 		1993–1995
AlexandriaK47DW 47Delta Media
AmarilloKCIT 14Epic Broadcasting Corporation1993–1995
AnchorageKYES-TV 51993–1995
AtlantaWATL 36Fox Television Stations,
Qwest Broadcasting		1993–1997
Augusta, GeorgiaWFXG 54Pezold Management Associates Inc.1993–1994
Augusta, GeorgiaWJBF 6Spartan Radiocasting1995
BainbridgeWTLH 49
BakersfieldKUZZ-TV 45Buck Owens
BaltimoreWNUV 54Abry Communications,
Glencairn, Ltd.
Baton RougeWGMB 44
BillingsKSVI 6
BirminghamWABM 68
Bloomington, IllinoisWYZZ-TV 43
Bloomington/IndianapolisWTTV 4River City Broadcasting,
Sinclair Broadcast Group		1993-1997
BoiseKTRV-TV 12
BostonWSBK-TV 38New World Communications,
Paramount Stations Group
BryanKYLE 28
BuffaloWUTV 29Act III Broadcasting,
Abry Communications,
Sinclair Broadcast Group		1993-1997
CadillacWGKI 33
Gary Knapp
Cape CoralWFTX 36Wabash Valley Broadcasting1993-1997
Cape GirardeauKBSI 23
Cedar RapidsKOCR 28
Metro Program Network
Charleston, West VirginiaWVAH-TV 11Act III Broadcasting,
Abry Communications,
Glencairn, Ltd.		1993-1997
CharlottesvilleWVIR-TV 29Waterman Broadcasting Corporation
ChicoKCVU 30
CincinnatiWSTR-TV 64Abry Communications,
Sinclair Broadcast Group		1993-1997
Cleveland-Canton-Akron, OhioWUAB 43Cannell Broadcasting1993-1997
Colorado SpringsKXRM-TV 21
Columbia, South CarolinaWACH 57Ellis Communications
Columbus, GeorgiaWLTZ 38J. Curtis Lewis
Columbus, OhioWBNS-TV 10Dispatch Broadcast Group1993-1997
Corpus ChristiK47DF 47
Danville, KentuckyWDKY-TV 56
DavenportKLJB-TV 18Grant Broadcasting System II
DaytonWKEF 22KT Communications,
Max Media
DenverKDVR 31Renaissance Broadcasting,
Fox Television Stations		1993-1997
DerryWNDS 50
CTV of Derry
Des MoinesKDSM-TV 17River City Broadcasting
DetroitWXON 20
1993-1997
DothanWDHN 18Morris Multimedia
El CentroKECY-TV 9
El PasoKCIK-TV 14
1993-1997
ElmiraWETM-TV 18Smith Broadcasting
EurekaKBVU-TV 29
EvansvilleWFIE 14Cosmos Broadcasting
FairbanksK07UU 7
Tanana Valley Television Company
FargoKVRR 15Red River Broadcasting
FlintWSMH 66
Fort CollinsKFCT 22
Renaissance Broadcasting,
Fox Television Stations
Fort PierceWTVX 34Whitehead Media1993-1997
Fort SmithKPBI-LP 46
Pharis Broadcasting
Fort Worth-DallasKTXA 21Paramount Stations Group1993-1997
Gary-ChicagoWPWR-TV 50Newsweb Corporation1993-1997
Grand RapidsWXMI 17Dudley Communications
Great FallsKFBB-TV 5Dix Communications
Green BayWGBA 26Aries Telecommunications
Greensboro-High Point-Winston-SalemWGGT 48
Guliford Broadcasters
GreenvilleWYDO 14
Hartford-New HavenWTIC-TV 61Renaissance BroadcastingSeptember 1993 – 1997, replacing WTXX
HelenaK21DU 21
Dix Communications
Henderson-Las VegasKVVU-TV 5Meredith Corporation1993-1997
HiloKHBC-TV 2
Providence Journal Broadcasting
HonoluluKHNL 13Providence Journal Broadcasting
HoustonKTXH 20Paramount Stations Group1993-1997
HuntsvilleWZDX 54
Jackson, MississippiWAPT 16Northstar Television,
Argyle Television
Jackson, TennesseeWMTU 16
JacksonvilleWNFT 47
RDS Broadcasting1993–1995, 1995-1997
JamestownKJRR 7Red River Broadcasting
JohnstownWWCP-TV 8Peak Media of Pennsylvania
Kansas CityKSMO-TV 62Abry Communications,
Sinclair Broadcast Group
KingsportWKPT-TV 19/W30AP 30
Holston Valley Broadcasting Corporation
KnoxvilleWKCH-TV/WTNZ 43Ellis Communications
KokomoWTTK 29
River City Broadcasting,
Sinclair Broadcast Group		1993-1997
Lafayette, LouisianaKLAF-LD 46Delta Media
LansingWSYM-TV 47Journal Broadcast Group
Little RockKLRT-TV 16
LouisvilleWDRB 411993-1997
Los AngelesKCOP-TV 13Chris-Craft Television:
KCOP Television		1993-1997
LubbockKJTV-TV 34
LynchburgWJPR 21
Grant Broadcasting System II
MadisonWMSN-TV 47
MemphisWLMT 30Mass Media, Inc.
MiamiWDZL 39
Renaissance Broadcasting1993-1997
Midland, TexasKPEJ 24
MilwaukeeWVTV 18Gaylord Entertainment Company,
Glencairn, Ltd.		1993-1997
MinneapolisKMSP-TV 9BHC: United Television1993-1997
MobileWPMI-TV 15Clear Channel Communications
MonroeKARD-TV 14Banam Broadcasting
MontgomeryWCOV-TV 20Woods Communications
Morehead CityWFXI 8
NashvilleWZTV 17Act III Broadcasting,
Abry Communications,
Sinclair Broadcast Group
New OrleansWNOL-TV 38Quincy Jones Broadcasting
Qwest Broadcasting		1993-1997
OcalaWOGX 51Wabash Valley Broadcasting
Meredith Corporation		1993-1997
Oklahoma CityKOCB 34Superior Broadcasting
OmahaKPTM 42Pappas Telecasting
OrlandoWOFL 35Meredith Corporation1993-1997
Panama CityWPGX 28
PembinaKNRR 12
Red River Broadcasting
PhiladelphiaWPHL-TV 17Tribune Broadcasting1993-1997
PhoenixKUTP 45BHC: United Television1993-1997
PittsburghWPTT-TV 22
Eddie Edwards
Glencairn, Ltd.
PlattsburghW27BI/WWBI-LP 27
Portland, MaineWPXT 51Pegasus Broadcast Television
Portland, OregonKPTV 12Chris-Craft TV:Oregon TV1993-1997
Portsmouth-Norfolk, VirginiaWGNT 27Centennial Broadcasting
Providence, Rhode Island-New Bedford, MassachusettsWNAC-TV 64Northstar Television,
Argyle Television
Raleigh-Durham-Fayetteville, North CarolinaWLFL 22Paramount Stations Group
Sinclair Broadcast Group
RenoKAME-TV 21
RichmondWRLH-TV 35Act III Broadcasting,
Abry Communications,
Sullivan Broadcasters
RoanokeWFXR-TV 27Grant Broadcasting System II
Rochester, New YorkWUHF-TVAct III Broadcasting,
Abry Communications,
Sinclair Broadcast Group		1993-1997
SacramentoKRBK-TV/KPWB-TV 31
Koplar Broadcasting,
Pappas Telecasting
SalinaKAAS-TV 18
SalinasKCBA 35Ackerley Broadcasting
Salt Lake CityKJZZ-TV 14Larry H. Miller
San AngeloK55AA 55
San AntonioKRRT 35
Paramount Stations Group,
Jet Broadcasting
San Francisco-Oakland-San JoseKBHK-TV 44
United Television1993-1997
Santa FeKASA-TV 2Providence Journal Company
Santa MariaKCOY-TV 12Stauffer Communications
SavannahWJCL 22J. Curtis Lewis
Secaucus, NJ-New York CityWWOR-TV 9BHC:Pinelands
Chris-Craft Industries		1993-1997
ShreveportKMSS-TV 33
SpokaneKHQ-TV 6
Springfield, IllinoisWRSP-TV 55
Springfield, MissouriKDEB-TV 27
St. LouisKPLR-TV 11Koplar Broadcasting1993-1997
St. Petersburg-TampaWTOG 44Hubbard Broadcasting,
Paramount Stations Group		1993-1997
SweetwaterKTXS-TV 12
SyracuseWSYT 68
Tacoma-SeattleKSTW 11Gaylord Entertainment Company
Paramount Stations Group		1993-1997
Thief River FallsKBRR 10
Red River Broadcasting
Tijuana-San DiegoXETV 6Televisa1993-1997
ToledoWUPW 36Ellis Communications
TucsonKTTU-TV 18Clear Channel Communications
UrbanaWCCU 27
VisaliaKMPH-TV 26Pappas Telecasting
WacoKWKT 44
WailukuKOGG 15
Providence Journal Broadcasting
Washington, D.C.WDCA 20Paramount Stations Group1993-1997
WaterburyWTXX 20
Counterpoint Communications1993-1997
WichitaKSAS-TV 24
Wichita FallsKJTL 18Epic Broadcasting Corporation
Winston-SalemWNRW 45
Act III Broadcasting,
Abry Communications,
Sinclair Broadcast Group
VanderbiltWGKU 45
Gary Knapp
YakimaK53CY 53
YorkWPMT 43Renaissance Broadcasting