40-512: CMT Crossroads is an American television program broadcast on CMT that pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres such as alternative rock , pop , R&B , Rock , soul and more, frequently trading off performing one another's songs, one cover song and also dueting on some numbers. Crossroads premiered on January 13, 2002, and there have been seventy-six episodes to date. Country Music Television CMT (originally standing for Country Music Television )
80-491: A 10-episode "workplace docu-comedy". Trinity 911 was later renamed Big Texas Heat and was removed from the schedule after airing four episodes. On June 10, 2016, CMT announced that they would pick up the ABC series Nashville following its cancellation. The network would order a fifth season of 22 episodes. In 2017, as part of Viacom's restructuring plans, CMT would begin a transition back to unscripted programming. As
120-580: A channel focused on Western genre movies (CMT Westerns) and a channel dedicated to Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders: Making the Team . In October 2021, CMT picked up the second season of The Last Cowboy —a reality series by Yellowstone co-creator Taylor Sheridan . The program had moved from Paramount Network following abandoned plans to relaunch the outlet as a movie network. CMT's current programming consists largely of acquired sitcoms and movies. The channel's daily country music programming consists of
160-465: A five-hour music video block, seen during the early morning hours, as well as CMT Hot Twenty , which airs on weekend mornings. Of Paramount's former music channels (not counting its suite of all-music digital channels), CMT has historically been the most devoted to music-related programming and previously set aside at least six hours of its daily schedule for music videos during the overnight and morning hours. In addition, most of CMT's original programming
200-512: A prime network among those in Paramount Global's suite. CMT Music has generally been depreciated by Paramount Global in current retransmission consent negotiations with cable and streaming providers for other options; such as Pluto TV , which provides several CMT and Vevo -branded country music channels. in 2021, Spectrum removed it from their current-day packages, with only grandfathered subscribers with older packages able to view
240-610: A result, Nashville' s sixth season would also be its last. As part of its shift back to unscripted programming, CMT announced Music City in September 2017, a reality series created by Adam DiVello of The Hills and Laguna Beach fame. Set in Nashville, the show features Bryant Lowry, a drummer in the Nashville pop band Jet Black Alley Cat. The series premiered on March 1, 2018. In 2019, Viacom acquired Pluto TV , and launched several CMT-branded channels, including
280-484: A sister company headed by Freston under the Viacom name. The split was approved by Viacom's board on June 14, 2005, and took effect on December 31. The second iterations of CBS Corporation and Viacom began trading on January 3, 2006. On August 13, 2019, CBS and Viacom officially announced their re-merger deal ; the combined company would be called ViacomCBS, with Bob Bakish as president and CEO and Shari Redstone as
320-520: Is an American pay TV network that launched on March 5, 1983. It is currently owned by Paramount Global through its MTV Entertainment Group division. CMT was the first nationally available channel devoted to country music and country music videos , with its programming also including concerts, specials, and biographies of country music stars. Over time, the network's programming expanded to incorporate original lifestyle and reality programming, and acquired sitcoms. As of December 2023 , CMT
360-759: Is available to approximately 56,000,000 pay television households in the United States; down from its 2011 peak of 93,000,000 households. The channel's headquarters are located in One Astor Plaza in New York City, and has additional offices in Nashville , Tennessee . CMTV , an initialism for Country Music Television, was founded by Glenn D. Daniels, the owner of Video World Productions in Hendersonville, Tennessee . Daniels put together
400-477: Is centered on, or related to, the Culture of Dallas or Nashville, Tennessee , where the network's studios are located. CMT's music mix is primarily focused on mainstream hit country songs, but also includes occasional videos from crossover, Americana , and alternative acts (dubbed "CMT Edge"). Specials seen on the network include the annual CMT Music Awards (with an "extended version" airing since 2022, when
440-549: The Blockbuster Video chain in 1994. The acquisition of Paramount Communications on July 7, 1994, made Viacom one of the world's largest entertainment companies. Also in 1993, WTXX entered into a part-time local marketing agreement with Viacom's NBC station WVIT . The Paramount and Blockbuster acquisitions gave Viacom access to large television holdings: An archive of programming controlled by Aaron Spelling 's company which included, along with his own productions ,
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#1732797584014480-648: The Dayton , San Francisco , Nashville and Seattle metropolitan areas. Several of these were originally independent systems that CBS acquired in the 1960s. The division was known as Viacom Cablevision until the early 1990s, when it was renamed to Viacom Cable . By 1995, Viacom Cable had about 1.1 million subscribers. Viacom sold the division to TCI in 1995. Viacom's cable assets are now part of Comcast . In March 2005, Viacom announced that it would split into two companies – one would contain Viacom's "slow-growth" assets;
520-573: The MTV Networks . TNN would phase out country programming to avoid overlap with CMT, changing its full name to "The National Network". In-spite of the decrease in music programming, in part due to the rise of internet -based platforms in the 2000s, CMT would experience significant ratings gains in the years' since its acquisition. By 2007, the channel was available in more than 83 million homes. On April 4, 2012, CMT announced its first adult animated series, Bounty Hunters ; and Trinity 911 ,
560-694: The Sky Multichannels package. In July 1995, CMT launched its Brazilian version in association with Grupo Abril 's TVA . By 1998, Gaylord reported $ 10 million in losses from CMT Europe and decided to cease broadcasting the network on March 31, 1998. Gaylord had planned to emulate the successful model created by E! , by selling large programming blocks to other European channels, but these plans never occurred. On October 1, 1994, CMT made its first major format change by adding several new music-oriented programs. In 1995, CMT dropped all videos by Canadian artists without U.S. record contracts in response to
600-488: The parent company of CBS, the former Westinghouse Electric Corporation , which had been renamed CBS Corporation in 1997. Viacom was split into the second incarnations of CBS Corporation and Viacom — both remained under National Amusements ownership — in 2005; the split was structured with the second CBS Corporation being the original Viacom's legal successor , and the second Viacom being an entirely new company. The two companies eventually re-merged in 2019, leading to
640-880: The 1970s and 1980s, and also distributed syndicated television programs. The company went under Sumner Redstone 's control in 1987 through his cinema chain company National Amusements . At the time of its split, Viacom's assets included the CBS and UPN broadcast networks, the Paramount Pictures film and television studio, local radio station operator CBS Radio , cable channels such as MTV , Nickelodeon , Comedy Central , BET and Showtime , outdoor media operator Viacom Outdoor , television production and distribution firm King World Productions , and book publisher Simon & Schuster . It also owned its IP holding subsidiary Viacom International and brand licensor Westinghouse Licensing Corporation . In 2000, Viacom acquired
680-671: The Morning ". The following summer, MTV (which would be acquired by Viacom 16 years later) filed a trademark infringement lawsuit over the initials CMTV, and the network changed its name to simply CMT . In 1991, Opryland USA and its owner Gaylord Entertainment Company acquired CMT in a $ 34 million deal. The network was sold by a group led by radio station owner Robert Sillerman, record producer James Guercio and Nyhl L Henson. Opryland USA and owner Gaylord also owned CMT's competitor The Nashville Network. In October 1992, CMT launched its first international channel, CMT Europe , as part of
720-791: The Redstone family maintained 71-percent voting control of the company through National Amusements' holdings of Viacom's stock. In 2002, Viacom's MTV Networks International bought independently run Dutch music video channel TMF , which at the time was broadcasting in Belgium and the Netherlands . In June 2004, MTVNI bought VIVA Media AG , the German equivalent to MTV. The same month, plans were announced to dispose of Viacom's interest in Blockbuster later that year by means of an exchange offer;
760-439: The addition of full-length video tags throughout videos and new imaging, no major changes came to the channel's programming. In 2015, the network discontinued specific video blocks due to that year's cutbacks throughout Viacom, including music video programmers. The network has lost carriage throughout time with the growth of streaming video options, being carried solely in standard definition, and CMT no longer being considered
800-463: The company had set up its own division Viacom Pictures, to produce its feature films for television, most notably Showtime . Sumner Redstone , via his theater chain operator National Amusements , acquired a controlling interest in Viacom on June 10, 1987. Redstone made a string of large acquisitions in the early 1990s, announcing plans to merge with Paramount Communications (formerly Gulf+Western ), parent of Paramount Pictures , in 1993, and buying
840-828: The company purchased WHNB-TV in New Britain, Connecticut , changing its call letters to WVIT . Two years later Viacom added the Sonderling Broadcasting chain, giving it radio stations in New York City , Washington, D.C. , Houston , and San Francisco , and one television station, WAST (now WNYT ) in Albany, New York . In 1983 Viacom purchased KSLA in Shreveport, Louisiana , and WHEC-TV in Rochester, New York , in separate transactions. This
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#1732797584014880-447: The core cable business and the company would ride herd on diverse enterprises as Viacom's pay-per-view venture, Viewer's Choice, Satellite Direct, Inc. and SMA TV, and handle strategic planning and new business development for Viacom Networks Group, and would develop merchandising, licensing and home video business around the two Viacom subsidiaries it was currently operating, Showtime-The Movie Channel, Inc. and MTV Networks . In 1989,
920-499: The division was incorporated as Viacom , and spun off on January 1, 1971, amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (the rules were later repealed). Viacom expanded its activities throughout the decade with a launch of a production unit, and later acquired the rights to various features from various studios. In addition to CBS TV series syndication rights, Viacom also held cable systems with 90,000 cable subscribers, at that time
960-468: The formation of ViacomCBS, now known as Paramount Global . Viacom originated on March 16, 1952 — when CBS founded its broadcast syndication division, CBS Television Film Sales . It renamed as CBS Films in October 1958. On December 1, 1967, it again renamed as CBS Enterprises Inc. . On July 6, 1970, it announced that CBS Enterprises would be spun out from its parent company, and the same month
1000-428: The joint venture. Around the same time, Viacom bought MTV Networks , which owned MTV , VH-1 , and Nickelodeon . This led to Viacom becoming a mass media company rather than simply a distribution company, and completed in 1986. In 1987, Viacom sought to expand its horizons by launching the new Viacom Network Enterprises division, which was led by Ronald C. Bernard, in order to develop and exploit properties outside of
1040-478: The largest in the US. In 1976, Viacom launched Showtime , a pay movie channel, with Warner-Amex taking a half-share ownership. The company went into original programming production starting in the late 1970s until the early 1980s with middling results. The company expanded in 1977 to launch a unit for program acquisitions and prime-time network programming. Viacom's first broadcast station acquisition came in 1978 when
1080-566: The live telecast moved to CBS ), and CMT Crossroads , which pairs country music artists with musicians from other music genres. It also carries simulcasts of MTV and Nickelodeon's own award specials as part of Paramount's common "road block" event programming strategy. CMT Music (formerly CMT Pure Country ) is an American pay television channel and a sister network to CMT. It exclusively carries country music videos in an 8-hour programming wheel schedule similar to several other video-exclusive networks owned by Paramount Global. The network
1120-559: The network being replaced in Canada by Calgary , Alberta-based New Country Network . By March 1996, CMT had eventually returned the dropped videos to its playlist after reaching an agreement to acquire a 20% ownership of New Country Network, relaunching it as a domestic version of CMT. In 1997, both CMT and TNN were sold to Westinghouse , then-owner of CBS , for a reported $ 1.5 billion. CBS would in-turn be acquired by Viacom in 2000, assuming ownership of CMT and TNN and folding them into
1160-605: The network. Currently, the network offers an eight-hour wheel of videos, all under the EPG -only title of CMT Music with little theming of video blocks outside promoting special events such as the CMT Music Awards nominees and winners around the ceremony. As Pure Country, the network featured branded blocks of programming sub-divided by genres and periods of time: Viacom (original) The original phase of Viacom Inc. (derived from "Video & Audio Communications")
1200-422: The next two years selling off its non-UPN affiliated stations to various owners. In 1997, Viacom exited the broadcast radio business, albeit temporarily, when it sold the majority of its stations to Chancellor Media, a predecessor company of iHeartMedia . On September 7, 1999, Viacom announced their acquisition of CBS Corporation in a $ 35.9 billion deal. In addition to being the largest media merger in history at
1240-495: The offices of president and chief operating officer between Moonves and Freston. Redstone was set to retire in the near future, and a split would be a creative solution to the matter of replacing him. The existing Viacom would become the second CBS Corporation as it was headed by Moonves and kept CBS, Simon & Schuster , and Paramount Network Television (now known as CBS Studios ), among other assets; while MTV Networks, BET Networks, and Paramount Pictures would spin-off to
CMT Crossroads - Misplaced Pages Continue
1280-519: The other would consist of the company's "high-growth" divisions – under National Amusements' control because of a stagnating stock price. The internal rivalry between CBS chairman Les Moonves and MTV Networks chief executive officer Tom Freston , and the controversy of the Super Bowl XXXVIII halftime show were also seen as factors. After the departure of Mel Karmazin in 2004, Redstone, who served as chairman and CEO, decided to split
1320-565: The owners of the Black Entertainment Television (BET) network. As with CBS Cable, it was immediately integrated into MTV Networks, causing some outcry among BET workers in the Washington, D.C., area (where BET was based before the merger). As a result, BET was separated from MTV Networks, into a division known as BET Networks . Although a majority economic interest in Viacom was held by independent shareholders,
1360-487: The ownership group of Telestar Corporation and the Blinder Robinson & Company investment bank in a three-way split. Daniels also served as the program director and the first president of the network. The network launched on March 5, 1983, at 6:19 p.m. CT, beating its chief competitor, The Nashville Network , to air by two days. The first video clip to air on CMT was Faron Young 's 1971 hit " It's Four in
1400-526: The pre-1973 ABC and NBC libraries under Worldvision Enterprises and Republic Pictures ; and an expanded group of television stations which merged Viacom's five existing outlets into Paramount's seven-station group . Viacom used some of these stations to launch the UPN network, which started operations in January 1995 as a joint venture with Chris-Craft Industries . Shortly afterward, Viacom/Paramount spent
1440-534: The spinoff of Blockbuster was completed in October. Also in 2002, Viacom acquired the remaining shares of Infinity Broadcasting radio chain, which resulted in Viacom's return to operating radio stations after it originally exited the broadcast radio business in 1997. In April 2003, Viacom acquired the remaining ownership shares of Comedy Central from then- AOL Time Warner , integrating Comedy Central into MTV Networks. From its formation until 1995, Viacom operated several cable television systems generally located in
1480-632: The time, the purchase effectively reunited Viacom with its former parent, CBS. The merger was completed in May 2000, bringing CBS's cable channels TNN (now Paramount Network ) and Country Music Television (CMT) under Viacom's MTV Networks wing, as well as CBS's production and distribution units Eyemark Entertainment (formerly Group W Productions ) and King World under the main wing. The merger also folded Viacom's broadcast group, now consisting entirely of UPN stations, into CBS's owned-stations division. In 2001, Viacom completed its purchase of BET Holdings,
1520-457: Was an American mass media and entertainment conglomerate based in New York City . It began as CBS Television Film Sales , the broadcast syndication division of the CBS television network in 1952; it was renamed CBS Films in 1958, renamed CBS Enterprises in 1968, renamed Viacom in 1970, and spun off into its own company in 1971. Viacom was a distributor of CBS television series throughout
1560-463: Was first launched as VH1 Country , a country music video-oriented spinoff of VH1 , on August 1, 1998; predating the folding of CBS Cable networks TNN and CMT into Viacom . On May 27, 2006, the channel rebranded as CMT Pure Country to realign the CMT brand to solely represent Viacom's country music-related programming. On January 4, 2016, the network's name was changed to CMT Music . Outside of
1600-617: Was followed in 1986 with CBS-owned KMOX-TV in St. Louis ; with the purchase, that station's call letters were changed to KMOV . Also in 1983, Viacom reacquired its premium channel Showtime, and later merged it with Warner-Amex's The Movie Channel forming Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc . Between the late 1980s and the early 1990s, Viacom syndicated several shows produced by Carsey-Werner Productions , namely The Cosby Show , A Different World and Roseanne . In 1985, Viacom acquired Showtime/The Movie Channel, Inc. from Warner-Amex, ending
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