Cable television first became available in the United States in 1948. By 1989, 53 million U.S. households received cable television subscriptions, with 60 percent of all U.S. households doing so in 1992. Most cable viewers in the U.S. reside in the suburbs and tend to be middle class ; cable television is less common in low income , urban , and rural areas.
118-631: IFC is an American basic cable channel owned by AMC Networks . Launched in 1994 as the Independent Film Channel , a spin-off of former sister channel Bravo , IFC originally operated as a commercial-free service, devoted to showing independent films without interruption. Starting in the late 2000s, the channel gradually moved its programming from independent films into comedy , horror , and cult television shows and films. IFC became an ad-supported service in 2010, and officially retired its full name in 2014. In September 2018, it
236-515: A trust in August 2007. On October 27, 2010, IFC Canada's ownership changed again through Shaw Communications ' acquisition of Canwest and Goldman Sachs' interest in CW Media. As with its U.S. namesake, the channel originally focused almost exclusively on smaller independent films. However, IFC Canada broadened its programming focus to include more mainstream films from large production studios, as
354-430: A 10-episode reality series chronicling the daily lives of Eddie Money , his wife Laurie and their five kids. Production for Real Money began in fall 2017 and the series premiered Sunday, April 8, 2018. In June 2018, the series was greenlit for an expanded 12-episode second season with production set to begin in summer 2018 and a premiere in early 2019. Real Money season two premiered on Sunday, May 5, 2019. During
472-610: A VHS tape (although some on demand services, generally those offered by broadcast networks, restrict the ability to fast forward through a program). Some of the offerings have a cost similar to renting a movie at a video store while others are free. On-demand content has slowly been replacing traditional pay-per-view for pre-recorded content; pay-per-view remains popular for live combat sports events (boxing, mixed martial arts and professional wrestling). Additional subscription fees are also usually required to receive digital cable channels. Many cable systems operate as de facto monopolies in
590-733: A behind-the-scenes look at the final performance of the longest-running touring show in America. The 90-minute documentary premieres on Memorial Day, May 27, 2019. In 2013, for the first time ever on television, AXS TV broadcast select concert footage from the Stagecoach Festival and the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival . In 2014, AXS TV presented the television debut of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival , in addition to broadcasting
708-517: A broadcasters' convention. In the spring of 1948, Parsons learned that radio station KRSC (now KKNW ) in Seattle – 125 miles away – was going to launch a television station that fall. He found that with a large antenna he could receive KRSC's signal on the roof of the Hotel Astoria and from there he ran coaxial cable across the street to his apartment. When the station (now KING-TV ) went on
826-536: A few years, only to fail due to the inability to compete against established premium services that had broader distribution and higher subscriber totals. Since cable television channels are not broadcast on public spectrum, they are not subject to FCC regulations on indecent material. Premium networks generally offer broader portrayal of profanity, sex and violence; some premium services–such as Cinemax and The Movie Channel (which have carried such programs as part of their late-night schedules) as well as Playboy TV , one of
944-479: A focus on more "mature" and creator-driven series to help attract critical acclaim and key demographic viewership. Turner Classic Movies has aired uncut and commercial-free prints of theatrical films that have featured nudity, sexual content, violence and profanity, as had the now-ad-supported SundanceTV and IFC , the former of which began as a premium service, spun off from Showtime. Commercial-free basic channels have tended to rate their film presentations using
1062-547: A format based on music and popular culture . In September 2019, Anthem Sports & Entertainment acquired a majority stake in AXS TV, with AEG and Cuban retaining minority stakes. As of November 2023 , AXS TV is available to approximately 32,000,000 pay television households in the United States. The network originally launched as HDNet on September 6, 2001, designed as a high definition -exclusive service under
1180-477: A front row seat to some of the nation's biggest music festivals as Trunk travels across the country interviewing bands, visiting booths, sampling festival cuisine, and mingling with the attendees. Trunk previously hosted the documentary series Reel to Real on the network in 2016. TRUNKFest with Eddie Trunk premiered on July 1, 2018, with a trip to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally . TRUNKFest
1298-615: A group of fellow television set retailers in Lansford, Pennsylvania , a town in the same region as Mahanoy City, to offer television signals from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania broadcast stations to homes in Lansford for a fee. The system was featured in stories in The New York Times , Newsweek and The Wall Street Journal . The publicity of this successful early system set off a wave of cable system construction throughout
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#17327796443861416-451: A higher quality picture than their analog counterparts. This is often true, with a dramatic improvement in chroma resolution (120 lines for NTSC versus 270 for digital). However, digital compression has a tendency to soften the quality of the television picture, particularly of channels that are more heavily compressed. Pixelation and other artifacts are often visible. Subscribers wishing to have access to digital cable channels must have
1534-562: A less expensive entry point into the cable marketplace. Some cable/satellite providers might wish to sell channels à la carte, but their contracts with programmers often require the more standardized approach. Starting in the late 1990s, advances in digital signal processing (primarily Motorola's DigiCipher 2 video compression technology in North America) gave rise to wider implementation of digital cable services. Digital cable television provides many more television channels over
1652-401: A local station if the duplication is shown either 15 days before or after its local airing. This 1965 report reasoning is as follows: 1) CATV should carry local stations because CATV supplements, not replaces, local stations; and, the non-carriage of local stations gives distant stations an advantage since people will not change from the cable to the antenna to see a local station; 2) non-carriage
1770-580: A majority stake in AXS TV and HDNet Movies. Mark Cuban and AEG will retain interests in the company as minority equity partners, while AEG will also continue to provide additional sales support for the network through its AEG Global Partnerships unit. Television personality Steve Harvey was also brought in as an additional financier and content partner. Anthem's founder and owner Leonard Asper stated that there were no plans to make any major changes to AXS TV's format or programming, or to add programming from other Anthem channels unless they were complementary to
1888-509: A midseason episode, Money revealed his cancer diagnosis. Money died the day after the episode's airing. In August 2018, AXS TV announced a new docu-series profiling the lives and deaths of some of music's most influential artists called The Day The Rock Star Died. Set to premiere on October 2, 2018, the 15-part series examines artists including Tom Petty , Janis Joplin , Jimi Hendrix , Michael Jackson , Elvis Presley and Whitney Houston . The Top Ten Revealed spotlights best-of lists on
2006-562: A mix of per-subscriber carriage fees paid by the provider, and revenue from advertising sold on the service, as their sources of revenue. One of the first "basic cable" networks was TBS —which was initially established as a satellite uplink of an independent television station (the present-day WPCH-TV ) in Atlanta, Georgia. TBS would serve as the starting point for other major basic cable ventures by its owner, Ted Turner , including CNN —the first 24-hour news channel . Another early network
2124-430: A monthly fee depending on the number and perceived quality of the channels offered. Cable television subscribers are offered various packages of channels one can subscribe to. The cost of each package depends on the type of channels offered (basic vs. premium) and the quantity. These fees cover the fees paid to individual cable channels for the right to carry their programming, as well as the cost of operating and maintaining
2242-447: A name taken from AEG's ticket sales website AXS.com . With the purchase and rebranding, the channel gradually shifted focus to include a mix of entertainment news, lifestyle, pop culture and in-concert performance events. Alongside the rebranding, Dish Network announced that it would expand the channel's distribution to customers who do not subscribe to an HD tier through a downconverted standard definition feed. The provider moved
2360-509: A new four-part festival series 80s in the Sand premiering Sunday, April 7, 2019. Hosted by 80s TV and Radio personalities Downtown Julie Brown, Mark Goodman, Alan Hunter and Richard Blade, 80s in the Sand features interviews and performances with artists including Bret Michaels , Sebastian Bach , Taylor Dayne , The English Beat , Wang Chung , ABC , When in Rome , Berlin and more. The series
2478-642: A particular focus on the Rock and Pop genres. Such programming includes documentaries, interviews, panel shows and concerts. AXS has also aired combat sports -related programming, including events broadcast under the AXS TV Fights banner, as well as content from the Anthem-owned Total Nonstop Action Wrestling (TNA) and Invicta Fighting Championships . Original programming on HDNet included news programs such as
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#17327796443862596-442: A premium service to sample its programming, in an effort for subscribers to the participant provider to consider obtaining a subscription to the offered service to continue viewing it following the preview period. HBO was the first true premium cable (or "pay-cable") network as well as the first television network intended for cable distribution on a regional or national basis; however, there were notable precursors to premium cable in
2714-400: A scheduled time (this is generally the main place where pornographic content airs on American cable). Some cable systems have begun to offer on-demand programming , where customers can select programs from a list of offerings including recent releases of movies, concerts, sports, first-run television shows and specials and start the program whenever they wish, as if they were watching a DVD or
2832-617: A second signal to two of the towns and add two signals to a previously unserved town. A television station in one town opposed this and protested to the FCC on the grounds of economic damage. A hearing examiner supported Carter Mountain, but the Commission supported the television station. The case was taken to appeal, and the Federal Communications Commission won. "The fact that no broadcaster has actually gone off
2950-541: A secretary of the Federal Communications Commission, sent a letter to Parsons requesting that he "furnish [to] the Commission full information with respect to the nature of the system you may have developed and may be operating." This is the first known involvement of the FCC in CATV. An FCC lawyer, E. Stratford Smith, determined the Commission could exercise common carrier jurisdiction over CATV. The FCC did not act on this opinion, and Smith later changed his mind after working in
3068-431: A significant reduction in subscription fees and advertising revenue, and potentially be driven out of business. Many cable/satellite providers are therefore reluctant to introduce an à la carte business model. They fear it will reduce the overall choice of viewing content, making their service less appealing to customers. Some believe the à la carte option could actually increase overall sales by allowing potential subscribers
3186-453: A small number of national cable networks in their basic lineups. Most systems differentiate between basic cable, which has locals, home shopping channels and local-access television channels, and expanded basic (or "standard"), which carries most of the better-known national cable networks. Most basic cable lineups have approximately 20 channels overall, while expanded basic has channel capacity for as many as 70 channels. Under U.S. regulations,
3304-503: A special cable converter box , (or, more recently, a "Digital Cable Ready" television) and a CableCARD to receive them. AllVid is a CableCARD replacement proposed by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), U.S.A Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), intended to provide bidirectional compatibilities such as interactive programming guides, video-on-demand and pay-per-view, since retail CableCARD-ready devices are unable to access such systems. Cable television systems impose
3422-684: A television partner of the United Football League , primarily airing the league's Saturday night games. The network dropped UFL coverage prior to the 2011 season . Following its July 2012 re-launch, AXS TV continued to air several programs carried over from HDNet, including Dan Rather Reports , MMA events (under the AXS TV Fights banner), movies, and off-network series. However, the channel began to gradually shift its focus towards "music, pop culture and lifestyle-oriented" programming, such as concerts, and general entertainment. As part of its music programming lineup, AXS TV broadcasts
3540-643: A variety of rock-related themes, covering topics such as best guitar intros, Vietnam anthems and '80s rock ballads. The series debuted in February 2018, with host and executive producer Katie Daryl joined by a rotating panel of experts including Lita Ford , Guns N' Roses drummer Steven Adler and former Pantera percussionist Vinnie Paul , among others. The series returned for season two in January 2019, and for season 3 in April 2020. The Very VERY Best of
3658-498: A wide variety of concert events from across the country and around-the-world. This includes a Sunday night concert series featuring performances from artists such as Carrie Underwood , Led Zeppelin , Neil Young and Elton John ; themed artists takeovers, highlighting a variety of bands in day-long blocks that feature music videos, concert performances, interviews and more, with notable takeovers from Slash and Matchbox Twenty ; as well as other live and taped music events such as
IFC (American TV channel) - Misplaced Pages Continue
3776-673: A wider variety of programming, including shows related to fine arts . In 2000, IFC launched a motion picture division . In 2005, IFC expanded into its first non-television venture and opened the IFC Center , a movie theater for independent film in New York City. In 2008, IFC launched its Media Lab Studios, a section of its website on which users can enter IFC-sponsored film contests, and can view others' films. In 2008, Rainbow Media acquired IFC's rival network, Sundance Channel , from Robert Redford and Showtime Networks . Towards
3894-523: Is "inherently contrary to the public interest"; and, 3) CATV duplication of local programming via distant signals is unfair since broadcasters and CATV do not compete for programs on an equal footing; the FCC recommended "a reasonable measure of exclusivity". The 1966 Second Report and Order made some minor changes in the First Report and Order and added a major regulation. This was designed to protect UHF stations in large cities. The new rule disallowed
4012-851: Is an original series featuring Sammy Hagar as he drives across the country to interview and jam with influential artists including Tommy Lee , Bob Weir , Alice Cooper , and Nancy Wilson . The series also presents Hagar's personal experiences and rules of the road, as he tours with his group The Circle. The six-episode first season premiered on AXS TV on January 24, 2016. The series premiered in March 2017 with guests including John Mayer , Melissa Etheridge , Toby Keith , John Mellencamp and Mick Fleetwood and returned for its second half in July 2017 with guests including Don Felder , Styx , Vince Neil , Chad Smith , Shep Gordon , Darryl McDaniels and Adam Levine . AXS TV announced that Rock & Roll Road Trip
4130-525: Is available nationally on Dish , DirecTV , Verizon Fios and AT&T U-verse ; regionally on cable providers such as Charter Spectrum , Service Electric , Suddenlink Communications, Time Warner Spectrum , and SureWest ; and on the streaming service Sling TV . In the Fall of 2006, HDNet became available in Canada on Rogers Cable , Bell Satellite TV and Cogeco Cable ; Shaw Cable began carrying
4248-521: Is claimed that the first cable television system in the United States was created in 1948 in Mahanoy City, Pennsylvania by John Walson to provide television signals to people whose reception was poor because of tall mountains and buildings blocking TV signals. Mahanoy City was ideally suited for CATV services, since broadcast television signals could easily be received via mountaintop antennas and retransmitted by "twin-lead" or "ladder-lead" cable to
4366-540: Is devoted primarily to music -related programming (such as concert films , documentaries, and reality series involving musicians) and combat sports —related programming (including boxing , mixed martial arts and professional wrestling ). The network was originally established in 2001 as HDNet , with investor Mark Cuban as a founding partner. HDNet was originally intended as an exclusively- high-definition network, carrying films and acquired television series, concerts, news programming, and sporting events produced in
4484-679: Is not clear how this might affect subscription costs over all, but it would allow a parent to censor their child's viewing habits by removing any channel they deem objectionable from their subscription. Offering such individualized subscriptions would have been relatively complicated and labor-intensive using analog cable, but the widespread adoption of digital cable & IPTV technologies have now made it more feasible. Analog technology allowed cable providers to offer standardized subscription packages using low-pass filters and notch filters . A low-pass filter lets lower frequency signals pass while removing higher frequency signals. Using such filtering,
4602-512: The Friday the 13th film series , highlighting the nudity and gore. On July 1, 2011, Rainbow Media was spun off from Cablevision into a separate company, which was renamed AMC Networks . On May 4, 2012, Dish Network announced that it would no longer carry the AMC Networks family of cable channels upon the expiration of the satellite provider's distribution agreement with the company at
4720-589: The Classic Rock Roll of Honour Awards tribute to Gregg Allman and The Doors , hosted by Sammy Hagar and the live broadcast of the 2014 Farm Aid music festival that featured performances by Willie Nelson , John Mellencamp , and Dave Matthews . In 2014, AXS TV broadcast the inaugural Alternative Press Music Awards, hosted by Mark Hoppus . The award show returned to AXS TV on July 22, 2015, hosted by Alex Gaskarth and Jack Barakat of All Time Low and featuring performances from Weezer , Panic! at
4838-550: The Federal Communications Commission , traditional cable television subscriptions in the US peaked around the year 2000, at 68.5 million total subscriptions. Since then, cable subscriptions have been in slow decline, dropping to 54.4 million subscribers by December 2013. Some telephone service providers have started offering television, reaching to 11.3 million video subscribers as of December 2013. It
IFC (American TV channel) - Misplaced Pages Continue
4956-467: The HDNet World Report and Dan Rather Reports , a weekly newsmagazine hosted by former CBS Evening News anchor Dan Rather ; coverage of Space Shuttle launches; and male-oriented series such as Ultimate Trailer Show. HDNet also featured uncensored and unrated shows during late-night hours, such as Art Mann Presents , Bikini Destinations and Girls Gone Wild Presents: Search for
5074-633: The MDU market, in which relationships are established with landlords, sometimes with contracts and exclusivity agreements for the buildings, sometimes to the anger of tenants. The rise of direct broadcast satellite systems providing the same type of programming using small satellite receivers, and of Verizon FiOS and other recent ventures by incumbent local exchange carriers such as U-verse , have also provided competition to incumbent cable television systems. Many cable channels charge cable providers "subscriber fees," in order to carry their content. The fee that
5192-827: The National Hockey League from 2001 to 2008 and Major League Soccer ; select motor sports events, including Champ Car live broadcasts in 2004, highlights from the NASCAR Busch East Series (later Camping World East Series , K&N Pro Series East , and ARCA Menards Series East ) and races from regional circuits; mixed martial arts , through Cuban's HDNet Fights promotion; the weekly series Inside MMA , which featured highlights and coverage from various MMA promotions; and Indiana University 's Little 500 Bicycle Race. From 2009 to 2011, HDNet also aired weekly programming from professional wrestling promotion Ring of Honor , and served as
5310-802: The Pluto TV app. The Big Interview was renewed for a seventh season, which premiered Tuesday, April 16, 2019 with former Journey frontman Steve Perry . The new season line-up also includes Paul Stanley , Cyndi Lauper , Foreigner members Mick Jones and Lou Gramm , REO Speedwagon , Billy Bob Thornton , Carl and Rob Reiner , Travis Tritt , Boz Scaggs , Paul Shaffer , Brian Johnson of AC/DC , Cheap Trick , Chicago members Robert Lamm and Lee Loughnane , Bret Michaels , Alice Cooper , Little Big Town , Bob Costas , David Byrne , America , Bryan Cranston , Jon Anderson of Yes and Doug Gray of The Marshall Tucker Band . Rock & Roll Road Trip with Sammy Hagar Presented by Mercury Insurance
5428-590: The TV Parental Guidelines , instead of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) ratings system . Since the early 21st century, some have advocated for laws that would require cable providers to offer their subscribers their own " à la carte " choice of channels. Unlike the standardized subscription packages being offered currently, an à la carte model requires the customer to subscribe to each channel individually. It
5546-580: The 20-episode season include Robby Krieger and John Densmore of the Doors , Shania Twain , Eddie Money , Styx , John Mellencamp , The Oak Ridge Boys and Billy Ray Cyrus . The series celebrated its 100th episode on October 2 when it returned for the second half of season six with special guest The Beatles' Ringo Starr , with older episodes now also broadcast in the UK via the BIOgraphy channel found on
5664-601: The 2014 Stagecoach Country Music Festival and the 2014 New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, for the second consecutive year. The network's 2015 festival slate included the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (April 17-April 19) for the second consecutive year; the Stagecoach Country Music Festival (April 24-April 26); and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (May 1-May 3) for the third consecutive year. Additionally,
5782-641: The 70s puts the spotlight on the enduring films, series, and pop culture moments that defined the 1970s. The series is executive produced by Katie Daryl who guides a rotating panel of celebrity guests each week including Fred Willard , Morgan Fairchild , Barry Williams , Jimmie Walker , Michael Winslow , Sebastian Bach , Mark Steines , Jaleel White , George Wallace , Anson Williams , Dee Wallace , Todd Bridges , Mindy Cohn , Bob Eubanks , Elisabeth Röhm , David Chokachi and Catherine Bach . The series premiered its first season on Thursday, May 16. Since 2014, AXS TV has broadcast The X Factor UK , with
5900-402: The AXS TV's existing format. Shortly after the purchase, it was announced that Impact! —the weekly flagship program of Anthem-owned Total Nonstop Action Wrestling —would move from minority-owned sister network Pursuit Channel to AXS TV. The sale resulted in the layoff of 40 employees, consisting mainly of redundancies with Anthem staff. AXS TV primarily airs music-oriented series, with
6018-562: The Disco , and Simple Plan among others. Concert specials in 2017 included Queen , Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard , Def Leppard , Jennifer Nettles , Mavis Staples , Robert Plant , Kenny Loggins , and Ringo Starr . AXS TV celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Summer of Love with a month-long event in August 2017 with concerts honoring the music of The Grateful Dead and Jerry Garcia and documentaries profiling artists of
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#17327796443866136-591: The Dish lineup back in 2008, and in return Dish signed a new agreement to bring the AMC Networks owned channels back on the Dish lineup with AMC returning October 21 and the rest on November 1. On January 9, 2014, it was announced that the channel's full name had been retired, and that the name IFC would officially have no meaning . On November 15, 2016, AMC Networks acquired a minority stake in comedy video website and film and television production company Funny or Die , with plans to integrate it with IFC. On April 27, 2018,
6254-590: The FCC to exercise common carrier authority over 288 CATV systems in 36 states. The broadcasters maintained that CATV went against the FCC's Sixth Report and Order, which advocated at least one television station in every community. In 1958, the FCC decided that CATV was not really a common carrier since the subscriber did not determine the programming. Carter Mountain Transmission Corp., a common carrier that already transmitted television signals by microwave to CATV systems in several Wyoming towns, wanted to add
6372-613: The Hottest Girl in America . In October 2011, HDNet picked up Goodnight Burbank , the network's first scripted half-hour comedy. Originally created for the web, the show starred Hayden Black , Laura Silverman and Dominic Monaghan . HDNet's programming also included off-network reruns of series such as Smallville , Andy Richter Controls the Universe , JAG , Star Trek: Enterprise and Arrested Development . HDNet also aired sporting events, including coverage of
6490-532: The SD feed and 9610 for the HD feed, WEtv moved from channel 128 to channel 9608 and IFC was moved from channel 393 to channel 9607); the former channel lineup spaces occupied by the three channels were respectively replaced with HDNet , Style and MoviePlex multiplex channel Indieplex. The move is believed to be in response to an ad run during a June 3 airing of an episode of Mad Men urging Dish Network customers to inform
6608-521: The U.S. channel has done. It also de-emphasized the use of the full "Independent Film Channel" name, possibly due to the decrease in the number of independent films on its schedule. None of IFC's original programming aired on IFC Canada during its run. Rival broadcaster Bell Media currently owns exclusive rights to their shows and has aired them on their various networks, including Crave and Much . The channel ceased broadcasting on September 30, 2019. Basic cable According to reports released by
6726-451: The United States in its first 24 years was used almost exclusively to relay terrestrial commercial television stations to remote and inaccessible areas. It also became popular in other areas in which mountainous terrain caused poor reception over the air. Original programming over cable came in 1972 with deregulation of the industry. During the Federal Communications Commission (FCC)'s freeze on television licenses from 1948 to 1952 ,
6844-483: The United States that would have determined the role of the FCC in CATV policy. Chief architect of some of these bills was attorney Yolanda G. Barco . She was one of the first female executives in cable, described as the "principal attorney for cable television interests during the industry's formative years". The 1959 bill, which made it to the floor of the Senate, would have limited FCC jurisdiction to CATV systems within
6962-489: The United States, and Tarlton himself became a highly sought-after consultant. Tarlton used equipment manufactured by a new company, Jerrold Electronics . After seeing the success of the Tarlton system in 1950, Jerrold president (and future Pennsylvania governor) Milton Shapp reorganized his company to build equipment for the now-growing cable industry. In 1952, Tarlton went to work for Jerrold, helping to construct most of
7080-438: The United States. While exclusive franchises are currently prohibited by federal law, and relatively few franchises were ever expressly exclusive, frequently only one cable company offers cable service in a given community. Overbuilders in the U.S., other than telephone companies with existing infrastructure, have traditionally had severe difficulty in financial and market penetration numbers. Overbuilders have had some success in
7198-572: The air due to CATV competition at the time the government moved to expand its authority (nor have any since) did not stay the momentum for the expansion of regulatory authority. That some economic impact was merely plausible sufficed as the basis for government concern and government action". The FCC overruled a hearing examiner in favor of broadcasters again in the "San Diego Case". The CATV systems in San Diego, California wanted to import stations from Los Angeles, some of which could be seen in San Diego;
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#17327796443867316-456: The air in November 1948, Parsons was the only one in town able to see television. According to MSNBC 's Bob Sullivan, Parsons charged a $ 125 one-time set-up fee and a $ 3 a month service fee. In May 1968, Parsons was acknowledged as the father of community antenna television. In 1950, Robert Tarlton developed the first commercial cable television system in the United States. Tarlton organized
7434-682: The cable industry for some time. Further, Smith's decision was influenced by his experiences testifying several times in United States Senate committee hearings. Senator, and future FCC commissioner, Kenneth A. Cox attended and participated in these hearings. He prepared a report for the Senate Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce against CATV and supporting the FCC policy of a television station in every community. In 1959 and 1961, bills were introduced in Congress of
7552-440: The cable provider offered "economy basic" subscriptions (local channels only; these appear at the lowest frequency signals, denoted by the lowest channel numbers) and "basic" subscriptions (local channels plus a handful of national channels with frequencies just higher than the local stations). Notch filters were used to filter out a "notch" of channels from an analog cable signal (for example, channels 45-50 could be "notched" out and
7670-465: The cable service provider must pay to a cable television channel can vary depending on whether it is a basic or premium channel and the perceived popularity of that channel. Because cable service providers are not required to carry all cable channels, they may negotiate the fee they will pay for carrying a channel. Typically, more popular cable channels command higher fees. For example, ESPN typically charges $ 10 per month for its suite of networks ($ 7 for
7788-420: The cable television system so that their signals can reach subscribers' homes. Additional cable television franchise fees and taxes are often tacked on by local, state, and federal governments. Most cable systems divide their channel lineups ("tiers") into three or four basic channel packages. A must-carry rule requires all cable television systems to carry all full-power local commercial broadcast stations in
7906-608: The channel could air complementary programming for CBS-aired entertainment events such as the Grammy Awards ). In addition to carriage on cable, satellite and telecommunication providers, AXS TV has been added to streaming media providers including Sling TV in October 2016, DirecTV Now when it debuted in November 2016, and Philo when it was launched in November 2017. On September 9, 2019, Canadian company Anthem Sports & Entertainment announced that it had acquired
8024-516: The common practice of regularly paying to see films. The possibility of turning free television viewers into paid television viewers was discussed early on. For example, after 25 million American televisions tuned to a musical version of Cinderella in 1957, executives calculated that had the network received 25¢ for each television tuned to the show, it would have earned more than $ 6 million without distribution costs. However, due to many legal, regulatory and technological obstacles, cable television in
8142-585: The company later acquired a majority stake in comedy venue operator Levity Live. IFC primarily airs comedy and horror -genre programming, including both original and acquired series and films. Original programming produced for the channel over the years include Documentary Now! , Sherman's Showcase , and British co-production Year of the Rabbit . The Canadian version of the Independent Film Channel launched on August 15, 2001, under
8260-513: The company to keep the three AMC Networks channels on the satellite provider, with Dish Network stating that the relocated channel positions better reflect the channels' ratings. On July 1, 2012, Dish Network dropped AMC, WEtv, and IFC from the channel line-up altogether. On October 21, 2012, AMC Networks announced a settlement was reached between them, Cablevision and Dish in which Dish was forced to pay up to $ 700 million in damages to Cablevision for damages from removing Voom owned channels off
8378-498: The company's previous Rainbow Media Holdings brand) (which is pending trial in the New York State Supreme Court), in which it is seeking more than $ 2.5 billion in damages against Dish Network for improperly terminating its carriage contract; Voom's high-definition channels were carried on the provider from May 1, 2005, until May 12, 2008, when Dish removed ten of Voom's fifteen channels from its lineup and
8496-632: The contours (or the broadcast range) of a single station; however, the bill was defeated. The 1961 bill proposed by the FCC would have given the Commission authority over CATV as CATV, and not as a common carrier or broadcaster. The Commission could then adopt rules and regulations "in the public interest" to govern CATV in any area covered both by CATV and broadcast television. No action was ever taken on this bill. More important than Congressional action in determining Federal Communications Commission CATV policy were court cases and FCC hearings. In Frontier Broadcasting Co. v. Collier , broadcasters tried to compel
8614-459: The counties of Schuylkill and Carbon in the anthracite coal region, had several of the earliest CATV systems, there were other CATV entrepreneurs scattered throughout the United States. One was James Y. Davidson of Tuckerman, Arkansas . Davidson was the local movie theater manager and ran a radio repair business on the side. In 1949, he set up a cable system to bring the signal of a newly launched Memphis, Tennessee station to his community, which
8732-685: The customer their choice of channels à la carte has become more cost-effective with the advent of digital cable, because a digital set-top converter box can be programmed remotely. IPTV (i.e., delivering TV channels over an internet or IP-based network) is even less labor-intensive, delivering channels to the consumer automatically. Currently, digital cable and satellite delivery systems with standardized subscriptions are providing an opportunity for networks that service niche and minority audiences to reach millions of households, and potentially, millions of viewers. Since à la carte could force each channel to be sold individually, such networks worry they could face
8850-544: The date was later suspended. In 1972, Dean Burch steered the FCC into a new area of regulation. It lifted its restrictions on CATV in large cities, but now put the burden of more local programming on CATV operators. In 1976, the FCC used its rule-making power to require that new systems now had to have 20 channels, and that cable providers with systems of 3,500 subscribers or more had to provide Public, educational, and government access (PEG) services with facilities and equipment necessary to use this channel capacity . During
8968-402: The demand for television increased. Since new television station licenses were not being issued, the only way the demand was met, even in communities with one or more operating broadcast stations, was by Community Antenna Television (CATV) , as early cable was known (so named because of the literal sharing of a very large receiving antenna by an entire community). On August 1, 1949, T.J. Slowie,
9086-412: The designated television market on their lineups, unless those stations opt to invoke retransmission consent and demand compensation, in which case the cable provider can decline to carry the channel (especially if the provider feels that the rate of carrying an existing service would result in an increase of the average price of a tier to levels to which it could result in a subscriber possibly dropping
9204-553: The early 1980s, various live local programs with local interests were rapidly being created all over the United States in most major television markets . Before there was public access TV , one of Time Inc.'s pioneering stations was in Columbus, Ohio , where Richard Sillman became the nation's youngest cable television director at age 16. Cable television programming is often divided between basic and premium television. Basic cable networks are generally those with wide carriage on
9322-426: The end of June 2012, citing that AMC Networks charged an excessive amount in retransmission consent payments from the service for their carriage and low audience viewership for the channels. AMC Networks responded to Dish Network's announcement of its pending removal of the channels as being related to a 2008 breach of contract lawsuit against Dish Network by the company's former Voom HD Networks subsidiary (under
9440-649: The end of the decade, IFC began to expand its programming beyond independent films, producing original series and acquiring cult television series. In March 2010, IFC unveiled a new slogan, "Always on. Slightly off.", reflecting the channel's new focus on comedy programming. On December 8, IFC began airing commercials within its programming, a move that sparked controversy among its viewers, and would also begin to censor its programming. IFC eventually reversed its censorship practices and started to air its programming uncut; publicly trumpeting this fact in 2012 by releasing ads featuring showings of back-to-back blocks of movies like
9558-468: The episodes airing 24 hours after their respective UK broadcasts. The series premiered on Sunday, August 31, 2014, marking the first time that the British series had aired in the U.S. The 11th season notably featured the return of Simon Cowell and Cheryl Fernandez-Versini to the judging panel, joining music manager Louis Walsh and pop singer Mel B , making her debut as a full-time judge. Ben Haenow
9676-661: The first adult-oriented premium cable services–have even offered softcore pornography as part of their programming inventory. While there are no FCC rules that apply to content on basic cable networks, many self-regulate their program content due to demographic targeting, or because of viewer and advertiser expectations, particularly with regard to profane language and nudity. In recent years, however, some networks have become more lenient towards content aired during late-primetime and late-night hours. In addition, some channels, such as FX , have positioned themselves with an original programming direction more akin to premium services, with
9794-640: The first cable network to be delivered nationwide by satellite transmission. Although such conversions are rare, some present-day basic cable channels have originated as premium services, including the Disney Channel (from 1983 to 1997), AMC (from 1984 to 1988), and Bravo (from 1982 to 1994); some of these services eventually switched to an advertiser-supported model after transitioning to an unencrypted structure. Other fledgling premium services (such as early HBO spin-off efforts Take 2 and Festival , Home Theater Network and Spotlight ) have lasted for
9912-475: The first provider to offer video-on-demand services of HDNet and HDNet Movies. On January 18, 2012, HDNet, LLC entered into a joint venture with entertainment company/promoter Anschutz Entertainment Group , media personality Ryan Seacrest , and talent agency Creative Artists Agency , in which AEG, CAA, and Ryan Seacrest Media would each purchase a share of the network, with Cuban retaining primary ownership. The network rebranded on July 2, 2012, as AXS TV ,
10030-525: The five remaining channels the following day. Dish Network stated that the lawsuit is unrelated to the decision to remove the AMC Networks channels and that it ended the carriage agreement on its own terms. On May 20, 2012, Dish Network removed Sundance Channel from its channel lineup. Two weeks later on June 4, 2012, Dish relocated AMC, WEtv, and IFC to higher channel positions with AMC being split into two separate standard definition and high definition channel feeds (AMC moved from channel 130 to channel 9609 for
10148-421: The format. HDNet's original niche became increasingly redundant as more cable networks established their own HD feeds. In 2012, HDNet sold ownership stakes to Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), Creative Artists Agency , and Ryan Seacrest , with Cuban retaining a majority stake. The network was then relaunched under its current name—taken from AEG's online ticket platform AXS.com —on July 2, 2012, pivoting to
10266-479: The importation of distant signals into the top 100 markets, thus making CATV at that time profitable only in cities with poor reception. In 1968, the Supreme Court upheld the FCC's right to make rules and regulations concerning CATV. In its decision on United States v. Southwestern Cable , the "San Diego Case", it said "the Commission's authority over 'all interstate ... communications by wire or radio' permits
10384-404: The lowest service tiers of multichannel television providers. In the era of analog cable television, these channels were typically transmitted without any encryption or other scrambling methods. These networks can vary in format, ranging from those targeting mainstream audiences, to specialty networks that are focused on specific genres , demographics , or niches. Basic cable networks depend on
10502-505: The main channel alone), by far the highest of any non-premium American cable channel, comparable to the premium channels, and rising rapidly. Other widely viewed cable channels have been able to command fees of over 50 cents per subscriber per month; channels can vary widely in fees depending on if they are included in package deals with other channels. AXS TV AXS TV is an American cable television channel majority-owned by Canadian broadcaster Anthem Sports & Entertainment . It
10620-527: The major systems built by that company in the 1950s. Tarlton was also responsible for training many of the major operators of cable systems in the 1950s. In 2003, Tarlton was inducted in the Cable Television Hall of Fame for his work building the first widely publicized cable television company in America. The rise of free broadcast television during the 1950s greatly threatened the established entertainment industry by offering an alternative to
10738-590: The network broadcast footage from the 2015 Rock on the Range (May 15-May 17) and the 2015 Firefly Music Festival (June 19-June 21), for the first time ever. AXS TV's 2016 festival tour included Zac Brown Band's Southern Ground Music & Food Festival (April 16–17), both weekends of the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival (April 23–24, April 29-May 1), Monster Energy Carolina Rebellion (May 6–8) and Hangout Festival May 20–22. AXS TV announced
10856-534: The network originated eight daily hours of high definition content from the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City ; this feed was picked up by NBC and aired in 24-hour rotation on the digital signals of NBC's stations. Later on that year, it signed a deal with Paramount Domestic Television to provide high-definition versions of the Paramount library. The channel gradually expanded its carriage to
10974-449: The network to channel 131 in the spring of 2012, increasing its carriage to at least 14 million Dish Network subscribers upon its relaunch as AXS TV. Through its relationship with AEG, AXS TV also planned to offer special promotions on concerts to Dish Network users who have subscribed to the channel. On February 14, 2013, CBS Corporation took a minority stake in the channel, in exchange for providing content and marketing (suggesting that
11092-566: The ownership of HDNet, LLC, which then was co-owned by Mark Cuban , owner of the Dallas Mavericks , and Philip Garvin, owner of Colorado Studios and Mobile TV Group. Originally, the network aired a variety of programming, much of it male-oriented, prominently featuring series, sports events, and concert performances. In December 2001 and January 2002, HDNet aired exclusive HD coverage of the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan with former CNN correspondent Peter Arnett . In February 2002,
11210-471: The ownership of Salter Street Films, under a brand licensing agreement with Rainbow Media. Alliance Atlantis acquired the channel in December 2001, through its purchase of Salter Street Films. On January 18, 2008, a joint venture between Canwest and Goldman Sachs Capital Partners known as CW Media, acquired control of IFC through its purchase of Alliance Atlantis' broadcasting assets, which were placed in
11328-798: The pay-television industry that operated during the 1950s and 1960s (with a few systems lingering until 1980), as well as some attempts by free-to-air broadcasters during the 1970s and 1980s that ultimately folded as their subscriber bases declined amid viewer shifts to receiving premium television content delivered by cable providers that had begun operating in metropolitan areas throughout that period. In its infancy, following its launch over Service Electric Cable 's Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania , system on November 8, 1972, HBO had been quietly providing pay programming to CATV systems in Pennsylvania and New York , using microwave technology to transmit its programming to cable and MMDS providers. In 1975, HBO became
11446-461: The power to regulate CATV. This Report and Order was designed to protect television stations in small towns. It did this by imposing two rules, which slightly altered form: one requires that a CATV system carry all local stations in which the CATV system is in the A- (best reception) contour of the station. The second prohibits the importation of programs from a non-local station that duplicates programming on
11564-625: The premiere of America Salutes You: Guitar Legends II on Sunday, March 31, starring Sammy Hagar, Billy Gibbons , Dave Navarro , Robby Krieger , Stephen Stills , Joe Bonamassa , Orianthi and more. This year marks the second year in a row AXS TV has served as production partner and cable provided for the acclaimed concert. The “Guitar Legends II” concert seeks to raise funds and awareness for charity organizations supporting brain and mental wellness of American veterans and first responders. AXS TV teamed up with Feld Entertainment to produce Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey : The Final Farewell ,
11682-546: The previous year returning. The X Factor UK returned for its fifth season on the network ( 15th overall ) in September 2018 with Simon Cowell joined by new judges One Direction 's Louis Tomlinson , singer-songwriter Robbie Williams and his wife actress and TV presenter Ayda Williams . In October 2017, AXS TV greenlit a new series starring music historian and TV and Radio host Eddie Trunk called TRUNKFest with Eddie Trunk premiering in 2018. The program gives viewers
11800-591: The price of basic cable can be regulated by local authorities as part of their franchise agreements . Standard, or expanded basic, cable is not subject to price controls. In addition to the basic cable packages, all systems offer premium channel add-on packages offering either just one premium network (for example, HBO) or several premium networks for one price (for example, HBO and Showtime together). Finally, most cable systems offer pay-per-view channels where users can watch individual movies, live events, sports and other programs for an additional fee for single viewing at
11918-543: The regulation of CATV systems." Carriage refers to the agreement under which a cable provider rebroadcasts a television channel on its network. The Federal Communications Commission puts various requirements on these agreements, which may include channels cable providers are required to carry, and moderates disputes over the fees and conditions of any particular agreement. In 1969, the FCC issued rules requiring all CATV systems with over 3,500 subscribers to have facilities for local origination of programming by April 1, 1971;
12036-407: The same available bandwidth , by converting cable channels to a digital signal and then compressing the signal. Currently, most systems offer a hybrid analog/digital cable system. This means they offer a certain number of analog channels via their basic cable service with additional channels being made available via their digital cable service. Digital cable channels are touted as being able to offer
12154-485: The satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network , as well as the cable providers Charter Communications , Insight Communications , Mediacom , Suddenlink Communications , Verizon FiOS , and AT&T U-verse . On September 4, 2008, Cuban announced that the network had reached an agreement with Comcast to carry both HDNet and HDNet Movies in various markets. The provider began to carry HDNet in many major markets on September 30, 2010. In November 2009, DirecTV became
12272-762: The service). Cable television systems are also required to offer a subscription package that provides these broadcast channels at a lower rate than the standard subscription rate. The basic programming package offered by cable television systems is usually known as "basic cable" and provides access to a large number of cable television channels, as well as broadcast television networks (e.g., ABC , CBS , NBC , Fox , The CW , MyNetworkTV , Telemundo , Univision , UniMás , PBS ), public, educational, and government access channels, free or low-cost public service channels such as C-SPAN and NASA TV , and several channels devoted to infomercials , brokered televangelism and home shopping to defray costs. Some providers may provide
12390-647: The subscriber still receives channels below 45 and above 50). This allowed cable providers to open standardized ranges of premium channels to the subscriber, but notch filtering was not a feasible way to offer each subscriber their own individual choice of channels. To offer "à la carte" service using an analog signal, a cable provider would most likely have to scramble every channel and send a technician to each subscriber's home to unscramble their choice of channels on their set-top box. Each change an analog cable customer made in their subscription would then require an additional home visit to reprogram their set-top box. Offering
12508-417: The television stations in San Diego did not want the signals to be imported. The television stations won, not allowing the signals on future cable lines in San Diego and its environs. The FCC's reasoning was to protect existing and future UHF stations in San Diego. (One of the pioneers of cable TV was KSA-TV ) In the First Report and Order by the Federal Communications Commission on CATV, the FCC gave itself
12626-419: The time period such as Jimi Hendrix , Janis Joplin and The Doors . The network also premiered a new documentary about the social phenomenon, eponymously titled Summer of Love , on August 12, 2017. Concert specials premiered in 2018 included: Sammy Hagar , Poison , Santana , Farm Aid , Charlie Daniels , Trace Adkins ' Guitar Legends for Heroes, The 2018 BRIT Awards and more. AXS TV announced
12744-408: The use of a converter box ). Because their programming is commercial-free (except for promotions in-between shows for the networks' own content), these networks command much higher fees from cable systems. Premium services have the discretion to offer the service unencrypted to a certain number of participating cable providers during a short-term free preview period to allow those who do not receive
12862-672: The valley community below (where broadcast reception was very poor). Walson's "first" claim has long been questioned and his claimed starting date can not be verified. The United States Congress and the National Cable Television Association have recognized Walson as having invented cable television in the spring of 1948. A CATV system was developed in the late 1940s by James F. Reynolds in his town of Maple Dale, Pennsylvania, which grew to include Sandy Lake , Stoneboro , Polk , Cochranton , and Meadville . Even though Eastern Pennsylvania, particularly
12980-407: Was estimated that approximately 75,295,000 American households (63% of households with television) received IFC. By December 2023, that number would drop to 56,185,000 households. The channel debuted on September 1, 1994, under the ownership of Rainbow Media , a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation . IFC originated as a spin-off of then-sibling channel Bravo , which focused at that time on
13098-853: Was filmed at the 80s in the Sand music festival at the Breathless Resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. Since 2013, Dan Rather has hosted the hour-long original series titled The Big Interview featuring in-depth interviews with a variety of celebrity guests as they join Rather for candid discussions about their lives and careers. Notable guests include Gene Simmons , Weird Al Yankovic , Don Rickles , Wynonna Judd , Jack White , Carlos Santana , Carol Burnett , Alan Alda , and Geddy Lee among others. The Big Interview ' s sixth season premiered on March 13, 2018, with guest Robert Plant of Led Zeppelin . Other interviewees for
13216-592: Was launched in January 2003 as a spin-off of HDNet (now AXS TV). The network features theatrically released films and documentaries , which are presented in high definition and without commercial interruption or editing for content. Programming showcases a wide variety of films including Academy Award winners , action films , scifi films , and westerns . It regularly features special, hosted movie events such as And The Oscar Goes To... Presented by Richard Roeper , Totally 80s Month with Judge Reinhold and Rob Zombie 's 13 Nights of Halloween . HDNet Movies
13334-521: Was located too far away to receive the signal with set-top antennas alone. Leroy E. "Ed" Parsons built the first cable television system in the United States that used coaxial cable , amplifiers, and a community antenna to deliver television signals to an area that otherwise would not have been able to receive broadcast television signals. In 1948, Parsons owned a radio station in Astoria, Oregon . A year earlier he and his wife had first seen television at
13452-493: Was renewed for a second season premiering July 7, 2019. Paul Shaffer sits down with his famous friends and colleagues across the music industry in this weekly interview series. Season one guests include Joe Walsh , Graham Nash , Sammy Hagar , Billy Gibbons , Donald Fagen , Buddy Guy , Spinal Tap bassist Derek Smalls ( Harry Shearer ) and Smokey Robinson . The series premieres on AXS TV Sunday, September 15 and also aired on Shaffer's SiriusXM radio show. HDNet Movies
13570-505: Was renewed for a third season in 2017 and premiered in April 2018 with guests including Dave Grohl , Roger Daltrey , Sarah McLachlan , Bob Weir , Pat Benatar and Neil Giraldo . AXS TV announced season four will premiere Sunday, May 5. Guests for the new season include Willie Nelson , Rick Springfield , Guy Fieri , Cheech & Chong , Charlie Daniels , Jimmie Johnson , Robby Krieger , Joe Bonamassa , Jason Bonham and more. AXS TV announced in September 2017 it had greenlit to
13688-829: Was subsequently renamed Fox Family in 1998 after it was acquired by a partnership between Fox Entertainment Group and Saban Entertainment , then ABC Family after its 2001 sale to ABC parent The Walt Disney Company , and finally to its current name, Freeform in 2016. The origins of premium cable lie in two areas: early pay television systems of the 1950s and 1960s and early cable (CATV) operators' small efforts to add extra channels to their systems that were not derived from free-to-air signals. In more recent years, premium cable refers to networks–such as Home Box Office (HBO) , Cinemax , Showtime , The Movie Channel , Flix , Starz , MoviePlex , and Epix –that scramble or encrypt their signals so that only those paying additional monthly fees to their cable system can legally view them (via
13806-745: Was the CBN Satellite Service, a Christian television service launched by televangelist Pat Robertson in April 1977 as the television ministry of his Christian Broadcasting Network , that was delivered by satellite as a more efficient way to distribute the programming. For years, the CBN Satellite Service (later renamed CBN Cable Network in 1984) mixed religious programming with reruns of classic television series to fill out its 24-hour schedule. The network changed its name to The CBN Family Channel in 1988 (revised to The Family Channel in 1990 once CBN spun it out to an indirectly owned for-profit company, International Family Entertainment ). It
13924-494: Was the winner of this season. The series has continued to air annually on AXS TV, most recently with its third season on the network, the show's 13th season overall, which premiered on August 28, 2016, with Cowell and Walsh, along with the return of judges Sharon Osbourne and Nicole Sherzinger , and presenter Dermot O'Leary , to X Factor UK . The X Factor UK returned for its fourth season on AXS TV, and 14th season overall, on September 3 and 4, 2017 with all four judges from
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