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 Distribution subsidiary of Time Warner and the BHC Communications subsidiary of 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. Taking on a pay-TV network-type appearance, with its scheduling strategy, the network and premium-TV-like nature of this network followed the Cinemax model. At the time, Cinemax was the top-rated pay TV network, having had a reputation for securing high-profile films and shows. This is significant as UPN would be the primary network of the stations that carried this network, such as WWOR and KCOP.

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 division, which formed the nuclei of the network.
PTEN was launched in 1993 as a potential fifth television network, and was created in reaction to the launch 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 Kung Fu: The Legend Continues.

Demise

PTEN faced two obstacles created by its parent companies which 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, 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 the Paramount Television division of Viacom. As a result, the core Chris-Craft independent stations would serve as flagship 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, before ceasing operations altogether 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

  • Babylon 5
  • Kung Fu: The Legend Continues
  • Pointman
  • ''Time Trax''

    Films and mini-series

  • The History of Rock 'n' Roll 10 hour documentary
  • Island City
  • ''The Wild West''