While cable networks pop up everyday, sometimes they don’t last very long. Here are 6 very short-lived major TV networks.
1. Hawkvision (October 1992- April 1993). During the 90s, all Chicago Blackhawks home games were not aired on local TV because their owner thought it was unfair to season tickets holders.
He created Hawkvision, a premium cable network that aired all of the Chicago Blackhawks games. Of course, it angered the fan base because they would have to pay for watch home games and due to low subscription numbers, Hawkvision folded after one season.
2. Cable Music Channel (October 26, 1984 – November 30, 1984). Ted Turner wanted to tap into the growing cable music market after the success of MTV.
He launched the Cable Music Channel, which feature more wholesome and family-friendly recording artists and music. However, Ted Turner was unable to sign any deals with record labels for his cable network, so he ended up selling the Cable Music Channel to MTV for $1 million. It folded after one month.
3. The Overmyer Network (May 1, 1967 – June 1, 1967). Millionaire Daniel H. Overmyer wanted to create a network that would rival NBC, ABC, and CBS, so he created the Overmyer Network in 1967.
He hired former broadcast network executives, got the exclusive rights to the Continental Football League, and watched his dreams go down the drain when he didn’t have the programming or viewer numbers. The Overmyer Network ended after one month.
4. Satellite News Channel (June 21, 1982 – October 27, 1983). ABC and Westinghouse wanted to create a 24-hour news network, but Ted Turner beat them to the punch.
Five months before ABC and Westinghouse launched the Satellite News Channel, Ted Turner launched CNN. The Satellite News Network folded after 15 months.
5. CBS Cable (October 12, 1981 – December 17, 1982). William Paley created a cable network after he dominated broadcast airwaves with CBS. But after 14 months, CBS Cable couldn’t find the viewership to compete with other emerging cable networks.
6. The Comedy Channel (November 15, 1989 – April 1, 1991) and Ha! (April 1, 1990 – April 1, 1991). Cable providers didn’t want to compete with two comedy channels, so Time Warner’s The Comedy Channel and Viacom’s Ha! merged to create what would be known as Comedy Central in 1991. Both the Comedy Channel and Ha! lasted less than two years.