I (TV network)

i: Independent Television, or simply i, is a broadcast and cable television network first broadcast on August 31, 1998 under the name Pax TV (early on in its development, it was called PaxNet). The network is primarily owned by ion Media Networks (formerly Paxson Communications), although NBC Universal also has a 32% share. Programming is family-oriented and contains little or no sex, overt violence, or strong language. The network changed its name at the beginning of July 2005.

Overview

The i network was started under the name PAX TV in 1998 by Lowell 'Bud' Paxson, co-founder of the Home Shopping Network and chairmen of Paxson Communications. Paxson, a born-again Christian (since 1985), was fed up with the amount of sex, violence, and language on network television and decided to create a network which would carry only programing devoid of such content. While the network was named PAX TV, it created some original programs such as F.B.Eye and Doc, which have since been cancelled.

Unlike most TV networks in the United States such as ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC, i has a national feed that is part of basic DBS packages as well as having its affiliates carried by cable TV systems. i programming consists of some original programming mixed with reruns of various TV shows and movies and some Christian-oriented programming such as Live Prayer with Bill Keller and Dr. Charles F. Stanley. The network is currently in somewhat of a gap between the Big Six and smaller networks.

It was estimated in 2003 that Pax was viewable by 74.25% of all households, reaching 79,185,730 houses in the United States. The network has 94 VHF- and UHF-owned-and-operated or affiliate stations in the U.S., although these stations are mainly poorly watched UHF stations, and not all of the stations air i's complete nightly transmission. Some local i stations used to rebroadcast that market's NBC affiliate's newscasts at a later time, but have since discontinued that practice.

i is not considered by many to be on par with the six existing major national broadcast networks. It has no over-the-air stations in several major markets, most notably Charlotte, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis (the last city received i only by way of a low-power repeater of the i station in Mount Vernon, Illinois, which has subsequently changed affiliations).

Typically, i television shows average only 1% of the viewing audience, which is considerably lower than any other (major) broadcast network. To compare, the "big 3" networks (ABC, CBS and NBC) frequently garner 15–25% of viewers.

From Pax to i

On June 28, 2005, Paxson announced it would rebrand Pax as i, in order to reflect a new strategy of "providing an independent broadcast platform for producers and syndicators who desire to reach a national audience." After the transition is complete, Paxson, which is currently digital multicasting on 45 of its 60 stations, will continue to air programming under its Pax TV brand on one of its digital channels over the air and in select cable homes. Some media observers have jocularly postulated that "i" is code for "infomercial."

During the transition period, the Pax and i logos were both placed on-screen: the former in the bottom-left corner, and the latter in the bottom-right corner.

With this rebranding also comes the following changes to the programming lineup:

i has dropped programming from Worship, which has been airing late nights on the network since its launch in August of 1998. The time period previously for Worship's programming is now leased to infomercials.

In many markets starting in the Fall of 2002, i had aired editions of local newscasts from local NBC affiliate stations. This has been discontinued from some i station lineups, mainly occurring on June 30, 2005.

In addition, "Tomorrow's Weather Tonight", a five-minute segment featuring current weather and forecasts from WeatherVision which has aired on the channel since 2000, has also been dropped.

However, Pax continues as a digital service, airing public domain movies and classic television shows, as well as repeats of i programming. During prime-time, Pax's programming is the same as i. Infomercials are less common on the new Pax than on the regular i service. Worship also continues as a digital service, and is sometimes seen on former Pax stations as an alternative to i.

Differences between i and other broadcast networks

i: Independent Television, unlike other broadcast networks does not necessarily allow its stations to air syndicated programming during the daytime and late night hours. Syndicated programming accounts for a majority of local network affiliate and independent stations revenue.

Network programming (on stations that have a network affiliation) and infomercials make up the rest. Since paid programming makes up most of i 's schedule, the "pro" is that it is the main source of revenue. However, this is also a "con" since i relies more on infomercials rather than sitcoms and dramas; sponsors of television series often have qualms about their message being lost on stations whose primary content is infomercials and other paid programming. During the 2005-2006 season, i launched only one new series, Palmetto Pointe, a teen drama series which only lasted 6 episodes.

The fact that i airs more infomercials than they do series programming is the main reason why some satellite operators dropped i affiliates from their channel lineups.

i is the only broadcast network that has never filled its entire primetime schedule with originally produced programming and replaced series that have ended with newer programming, opting to air past series instead.

Also, i is the only broadcast television network never to air a sitcom produced for the network. However, the forthcoming network My Network TV, scheduled to debut in the Fall of 2006, may share this distinction because it has not yet announced plans to air any sitcoms.

Network troubles

In 2003, the predecessor Pax network scaled back its operations, presumably due to financial losses: it was originally offering five or six new series each season. That year the number of new series airing on Pax dwindled to just two: F.B.Eye and Doc, which were pulled in 2004 because Pax's international backer, CTV, pulled out of producing the shows. The organization seemingly recovered a year later when seven TV series made it to Pax's 2004–05 schedule.

In the Spring of 2005, it was reported that Pax intended to break its contract with NBC Universal, which eliminated all of their entertainment programming, and rely on infomercials, direct response advertising, and other paid programming to help increase cash flow. However, the network issued a press release on May 25, 2005, in which Paxson Communications chairman Lowell "Bud" Paxson was quoted as saying, "There have been several reports in the press that the Company is dropping or reducing entertainment programming. Those reports are totally incorrect. The Company will continue to offer the same or an increased amount of entertainment programming than it has in the past."

In November of 2005, NBC Universal was granted a transferrable option to purchase a controlling stake in Paxson Communications. If this option is exercised, NBC would acquire approximately 63 i affiliates. As part of the agreement, Lowell Paxson left the network (and its parent company).

According to a statement on its website, DirecTV has terminated its agreement with the i Network and will drop i as well as its local channels from the DBS service. DirecTV cited that "most of (i Network's) programming consists of infomercials and other promotional shows", despite an earlier promise by network executives that the network "would consist of general, family-oriented entertainment". To appease DirecTV officials, the network decided to junk some infomercials and shopping shows and replace them with old public-domain movies. The channels were expected to be removed from the service by February 28, 2006. However, in May 2006, it was announced that DirecTV and Ion Media had come to a new carriage agreement.

In early 2006, it was announced that i will lose several television station affiliates to competing networks. KPXX-TV in Memphis, Tennessee; KMTF in Helena, Montana; and KKRA-LP in Rapid City, South Dakota will switch to The CW and My Network TV, respectively. The blow comes after the previous loss of affiliates in New Mexico, New York, and Missouri. In April of 2006, it was reported i owes more than US $250,000,000 to creditors ^*.

The long-term future of i remains uncertain. NBC could still air rebroadcasts of some of its prime-time shows in order to maximize its minority stake; however, this has yet to happen. For example, the game shows Deal or No Deal and The Apprentice are re-aired on CNBC.

Smart Place For Kids

On May 8, 2006, ion Media Networks, NBC Universal, Corus Entertainment's Nelvana, Scholastic Books, and Classic Media and its Big Idea Productions unit announced plans to launch a new children's entertainment endeavor spread across all medium platforms, including video-on-demand on digital cable ^*. The new project, "Smart Place for Kids," will feature new and library programming from the partners, each one producing a new series a year.

The primary goal for "Smart Place" will be to "champion literacy and values in the children's television category" ^*. Smart Place will air weekdays on i and Saturday mornings on NBC beginning in September, Telemundo on Saturday beginning in October and Sunday mornings beginning in January 2007, and a 24-hour digital television network carried on one of i's digital channels beginning in September.

Warner Bros. and Sony Pictures Television Deal

On June 27, 2006, i's parent company announced a comprehensive programming deal with Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution, giving them broadcast rights to movies and programming owned by Warner. Under this deal, Warner movies (Superman, Superman II, Superman III, The Quest For Peace, Batman, Batman Returns, Batman Forever, Batman & Robin, A Space Odyssey (film), The Year We Make Contact, etc.) will be broadcast on i, as well as classic series produced or owned by Warner, including Welcome Back, Kotter, Chico and the Man, Full House, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, Mama's Family, Alice, Wonder Woman, The Wonder Years, Growing Pains, Perfect Strangers and The Wayans Bros.. ^*

On July 5, 2006, a week after the Warner deal was made, i announced a similar deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment, giving them broadcast rights to movies and programming owned by Sony. Under this deal, Sony movies (Short Circuit, A River Runs Through It, Oliver!, Bram Stoker's Dracula, Ghostbusters, Ghostbusters II, The Mask of Zorro, A Chorus Line, Godzilla, Krull, Sheena, etc.) will be broadcast on i, as well as classic series produced or owned by Sony, including Charlie's Angels, I Dream of Jeannie, Mork and Mindy, Starsky and Hutch, The Partridge Family, Fantasy Island, T.J. Hooker, The Big Valley, Gunsmoke, Bewitched, Taxi, Bonanza, The Monkees and Silver Spoons. ^*

External links

Official Site

i television network

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