WB, UPN to collapse into new joint network

UPN and The WB, two small U.S. TV networks known for their youth-oriented programming, will shut down later this year to form a new network, executives said Tuesday.

The announcement was made in New York by CBS Corp., which owns UPN, and Warner Bros., which owns The WB.

The brand new network, called The CW, will launch in September as a 50-50 partnership between Warner Bros. and CBS, with executives from the two former companiesrunning the fledgling operation, officials said.

Despite having youth-oriented hits like Smallville and Gilmore Girls on The WB and Everybody Hates Chris and Veronica Mars on UPN, both have struggled with their finances andin theratings against much larger rivals such as ABC, Fox and CBS.

The goal of the new venture is to consolidate the hits from both networks into one larger competitor that targets young, diverse audiences, CBS chief Les Moonves said Tuesday.

The CW will follow the current scheduling model used by The WB, which focusses on approximately 30 hours of programming a week, including a weeknight primetime block, weekend evenings, a weekday after-school block and a five-hour Saturday morning animation block.

The new network will be carried by stations across the country and is expected to reach 95 per cent of the U.S.