# And Then There Were Five: UPN, WB to Merge **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 24, 2006, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411 "2006-01-24T17:08:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Governor\_Quinn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@Governor\_Quinn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Governor_Quinn)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/41 "2006-01-26T17:35:27Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > You mean “six”. ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CW, and [the I](http://www.ionline.tv/) (formerly known as PAX). True, but the i, as far as I can tell, does nothing other than rerun programming previously either made for or aired by PAX, and only the demands of NBC (a major shareholder) prevent it from going to an all-infomercial lineup. In short, I regard it as an already-dead network. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/42 "2006-01-27T02:25:34Z")
> [@Governor Quinn](#): > > True, but the i, as far as I can tell, does nothing other than rerun programming previously either made for or aired by PAX, and only the demands of NBC (a major shareholder) prevent it from going to an all-infomercial lineup. In short, I regard it as an already-dead network. Hmm…I wasn’t aware of all the infomercials. That would explain the “I”. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![anyrose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/54ee81/32.png) [@anyrose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anyrose)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/43 "2006-01-27T14:11:02Z")
see, and I tho9ught PAX was the Christian Right’s favorite network, with all manner of family friendly and veiled religious messages ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/44 "2006-01-27T14:35:09Z")
> [@Lute Skywatcher](#): > > You mean “six”. ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, CW, and [the I](http://www.ionline.tv/) (formerly known as PAX). Make it seven: why does everyone forget PBS? Does not having commercials somehow make it only a pretend television network? ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/45 "2006-01-27T14:46:21Z")
CW will be a combination of the “best shows” from both stations (take that for what it’s worth), and it is not a cable station. WB simply goes ba-bye. Will keep you all posted as events unfold (those that aren’t top secret, that is). Wookinpanub- your friendly UPN drone ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2006, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/46 "2006-01-27T16:31:05Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > CW will be a combination of the “best shows” from both stations (take that for what it’s worth), and it is not a cable station. WB simply goes ba-bye. Will keep you all posted as events unfold (those that aren’t top secret, that is). > > Wookinpanub- > your friendly UPN drone Except in the La Crosse market, where the UPN station is going independant, and the the WB station (run by the ABC affiliate) is cable only. So CW will be cable only at least initially. > [@LaCrosse Tribune](#): > > Chuck Roth, WXOW-TV vice president and general manager, predicted The CW network will be carried on cable TV systems. He had no prediction whether it eventually will be broadcast over the air in this area. Does UPN have any plans to deal with current stations going independant? **kunilou** is yours going independant soon, or in the fall? Mine is going indie tomorrow. Any plans on making VM downloadable (iTunes or otherwise)? because that may be my only way to see them Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/47 "2006-01-30T22:21:31Z")
The reason the local UPN station went independant is that the local CBS station asked UPN HQ to be an affiliate. No word if they plan on broadcasting UPN. titantv has it (UPN) listed as channel 8.2, but as far as I know they aren’t broadcasting digitally yet. Brian ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2006, 11:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411/48 "2006-01-30T23:10:35Z")
(sorry about 3 posts in a row) > **[Local stations to compete for CW](https://lacrossetribune.com/news/local-stations-to-compete-for-cw/article_0b5326c6-5c9a-5f06-8f04-3f5914934aa3.html)** > > WKBT-TV in La Crosse on Monday will launch a new station, UPN La Crosse/Eau Claire. Brian [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/and-then-there-were-five-upn-wb-to-merge/341411.md?page=2)