# UPN + WB = CW - Will we get it?



## Fezmid (Dec 6, 2001)

Hey all,
I did a search but didn't come up with anything - feel free to point me to a previous post if this has been discussed.

In the near future, UPN and WB are merging into the CW network. Has anyone heard confirmation that DirecTV is going to provide that new channel (and remove the other two)? I'm assuming it's a no-brainer, but I just want to make sure.

In addition, this should free up a lot of bandwidth on their sattelites, no?


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

In most cities where DirecTV provides local channels, they provide both network and independent channels. Just because UPN and WB are merging into one new network does not mean that the "left out" station is going away. So DirecTV will probably continue to provide both stations.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

This AVS Forum thread may be of interest.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=707477


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## rahlquist (Jul 13, 2004)

We have CW here in Atlanta, channel 60.


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## Fezmid (Dec 6, 2001)

After reading that AVS thread, I'm very confused... WB and UPN might not be going away?  

I live in MInneapolis, and according to Wikipedia, it's owned by Sinclair (not Tribune). I have no idea what that means for me though...


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

Why do think those stations are going away? It's simply that UPN and WB merged to form the new CW Network. So one station gets to become the CW Network affiliate, while the other stations becomes an independent station. There's no reason for DirecTV to drop either of those stations just because their network affiliation has changed.


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## Fezmid (Dec 6, 2001)

litzdog911 said:


> Why do think those stations are going away? It's simply that UPN and WB merged to form the new CW Network. So one station gets to become the CW Network affiliate, while the other stations becomes an independent station. There's no reason for DirecTV to drop either of those stations just because their network affiliation has changed.


Well, when I saw the commerical, it specifically said "UPN and WB are merging to form a new network, CW." When things merge, the original two things usually disappear, so that's why I thought it was going away...


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

And in many markets, the old station that was UPN may become a MyNetwork station.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Whatever they happen to name these channels, they still seem to have the same crappy programming. Is there anything on any of them worth watching?


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## litzdog911 (Oct 18, 2002)

Fezmid said:


> Well, when I saw the commerical, it specifically said "UPN and WB are merging to form a new network, CW." When things merge, the original two things usually disappear, so that's why I thought it was going away...


Ohhhh. But it's just the _Networks _ that merged, not the actual local TV stations.


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## Fezmid (Dec 6, 2001)

Arcady said:


> Whatever they happen to name these channels, they still seem to have the same crappy programming. Is there anything on any of them worth watching?


Veronica Mars and Smallville are both very good. Gilmore GIrls isn't bad either (although I probably wouldn't watch it if my wife didn't love it so much).

Other than those three, not really


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

Fezmid said:


> Well, when I saw the commerical, it specifically said "UPN and WB are merging to form a new network, CW." When things merge, the original two things usually disappear, so that's why I thought it was going away...


You're talking apples and oranges.

It's the two NETWORKS that are merging.

The local TV stations are remaining.

There's such a thing as national networks, and there's also the local channels that carry a network's programming locally.

They're not the same thing.

On rare occasion, a TV station may carry the programming of more than one network, or may even SWITCH network affiliations.

Local channels are just that. Local.

They also may hook up with a national network for a good hunk of their programming.

Networks are NATIONAL, and feed their programming to local stations all over the country.

As for the CW, in some places, the station that was the local UPN station will run CW programming.

In other places, the local WB affiliate will become a CW affiliate.

In markets that had both a UPN and a WB station, one of those channels is becoming an orphan, but that doesn't mean it's going off the air. The channel itself will still be there.

It just won't have a network any more.

Some may get hooked up to a new "mini network" that's forming to try and take up the slack.


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

Arcady said:


> Whatever they happen to name these channels, they still seem to have the same crappy programming. Is there anything on any of them worth watching?


Why do you own a TiVo?


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

For example. In my area, our cable only WB will become The CW and our UPN affiliate will become MyNetwork.


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## dconfer (Mar 23, 2005)

In my area we didn't have a UPN. Now I see they are advertising a MyNetwork. I wonder if D* will pick it up?


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

I would have to say we may see MyNetwork on DirecTV. I believe MyNetwork is a product of Fox. And Murdock has his fingers in Fox and DirecTV.  Let's hope. But, it would still have to be negotiated for carriage.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/My_Network_TV


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

As was explained above, they don't "pick up" MyNetwork. If one of your local channels is becoming a MyNetwork station, then you already get it. Unless a completely new station is starting up, then DTV doesn't have to add or change anything, except maybe the logo shown on your guide.

Here in Dallas, channel 27 is a MyNetwork station (and I get this via DTV) and channel 33 is the new CW station (which I also get via DTV). The old UPN station is channel 21, which has started transitioning from calling itself "UPN21" to "TXA21." The TiVo still shows the old WB and UPN logos on channels 33 and 21.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

What I didn't explain is that DirecTV doesn't yet have locals for our area. So I've never had WB or UPN from them in the first place. Therefore, I want MyNetwork and CW to become a DNS type of station.


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## Vito the TiVo (Oct 27, 2003)

Any word on when DirecTV is making the crossover? I'd hate to remake some of my passes just to have them killed by a name change.


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## dscott72 (Mar 30, 2006)

rahlquist said:


> We have CW here in Atlanta, channel 60.


I believe that you meant the old UPN station 69.

In most cases in the country either the old UPN or WB station is going to be the new CW Channel.


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## smithken31100 (Mar 5, 2003)

JimSpence said:


> For example. In my area, our cable only WB will become The CW and our UPN affiliate will become MyNetwork.


And in my area it will be just the opposite, the UPN station will become CW and the WB station will become MyNetwork.


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## phox_mulder (Feb 23, 2006)

Here it's:

WB = CW
UPN = independent low powered nothing, already dropped the UPN summer reruns in protest of the below:

MyNetwork picked another independant due to their market coverage and digital capability.


phox


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## doconeill (Dec 13, 2002)

IIRC, if you have a Tribune-owned station (typically WB, like WLVI Boston), that will become your CW station, and your UPN station is "left out" (although I guess most will become MyNetwork).

In all other cases, the UPN station will become the CW station.


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## mechtriton (Nov 27, 2004)

http://www.cwtv.com/cw-affiliates.html

click your state, get info.

Ours is on a CBS affiliate Digital Subchannel. Means I have to upgrade to HD now....Darn =)


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

BTW, this site now shows my area as being DMA 157.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_CW_affiliates


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## Magnolia88 (Jul 1, 2005)

Arcady said:


> Whatever they happen to name these channels, they still seem to have the same crappy programming. Is there anything on any of them worth watching?


_Veronica Mars_ and _Gilmore Girls_ are two of the best shows on network TV. Anyone who hasn't checked out those shows because of the network they were on is really missing out, and they will both be moving to the CW in the fall.

_Everybody Hates Chris_ is very funny and one of the best comedies on any network. _Supernatural_ and _Smallville_ are also pretty good.

I will probably be watching more shows on the CW this fall than on CBS and NBC combined. I can't think of any CBS shows that belong on any "best of TV" list and the CW has at least three. (Oh, wait. I like _The Amazing Race_. But other than that, all CBS shows seem to follow the same tired procedural formula.)



Fezmid said:


> Veronica Mars and Smallville are both very good. Gilmore GIrls isn't bad either (although I probably wouldn't watch it if my wife didn't love it so much).


I would reverse that a bit: VM and GG are both very good (VM is great, actually) and _Smallville_ "isn't bad." (Although I like _Supernatural_ better than _Smallville_.)


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

Magnolia88 said:


> _Veronica Mars_ and _Gilmore Girls_ are two of the best shows on network TV. Anyone who hasn't checked out those shows because of the network they were on is really missing out, and they will both be moving to the CW in the fall.
> 
> _Everybody Hates Chris_ is very funny and one of the best comedies on any network. _Supernatural_ and _Smallville_ are also pretty good.


I have watched all of those shows. I don't like any of them. I don't care what network a show is on - I just haven't found anything worthwhile on WB/UPN/CW. It's like Fox. Screaming announcers and bad shows.



> I will probably be watching more shows on the CW this fall than on CBS and NBC combined. I can't think of any CBS shows that belong on any "best of TV" list and the CW has at least three. (Oh, wait. I like _The Amazing Race_. But other than that, all CBS shows seem to follow the same tired procedural formula.)


I have been an _Amazing Race_ fan for a long time, but it seems to get more predictable each season. I don't know how much longer that can go on. (As long as they don't turn it into a 60 minute ad like that _Treasure Hunters_ joke, it might have a chance.) As for NBC, I have no use for it.


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## bad_religion1979 (Aug 27, 2006)

THIS JUST IN FROM DIRECTV:

Starting September 18, UPN and WB are shutting down and combining their best shows on new networks, CW (C for CBS and W for Warner Brothers) and MyNetworkTV (owned by News Corp.)! In some areas, MyNetworkTV stations will start airing on September 5. In addition to all the great shows, customers will continue to see local news, sports and syndicated shows on the same channels where they would normally view on UPN or WB. 

Synopsis:
Occasionally stations will switch affiliates, but this change is unique because it affects almost every market at one time. Even though these networks have fewer viewers than the big 4 (NBC, CBS, ABC & FOX), we have a history of customer calls related to WB and UPN programming. In most cities, WB station will become a CW affiliate and many of our former UPN station will become a MyNetworkTV affiliate. In our smaller markets where DIRECTV may not have the capacity to carry a new local CW or MyNetworkTV affiliate, DIRECTV is working to import feeds so customers will continue to get their programming. For example, in Charleston, SC, DIRECTV customers will see WB from Baltimore, MD. These changes will be pretty seamless to our customers. If we have situations where customers cant watch shows theyre used to watching, DIRECTV will have various communication tactics.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

But, what about customers that have yet to receive any local stations?


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## bad_religion1979 (Aug 27, 2006)

As of right now we don't offer the WB or UPN as DNS (Distant Network Service). I don't have any information that says the CW will be any different. It looks as though it will only be available in markets where we already offer local channels, just like any new channel that might be offered in a customer's area. Except this is nation wide.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

IMHO, this is just plain wrong. Why should customers in unserved areas suffer? We can get the national nets via DNS, yet not the new ones. Come on DirecTV - WAKE UP! You're doing the same thing with CW and MyNetwork as you did with WB and UPN.


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## bad_religion1979 (Aug 27, 2006)

JimSpence said:


> IMHO, this is just plain wrong. Why should customers in unserved areas suffer? We can get the national nets via DNS, yet not the new ones. Come on DirecTV - WAKE UP! You're doing the same thing with CW and MyNetwork as you did with WB and UPN.


Come on, think about it. It's just the same networks with new names. Why would they treat them any different?


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## Sabine (Aug 6, 2003)

Today, I was sniffing around for fall previews when I discovered that Channel 114 was labeled "CW".
Right now, it only displays the directv logo with snappy background music. But hopefully it will materialize into something more when the CW season begins later this month.

Fingers crossed!


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## scheckeNYK (Apr 28, 2004)

How about in HD? I get my HD locals for ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX right now, but no WB or UPN. Will CW HD be offered via DirecTV or will I need an OTA antenna for this one channel? I was really looking forward to seeing Smallville in HD. no commentary on my show selection, thank you.


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## Arcady (Oct 14, 2004)

How about an OTA antenna for all your locals (if you can get them.) The quality is way better than the compressed junk that D* expels.

And no, I don't think D* is sending CW in HD via sat.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

bad_religion1979 said:


> Come on, think about it. It's just the same networks with new names. Why would they treat them any different?


This is true. Just my rant mode getting ramped up again.


Arcady said:


> How about an OTA antenna for all your locals (if you can get them.) The quality is way better than the compressed junk that D* expels.
> 
> And no, I don't think D* is sending CW in HD via sat.


I can get my locals via OTA. But, CW isn't available just as WB was cable only. If CW does go terrestrial, it will probably be on a subchannel of our CBS affiliate.

And MyNetwork looks like a loser for me.


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## LADYBUGBLUE2002 (Sep 7, 2003)

I lost my WB channel and the "new" CW did not replace it. Did this happen for anyone else?


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

bad_religion1979 said:


> THIS JUST IN FROM DIRECTV:
> 
> Starting September 18, UPN and WB are shutting down and combining their best shows on new networks, CW (C for CBS and W for Warner Brothers) and MyNetworkTV (owned by News Corp.)!...


So much for accuracy.

The "My Network" thing has NOTHING to do with Warner or CBS/Paramount.

It's "The CW" that's the blending of UPN and The WB. None of the UPN/WB programming is moving to "My Network". It's all staying where it is. It's just that now the two are becoming one.



bad_religion1979 said:


> Synopsis:
> Occasionally stations will switch affiliates...


Local stations ARE affiliates. They may switch network _affiliations_, but not affiliates. (It'd be hard for them to switch themselves.)



bad_religion1979 said:


> In our smaller markets where DIRECTV may not have the capacity to carry a new local CW or MyNetworkTV affiliate, DIRECTV is working to import feeds so customers will continue to get their programming. For example, in Charleston, SC, DIRECTV customers will see WB from Baltimore, MD...


Which will be quite a trick, since The WB and UPN both go out of existence as The CW starts up.

Did ANY of this actually come from DIRECTV? WHO do they have doing their public relations? Someone's relations?


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

bad_religion1979 said:


> As of right now we don't offer the WB or UPN as DNS (Distant Network Service). I don't have any information that says the CW will be any different. It looks as though it will only be available in markets where we already offer local channels, just like any new channel that might be offered in a customer's area. Except this is nation wide.


The CW isn't a new channel.

It's a new NETWORK, being seen on already existing channels, in most cases. _(Except for the horror show started by some real genius who decided to dump both the WB and UPN affiliates in certain markets, and run The CW on digital sub-channels of CBS stations...leaving most people without a way to see the new network.)_


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

bad_religion1979 said:


> Come on, think about it. It's just the same networks with new names. Why would they treat them any different?


They're NOT the same networks with new names.

The WB and UPN combined to form the CW.

"My Networks" is something entirely new, not connected to Warner or CBS/Paramount at all. (In fact, I believe it's actually connected to FOX.)


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

LADYBUGBLUE2002 said:


> I lost my WB channel and the "new" CW did not replace it. Did this happen for anyone else?


Do you mean you lost it OverTheAir, or you no longer get it on your DIRECTV box?

What channel was it on?

Was it a local affiliate?

From your own area, or elsewhere?

Call letters? OverTheAir channel number?

The CW isn't appearing on all former WB stations. Some of the WBs have become "orphans" because the UPN station in their area got the CW affiliation.

Is it possible you got an "imported" WB channel from somewhere else, and now that it's not a network affiliate, DIRECTV let it go?

Have you contacted DIRECT and asked about getting a CW station to replace the now missing WB one?


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## johnnny732 (Nov 16, 2005)

scheckeNYK said:


> How about in HD? I get my HD locals for ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX right now, but no WB or UPN. Will CW HD be offered via DirecTV or will I need an OTA antenna for this one channel? I was really looking forward to seeing Smallville in HD. no commentary on my show selection, thank you.


I called Direct TV today about this. I am new to the HD TV thing and I told them it seems that I am getting everything I should be in HD besides the WB/CW. The lady on the phone asked me if I had a (Five) LNB dish and I said no, A three. She told me that't the reason, she said I need a five LNB dish in order to get channel eleven in HD. So, she put me on the phone with installation and they are coming out next week. But something tells me she's not rite because I went into the settings of my HR-10 250 and there is no setting for a five LNB dish. A three LNB dish is as high as it goes. Did I get bad info??? Can someone chime in here??? Is there anyway to get channel eleven (DB/CW in HD without getting an OTA??? Thanks In Advance, Johnnny


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## LADYBUGBLUE2002 (Sep 7, 2003)

gastrof said:


> Do you mean you lost it OverTheAir, or you no longer get it on your DIRECTV box?
> 
> What channel was it on?
> 
> ...


I had the WB on channel 14 here, on my directv box. It was a local affliate Monterey/Salinas. On channel 14 the only thing they say is "The WB and UPN Networks have merged to form the CW Network. We apologize but we can no longer offer the channel."

However, on the CW site they indicate the start date sometime today. My question is if this has happened in other areas and if there is a way to find out if it will be offered in the next few days? I tried calling Directv and got hung up on five times so I gave up.


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## phox_mulder (Feb 23, 2006)

johnnny732 said:


> She told me that't the reason, she said I need a five LNB dish in order to get channel eleven in HD. So, she put me on the phone with installation and they are coming out next week. But something tells me she's not rite because I went into the settings of my HR-10 250 and there is no setting for a five LNB dish. A three LNB dish is as high as it goes. Did I get bad info???


A 5 LNB dish will not benefit the HR10-250 in any way, shape or form.

It can not recieve anything from the extra satellites the 5 LNB dish sees, as they are MPEG4 and the HR10-250 doesn't have an MPEG4 decoder.
DirecTV's new non-TiVo HD DVR can see/record signals from those satellites.

Unless you can get your CW's digital signal OTA, you won't be able to see/record it in HD.

That is, if the woman was correct in saying "channel 11" comes in from the new satellites.

phox


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## johnnny732 (Nov 16, 2005)

phox_mulder said:


> A 5 LNB dish will not benefit the HR10-250 in any way, shape or form.
> 
> It can not recieve anything from the extra satellites the 5 LNB dish sees, as they are MPEG4 and the HR10-250 doesn't have an MPEG4 decoder.
> DirecTV's new non-TiVo HD DVR can see/record signals from those satellites.
> ...


Thanks for clearing things up.......Johnnny


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## hyde76 (Jan 7, 2003)

In Los Angeles, the WB, channel 5 is now the CW and UPN 13 is now the My Network channel.


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

LADYBUGBLUE2002 said:


> I had the WB on channel 14 here, on my directv box. It was a local affliate Monterey/Salinas.


No, actually it was the WB out of San Diego - D* just remapped it to ch. 14 in YOUR market, so you _thought_ it was a local channel. (they did this in most markets that they were giving either the Miami or San Diego WB to, since those same markets did NOT have one of their own)

Unfortunately, you're one of the markets that doesn't have CW, since D* DIDN'T sign an agreement to get it imported from outside your market, after the WB died.

http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=317354


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## gamo62 (Oct 12, 2002)

dishrich said:
 

> No, actually it was the WB out of San Diego - D* just remapped it to ch. 14 in YOUR market, so you _thought_ it was a local channel. (they did this in most markets that they were giving either the Miami or San Diego WB to, since those same markets did NOT have one of their own)
> 
> Unfortunately, you're one of the markets that doesn't have CW, since D* DIDN'T sign an agreement to get it imported from outside your market, after the WB died.
> 
> http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=317354


If anyone as the new logos for My Network and CW for DirecTivo, please PM me. Thanks.


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## LADYBUGBLUE2002 (Sep 7, 2003)

As an update...The CW is now offered as a local affiliate in the Monterey area and is now called The CW Central coast.

http://yourcwtv.com/partners/monterey/

Now the experts here can maybe explain why Directv would not be offering the channel if a local affliate is available? I asked someone at Directv and they indicated that they didn't know why.

Is there a reason this shouldn't be offered in this area?


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## rlj5242 (Dec 20, 2000)

Most of the time it involves carrier re-transmission agreements ($$$$). Once the legal departments sort everything out, it will be carried. My local CW has been carried since the change-over.

-Robert


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## trainman (Jan 29, 2001)

LADYBUGBLUE2002 said:


> Now the experts here can maybe explain why Directv would not be offering the channel if a local affliate is available? I asked someone at Directv and they indicated that they didn't know why.


Besides what rlj5242 said, here's another possible answer: it may be merely a channel that's being provided by the local cable systems, not an actual over-the-air television station, which usually means that it's not available to DirecTV to carry.


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## dishrich (Jan 16, 2002)

LADYBUGBLUE2002 said:


> Now the experts here can maybe explain why Directv would not be offering the channel if a local affliate is available?


Actually, you ARE getting YOUR "local affiliate" of the CW - it's just NOT an analog one as you would normally know it, as are your other locals of networks that you are accustomed to seeing... 

http://www.kion46.com/entertainment/listings/default.aspx

If you look at the above link from your local CBS affiliate 46, they are broadcasting CW programming on a subchannel of your local CBS's digital signal - also know as ch. 46.2. (or KIONDT2) However, the ONLY people that can see this channel from the off-air signal, are ones that have digital TV tuners. (read HD sets &/or tuners) Many smaller markets have this same kind of arrangment - they do the same thing with a local ABC affiliate in Peoria IL - & up in Rockford IL, one of their HD local affiliates broadcasts the CW on a subchannel, while another HD local affiliate broadcasts MYTV on one of their subchannels. The bottom line is - ANYONE in your area can get this channel for free OTA - as long as you have a digital tuner. And many cable systems carry these same subchannels from the digital signal, & in most cases just downconvert them to an analog cable channel, so that ANY basic cable sub can pick the channel up w/out a cable box. (but not in ALL cases) I'm quite sure if you compared the CW channel being carried on your local cable system with this one your getting now on D*, you would see they are one & the same.

Evidently, D* & your local CBS affiliate came to an agreement to carry YOUR true "local" CW channel, as opposed to D* "importing" the CW from San Diego.


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## JimSpence (Sep 19, 2001)

The CW for me is not a problem any longer and I couldn't care less if DirecTV ever offers it. Any show on The CW that interests me I just BitTorrent it. When our CBS affiliate finally gets their OTA HD programming up and running they will be offering The CW on a subchannel. No HD for that.


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