Channel America (CA), officially Channel America Network, Inc., was the first

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

terrestrial

broadcast Broadcasting is the distribution of audio or video content to a dispersed audience via any electronic mass communications medium, but typically one using the electromagnetic spectrum (radio waves), in a one-to-many model. Broadcasting began wi ...

television network A television network or television broadcaster is a telecommunications network for distribution of television program content, where a central operation provides programming to many television stations or pay television providers. Until the mid ...

to be intentionally assembled out of

LPTV Low-power broadcasting is broadcasting by a broadcast station at a low transmitter power output to a smaller service area than "full power" stations within the same region. It is often distinguished from "micropower broadcasting" (more commonly ...

, or low-power television licensees. The network was founded by David Post in 1987 and launched in 1988. It offered a 24-hour feed of mostly inexpensive programming, delivered to its affiliate stations, many owned and originally established by the network, via

satellite A satellite or artificial satellite is an object intentionally placed into orbit in outer space. Except for passive satellites, most satellites have an electricity generation system for equipment on board, such as solar panels or radioiso ...

History

Channel America was founded in 1987 by David Post, who had hopes of creating a network with 1,000 low-power television stations. The network never reached its goal in terms of affiliates, but still launched in 1988.M. Bosko
On Ramp: Opportunities on Satellite
''Videomaker'', July 1995, accessed March 6, 2007 In 1990, Channel America moved to get more affiliated cable operators' local origination channel by rolling out a three-hour package of programming with interactive elements, Hometown USA, with American Television & Communications committing a best-of-local-origination series with the working title ''Off Broadway''. In late 1995, the network peaked with a reach of 44,000,000 households through 100 affiliates. On September 18, 1995, EVRO Entertainment of

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acquired a 51% interest in the Channel America Network, with the option to buy the remaining 49%.Form 8-K
''United States Securities and Exchange Commission'', September 18, 1995, accessed March 6, 2007 On July 1, 1996, the channel announced that they would air a preview of My Pet Television Network, a joint venture of Nightwing Entertainment Group, Inc. and The

Humane Society of the United States The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) is an American nonprofit organization that focuses on animal welfare and opposes animal-related cruelties of national scope. It uses strategies that are beyond the abilities of local organizations. ...

, on September 9. The network went off the air in 1996. In March 1997, its parent company and LDE Media Techniqs,

Morton Downey Jr. Sean Morton Downey Jr. (December 9, 1932 – March 12, 2001) was an American television talk show host and actor who pioneered the " trash TV" format in the late-1980s on his program '' The Morton Downey Jr. Show''. Early life Downey's parents ...

's company, agreed to merge. Downey planned to launch a news magazine called ''Boyz Night Out'' on the revived network.

Programs

In addition to its cable access programming mentioned above, among the other shows on Channel America was '' Hot Seat'', a

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sh ...

hosted by

Wally George Wally George (born George Walter Pearch; December 4, 1931 – October 5, 2003) was an American conservative radio and television commentator. Calling himself the "Father of Combat TV," he was a fixture on Southern California television for ...

which was produced by

KDOC-TV KDOC-TV (channel 56) is a religious television station licensed to Anaheim, California, United States, serving the Los Angeles area as an owned-and-operated station of Tri-State Christian Television (TCT). The station maintains studios on East F ...

Anaheim, California Anaheim ( ) is a city in northern Orange County, California, part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States Census, the city had a population of 346,824, making it the most populous city in Orange County, the 10th-most ...

. (Ironically, KDOC never joined the Channel America network). The network also aired several classic shows from

Columbia Pictures Television Columbia Pictures Television, Inc. (abbreviated as CPT) was launched on May 6, 1974, by Columbia Pictures as an American television production and distribution studio. It is the second name of the Columbia Pictures television division Screen Gem ...

, including ''

Hazel The hazel (''Corylus'') is a genus of deciduous trees and large shrubs native to the temperate Northern Hemisphere. The genus is usually placed in the birch family Betulaceae,Germplasmgobills Information Network''Corylus''Rushforth, K. (1999). ...

'', ''

Gidget Gidget () is a fictional character created by author Frederick Kohner (based on his teenaged daughter, Kathy) in his 1957 novel, ''Gidget, the Little Girl with Big Ideas''. The novel follows the adventures of a teenaged girl and her surfing fri ...

'', ''

The Flying Nun ''The Flying Nun'' is an American sitcom about a community of nuns which included one who could fly when the wind caught her cornette. It was produced by Screen Gems for ABC based on the 1965 book '' The Fifteenth Pelican,'' written by Tere ...

'', ''Family'', ''

Ghost Story A ghost story is any piece of fiction, or drama, that includes a ghost, or simply takes as a premise the possibility of ghosts or characters' belief in them."Ghost Stories" in Margaret Drabble (ed.), ''Oxford Companion to English Literature'' ...

'', ''

Bridget Loves Bernie ''Bridget Loves Bernie'' is an American sitcom created by Bernard Slade. Depicting an interfaith marriage between a Catholic woman and a Jewish man, ''Bridget Loves Bernie'' was based loosely on the premise of the 1920s Broadway play and 1940s ra ...

'', and '' The Fantastic Journey''.

Channel America Broadcasting

Channel America Broadcasting, Inc., formerly Moreno-Cripple Creek Corporation, Moreno Uranium Corporation, EnviroSearch Corp., to EVRO Financial Corp. and EVRO Corporation, was the owner of Channel America Network, Inc. and The Sports & Shopping Network Inc.

History

Moreno-Cripple Creek Corporation was organized February 5, 1946 and renamed Moreno Uranium Corporation on March 12, 1954 then to EnviroSearch Corp. on March 10, 1970. On May 24, 1974, 1 millions of the corporation's shares were sold to Cresson Consolidated, Inc. Cresson then liquidated itself passing the shares onto its stockholders with EnviroSearch becoming a full reporting company with the

Securities and Exchange Commission The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government, created in the aftermath of the Wall Street Crash of 1929. The primary purpose of the SEC is to enforce the law against market ...

on August 16, 1974. On September 17, 1986, the corporation changed its name to EVRO Financial Corp. then to EVRO Corporation on March 1, 1994. From 1946 to 1987, the corporation was in the oil and gas industry holding various general and limited partnership and stock investments in other oil and gas companies while also investing in land for resale. In 1987, EVRO sold most of its oil and gas properties, partnerships and real estate. EVRO acquired on February 15, 1990 all the stock of Treasure Rockhound Ranches, Inc. Under a reorganization plan, ENRO acquired Lintronics Technologies, Inc. in all-stock deal that gave 94% of the outstanding shares to Lintronic shareholders. EVRO agreed to purchase 60% of the shares of The Good Health Channel, Inc. for stock on February 22, 1994. Also that year, EVRO formed a wholly owned subsidiary, Tres Rivers, Inc. to purchase the assets of Three Rios, Ltd., consisting of a 46-acre recreational vehicle campground agreed to on July 15, 1994. Technology Holdings, Inc. (THI) was formed on January 20, 1995 whereupon EVRO transferred all its assets and liabilities to THI: Lintronics, Treasure Rockhound, Tres Rivers and EVRO Trading Corporation, and its holdings in Good Health into THI in exchange for all of the issued and outstanding stock of THI. THI was created to make way for the purchase of The Sports & Shopping Network Inc. With the ending of the health related business segment in March 1995, THI, EVRO and the President of EVRO Trading triggered a dispute between them. To settle the dispute, EVRO Trading President was given 55% ownership of EVRO Trading, while EVRO would continue to own 45% with no other obligation and a THI note for the EVRO Trading President's amount due secured by the 45% remaining EVRO interest in EVRO Trading. THI defaulted on the note April 3, 1995, giving the remaining ownership of EVRO Trading to its president. EVRO and The Stellar Companies Inc. agreed in January 1995 for EVRO to acquire The Sports & Shopping Network Inc. ("TSSN") from Stellar with Stellar shareholders receiving a controlling share of EVRO stock. EVRO agreed in April 1995 to purchase with stock the America's Collectibles Network Inc. and merge the network with the TSSN. The deal to purchase ACN fell through due to SEC reporting concerns. On September 18, 1995, EVRO of

acquired a 51% interest in the Channel America Network, with the option to buy the remaining 49%. In June 1996, EVRO indicated plans to move Channel America and its other television operations to Glendale Studios, Glendale. In October 1996, EVRO shareholders voted to changes its name to Channel America Broadcasting, Inc. and increase the number of common and preferred shares authorized. Following the shareholder's annual meeting, the Board of Directors voted to change CA to a home shopping format temporarily. The network went off the air in 1996 and the parent company was delisted from the

NASDAQ The Nasdaq Stock Market () (National Association of Securities Dealers Automated Quotations Stock Market) is an American stock exchange based in New York City. It is the most active stock trading venue in the US by volume, and ranked second ...

later that year due to "insufficient capital and surplus," with the share value dropping from a high of $2.50 to 7 cents. In March 1997, Channel America Broadcasting and LDE Media Techniqs,

's company, agreed to merge. Downey planned to launch a news magazine on the Channel called Boyz Night Out.

History

Programs

Channel America Broadcasting

History

References

See also