The Downfall of UPN - and Viacom

[@TheMisterManGuy]

UPN's situation of Malcolm in the Middle and American Idol going to Fox reminds me of Nickelodeon with Ed Edd n Eddy and Adventure Time. After being pitched both shows, Nick turned them down, allowing Cartoon Network to swoop in and turn them into ratings gold. Seems like Viacom has a history of its networks being really bad at determining whether the show would be a hit or not.

[@connro]

At least they landed Spongebob. And, by God, they're not letting it go.

[@RalphJr-xp3hp]

Nickelodeon also turned down an opportunity to green litting The Proud Family which led both Bruce W. Smith and Ralph Farquhar to pitch the show to The Disney Channel instead. And the rest was history. You win some and you lose some. 😌🤷🏾‍♂️

[@Barber747]

@@RalphJr-xp3hp that's interesting...never knew the Proud Family was originally supposed to be on Nickelodeon. I never was a fan of it since I didn't really care for the Disney channel all that much (especially by the time I was in high school), but had it aired on Cartoon Network instead of Disney, I probably would have watched it. Of course at the time, I was heavily into UPN, in which the actress Kyla Pratt was a star in one of them as well as the voice of the main character in The Proud Family. 😄😂🤣

[@TBONE_2004]

So much for "Content is King"... RIP Viacom 1971-2022 May the V of Steel shine on...

[@Tiajones333]

@@connro ok

[@jnyerere]

Side Note: Let's not forget that Fox also gained immense popularity from it's black shows and audiences (in the early 90s) and as soon as it was profitable, it scrapped all its shows geared towards that audience. UPN might have been a mainstream failure, but it never forgot the core audience that sustained it and even throughout its rocky existence, never abandoned that audience. For that, the network will always have my respect.

[@electrictroy2010]

UPN didn’t really disappear. It merged with WB and they both renamed themselves as “The CW”. They kept the most popular shows from both channels .

[@SigmaRho2922]

@@electrictroy2010 MyNetworkTV was one of two replacements for UPN, with the other being the cw itself. MyNetworkTV only replaced UPN on UPN stations that were owned by Fox.

[@Tiajones333]

@@SigmaRho2922 ok

[@LutherVandals]

A tale as old as time...

[@maineventmafia1633]

@pmcjay5397and that was only cause even the white people loved everybody hates Chris

[@TheInstantClassic86]

It’s 2019. We still want a “WB” network episode.

[@LiLTailormade]

The Chosen One AMEN!! Where is it!??

[@LiamP-597]

@@20062bMinnieSmooth I'm sorry but it's not the same.

[@galarthenry1450]

It 2020 we still want a WB network episode

[@galarthenry1450]

It 2021 we still want a WB network episode

[@matheusurbano7648]

It's 2021, I want a "WB" episode

[@niklasfeldhoff2813]

It‘s 2024. We still want a „WB“ network episode.

[@wolfheartdarnell324]

Yes

[@Red-Wolf-Ben]

It may be only a footnote for some, but UPN was a HUGE part of my childhood. From the Disney Afternoon shows, to VR Troopers, to Jumanji: the Animated Series, and more... tons and tons of great memories!

[@Barber747]

Hey, had it not been for the UPN Network we would have never seen the great black sitcom classics it yielded such as Moesha, the Parkers, Girlfriends, etc., some of which have continually graced various syndication markets to this day. Hell, I miss UPN so much I even named one of my playlists after it!!! For the record it currently contains around 250 songs, most of which are R&B, rap, and hip-hop, with a small number of pop and rock songs sprinkled in-between.

[@JRTVFan]

Barber747: Most of those Black comedy shows are (as of 01 Aug 2020) now on Netflix.

[@Barber747]

@@JRTVFan yeah, I already heard just a few days ago.

[@Blaze_ooz]

One on One is also a classic

[@devares2006]

A few things I thought should've happened that could've kept UPN alive: 1. Put UPN under the Viacom umbrella. 2. Listened to Simon Cowell as far as American Idol went, and, instead of saying "We'll get back to you", they should've said "Let's see how well Pop Idol does. If it does well, We'll talk then". 3. Picked up Malcolm In the Middle. They really dropped the ball when they passed on it. 4. Buying Criss-Cross United. That would've gave them more leverage due to them adding more O&O's to their portfolios. 5. Pass on stupid shows like Chains of Love and Manhunt. 6. Put Jake 2.0 on the same night as Star Trek Voyager. That alone would've gave it it's audience and, potentially, be STV's replacement as the "it" sci-fi show on the network. Would it have put it at the level of Fox? Maybe. Maybe not. But it would've had longevity.

[@jwilliams7554]

DeVares Moore I heard they also turned down 24 as well

[@razormc954]

Also, remember at the time, NASCAR racing was also a ratings juggernaut, so going after the TV rights when they were avaiilable would have been smart as well, remember live sports played a huge role in the rise of Fox into what it is today

[@jwilliams7554]

It’s also too bad the XFL bombed

[@robtheoutsider]

Voyager ended before Jake 2.0 even existed. Maybe before Enterprise

[@20062bMinnieSmooth]

He meant Enterprise

[@NRFEPH]

But in August 2022, Nexstar Media Group acquired 75% majority stake in The CW Television Network, while both Warner Bros. Discovery (through Warner Bros. Entertainment) and Paramount Global (through CBS Entertainment Group) retained 12% minority stake in the network. Nexstar's acquisition of CW's majority ownership is officially closed on October 3, 2022.

[@Azve99]

On an unrelated but related note, Sumner Redstone predicted the future of VOD services (at the time,cable. now, streaming).

[@Dave102693]

Yup

[@Chelaxim]

UPN is the epitome of if you try to please everyone you'll please no one.

[@JonEVodunakaBroXVII]

....damn

[@AceMcSch00ly]

They were the black TV station of the 90s, endless amounts of black sitcoms lol

[@shawn4realsmith]

UPN was my favorite network and I wish it was on TV today.

[@claudiacolin851]

The Opinion Show with Shawn Smith salut

[@1thetvzone]

It all about $$$

[@judea8434]

Most of their shows are on Bounce

[@jnyerere]

I agree. For me, UPN was the best network tv station for us growing up in that era. We didn't have cable but UPN was at least willing to reach audiences that had all but been abandoned.

[@Barber747]

@@judea8434 TV One and BET/BETher as well

[@jnyerere]

The mainstream critics will never understand. For young black kids who didn't have cable in the home, UPN was THE legend among network tv. I found 90% of network tv to be utterly boring and depressing, and that includes the WB. But for a significant part of the 90s and early 2000s, UPN made us feel as if we had a form of legitimate entertainment outside of Cable Television. I give these same props for the legendary PBS-WGBH partnership as it pertains to children's television.

[@Dave102693]

Facts

[@conradojavier7547]

Why chase for a White Audience, when you have a Black Audience right there?

[@LutherVandals]

Couldn't agree more!!

[@DorvellTStewart]

Well considering most mainstream critics are older white guys, what can we expect?

[@thetripb3126]

Fitting that the last word uttered on the UPN airways was "ass".

[@AnErrorOccurred]

Isn’t it just neat that the FCC had all these rules in place about ownership for so many years and decades… That is, until the rules actually became relevant and needed to be enforced, then they just got rolled back??? What a grand system we have in America…

[@AnErrorOccurred]

All this just goes to show that the rules were made for people like this. Not to be bent

[@Omega21487]

That RIP UPN at the end stung a bit. UPN for better or worse was my childhood growing up. I was an avid Star Trek fan, and like most teenage adolescent boys I enjoyed wrestling as well. I loved Seven Days, short lived as it was and Jack Of All Trades with Bruce Campbell too. Hell I even remember Homeboys In Outer Space lol. It was dead for several years before it was actually gone, but it still gave us good times.

[@Musicradio77Network]

Another interesting story about this was about UPN and the company known as the “V of Doom”.

[@Barber747]

I'm right on the same page as you dude! I used to watch UPN's Monday night comedy lineup almost faithfully all throughout most of middle school and high school!!!

[@Omega21487]

@@Barber747 Heck yeah friend, it was just a different time then. Not in an out of touch boomer kind of mentality, just a great deal of nostalgia. Like visiting a video store. I sure as hell love the instant gratification and selection of streaming, but I do miss the experience even so. UPN is another of those.

[@electrictroy2010]

I thought WB was better with Buffy, Angel, Charmed, etc. UPN only had voyager that I liked

[@coreybabcock2023]

I know right I grew up watching upn

[@TheShadowsega75Terryman]

I miss UPN and WB. My Network TV sucks ass with nothing but Repeats of shows I already seen on USA and AMC to death,courtroom shows and boring talk shows.

[@matthewcampbell7985]

In Dallas CBS merge viacom ktxa tv channel 21 moved is 301 n market St Dallas to the house of CBS 11 5233 bridge St fort Worth.

[@joshuaperez1999]

UPN was my 2000s Childhood. WWE Smackdown etc.

[@mightygod8295]

Joshua Perez Hell yeah

[@ritchienavarro156]

Me 2.

[@SSJ491]

Yep.

[@KadeemG61]

Star Trek Voyager was my favorite. Enterprise kinda sucked.

[@peterfinnfilms]

Wow. This was a really comprehensive look back at UPN, and it was very entertaining! I've been kind of fascinated by the goings-on surrounding the WB and UPN for a while, so thank you for going into it all in such detail.

[@connro]

Glad that at least one person found it interesting.

[@dennislema4738]

Connor Higgins I also found this interesting. And now please do The WB. Thanks 🙏🙏🙂🙂

[@electrictroy2010]

UPN & WB didn’t really disappear. They merged and renamed themselves “The CW”. They kept the most popular shows from both channels .

[@crnkmnky]

​@@electrictroy2010 Yeah, we saw the video. They're gone.

[@chadleabo]

It was a pretty crazy run. I worked as promotions manager in KC at a station that launched as The WB, then flipped to UPN, then to The CW. I got pretty good at rebranding. lol.

[@JRTVFan]

Chad Leabo: You need to know about the Southwest Florida TV market with regards to UPN and The WB. It was all kinds of crazy. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WEVU-LP en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNFM_(TV) I contributed most of the information to these pages because I experienced it first-hand.

[@WSK9002]

That is crazy, lol.

[@AWorldofKayos]

2020 and we still want the WB episode

[@misterfaiz9678]

I think he either die or give up on it after something happen to him in his life, I hope he doing well

[@Barber747]

@@misterfaiz9678 no he just edited one of his comments just a few days ago so he's definitely most likely still alive

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

The CW is the "Tuvix" of broadcast networks, if you get my Star Trek reference. Neelix is The WB's half, and Tuvok is UPN's half...

[@xoxjessicaleigh3990]

As someone watching this in January 2022 after the news of the CW being up for sale, listening to Valentine talk at the end is very sobering. Its shocking to see firsthand how fast times change. Stations like UPN were struggling to survive due to the rise of cable networks back then but now we see the rise of streaming platforms starting to push cable and local broadcast stations out of the picture all together. This is a fantastic video btw! I never thought this was a rabbit hole I’d be going down, but this video was fascinating and did a great job of explaining some serious business stuff that I never thought I could understand 😂

[@andrejg4136]

UPN was something that in my teen and early adult years I just kinda dismissed, but as I think about some of the shows shown over these videos, there was certainly something there. But the moment was just too late to launch a new network, and too early to be some kind of niche streaming service (15 years too early but who is counting).

[@electrictroy2010]

UPN didn’t really disappear. It merged with WB and they both renamed themselves as “The CW”. They kept the most popular shows from both channels .

[@j.t.7671]

​@electrictroy2010 it was not UPN though; it was The CW and it was very different for those of us who loved UPN.

[@savagedarksider5934]

UPN may be A footnote in history; but I'll never forget it.

[@krisstarring]

The failure for UPN to pick up "Malcolm In The Middle" and "American Idol" is amazing to me. "American Idol" was the TV show that actually brought FOX to the #1 status over the traditional "Big 3" networks for the first time. Could you imagine what UPN could have done with those numbers? So much unrealized potential.

[@RatzaChewy]

The Mel Karmazin interview at 5:42 is completely odious. 'Who cares about a variety of programming and viewpoints on Network TV? Who cares how disruptive it is for employees? Shareholders will love it!'

[@ladyruler9585]

I loved UPN as a kid. From Moesha, The Parkers, WWF Smackdown, movies on Friday night and the movies they used to play all day on Saturdays.

[@TuscanWonder]

Exactly, it was the network that fostered my horror movie addiction

[@Maverick401]

The WB/UPN 1995: Rivals 2006: Merged

[@TracyGJacksonTV]

XC-WB Networks Inc. I agree The WB was 64% owned by Warner Bros Entertainment, 25% of it was owned by Tribune Broadcasting and 11% of it was owned by Jamie Kellner who was the creator of FOX Broadcasting. UPN was 50% owned by Chris Craft Industries/United Television The other 50% was Paramount Pictures/Viacom until 2000 when Chris Craft sold its 50% of UPN to Viacom and during the last year of operation CBS Corporation took ownership of it, which is why CBS owns 50% of The CW and Warner Bros Entertainment owns 50% of the CW

[@rudyiraheta80]

where did the other 4% went on the wb

[@TracyGJacksonTV]

Rudy Iraheta Don’t start that shit

[@windowsme2327]

@@TracyGJacksonTV yeah

[@TracyGJacksonTV]

Windows Me I was telling Rudy not to start that shit or he will be blocked and banned

[@snowman8199]

UPN will not be forggoten, the network was so unique in its style and presentation.

[@theletterw3875]

When the generation who watched it dies off, it will indeed be forgotten.

[@snowman8199]

@@theletterw3875 maybe some poor historian will keep it alive.

[@mattblack9720]

@@theletterw3875 that was dark 🫤😀

[@theletterw3875]

@@mattblack9720 darker than wishing failed networks live on in the culture of humanity for all time? Wishing we would never be able to forget UPN is way darker.

[@snowman8199]

@@theletterw3875 if people have to remember E! Or Fuse, I think they'll better off remembering UPN, don't you think?

[@SilentSpades]

What's crazy is now The CW is fixing to pick up sports. It has ACC Football and Basketball (College), NASCAR Racing, Golf (kinda), other sports anthology programs and will have a weekly NFL show. The CW is doing just fine.

[@johnnyballenatl]

That weekly NFL show is Inside The NFL, which had long been a staple on HBO, Showtime, and Paramount+ since (believe it or not) *1977* and it’s finally on free TV!

[@stephenholloway6893]

Sure, but both Paramount Global and Warner Bros Discovery had to sell the majority of the CW along the way.

[@SilentSpades]

@@stephenholloway6893 which makes it even more crazy honestly.

[@stevensalais9656]

Booker t: I’m gon get you man UPN: I gon fade to black

[@Staggervore]

I’d like to see another edition of this video but this time about The WB network I know it was mentioned a few times in this video but I think there is more ground to cover with that network especially regarding its affiliates and Kids WB

[@connro]

Noted. I'll do some research on the WB and we'll see where we end up.

[@d0ug0005]

Yeah I'd love to see that as well

[@thenewctc]

You got this Connor..lookin forward to it!

[@green49285]

@@connro gonna do that WB vid?

[@lamontyaboy718]

I'd like that too but it's story is similar to upn and a lot of the highlights of that network's history were already covered in this series of videos. Still it might be nice to see him go into even more detail about the WB anyway.

[@MLGProSwag69]

The CW now has started to branch into live sports, LIV Golf, ACC College Football & just a day ago they got the rights to the NASCAR Xfinity Series

[@DasNordlicht91]

They also got rid almost all of their original first-run programming, including all but one of their DC superhero shows. This new CW will instead opt to air imported programming from Canada and Australia to fill their programming.

[@geordi5054]

Viacom and CBS ended up re-merging after all, and Redstone passed away.

[@adamdobrowolski2510]

Saw this retrospective 5 years later, but just some personal thoughts: UPN is NOT a headstone lost among a sea of graves, for me at least. I probably watched this network (and WB, for that matter) as much as the rest. It began with the Voyager debut, which distinctly remember. It was MLK Day 1995. I was 6. The Cowboys had just lost to the 49ers the day before to end hopes of a three-peat. And I had a nasty stomach virus. My parents -- in particular my dad -- tuned in as Star Trek fans as they took care of me. And you know what? The last moments of UPN are actually great as well. Two all-time Black wrestling legends like Booker and Lashley, with Book's wife Sharmell? Fond times for me, given my wrestling fandom goes way back, with arguably one of the best TV runs in the industry being led the Smackdown Six in 2002. The culprits for UPN's demise are mostly spot-on explained IMO, and this is what happens when corporatism overweighs creativity. But UPN was never the punchline in my eyes. With Trekkie parents and many Black friends, peers and educators, UPN always resonated in some way. Not to mention, I've been an underdog for most of my life, so both The WB and UPN still have my love as 5th/6th ranked networks during a time when cable TV was winning over a massive share of eyes. Personally, The CW marked the end for both in my eyes, despite the spiritual merge. The WB that I loved -- Saturday mornings as a pre-teen especially -- was gone. And the UPN that I loved -- one that almost always had the back of many of my friends when the networks passed on their viewing interests -- was gone too. This coincided with my move to college, so gone went all of my network TV watching, save for live sports. UPN was a real one. And I'll remember it better than any lost endeavor in cable TV.

[@mjwatts1983]

I was slightly older than you at the age of 11 3 turnovers leading to 21 points in the first 6 minutes, you don’t win too many football games when that happens The Cowboys did win the next Super Bowl… and there was quite a bit of luck 1)Week 17, ATL beating SF allowing for DAL to clinch NFC-1 in AZ 2)NFC Divisional, GB going to SF & upsetting the defending champs 3)A Brett Favre interception in the latter part of the NFC Champ 4)Neil O’Donnell Cowboys back on top…. thought they would stay there… But the Devil came to collect on Jerry’s wish for any coach who could lead the team and do what Jimmy achieved Free agency & the salary cap Sub par draft classes Passing on Randy Moss Injuries, the big one being Jay Novacek & his back. Moose’s career ended due to neck issues. Irvin at The Vet. The whole 2000 season Emmitt Smith having a massive drop off. He never matched the same numbers he had after the 1995 season And the off field issues… Michael Irvin getting busted for drugs in an Irving hotel for his 30th birthday leading to being suspended the first 5 games of 1996. And that incident in training camp in Wichita Falls Since then the Divisional Round remains the Cowboys brick wall

[@adamdobrowolski2510]

@@mjwatts1983 Those two gimme picks to Larry Brown -- thrown by a QB who at the time of his retirement had the lowest INT% in NFL history -- was the living images of Jerry's deal with the Devil. And indeed, we are paying the price for that glory. 🙃🙃

[@DuckAvenger]

I know this video is years old but I loved it made me think of how special upn was to me. I didn't have cable so when it wasn't summer time my mom taped wrestling but I could see smackdown. Upn had the first star trek show I chose to watch and I still have big nostalgia for it upn was where I first saw Pokemon at 6 am on weekday mornings and that changed my life while in a orphanage Pokemon was one thing I had to look forward to each day. So many memories

[@yamattVersion1]

I still miss UPN 9 Mondays - Thursdays ( Sometimes fridays when Smackdown came on) & KIds WB.

[@MaverickChristian]

Some of my favorite shows of the day were on UPN: The Sentinel, Nowhere Man, Star Trek: Voyager, Seven Days, and various black sitcoms like Moesha and Minor Adjustments.

[@bulmungskingdom8687]

Same

[@thenextrung]

Seven Days was an awesome show! I saw the reruns on Spike TV back in 04.

[@newmedia2862]

That last image of Sumner Redstone at the end is honestly very sad.... He looks... Dazed..... Like, barely awake.. i know he's old and lived a long life. But still, seeing someone still trying to hold onto a powerful position despite being LLLLLLLLLLOOOOONG past their prime.... Is just kinda heartbreaking to see.

[@Wridde23]

UPN needs to be re-launched just like the XFL. MyNetwork Tv sucks with those reruns and stuff.

[@TheShadowsega75Terryman]

And Court Shows. I only watch My Network TV for Paternity Court from newly revived Orion.

[@matthewcampbell7985]

No, fox sports is pick up rebooted xfl.

[@1thetvzone]

MyNetworkTV not even a network...It just aired reruns TV shows...

[@biglumby153]

yeah it isn't even a network anymore, it's that pathetic

[@1thetvzone]

It all about money, and TV so fragmented that UPN will not make a second coming.. Plus you can't pour $$$ into something that not going to ROI

[@PokeBruh_98]

I was watchin reruns if the Jamie Foxx show, and decided to type "what happened to black television" and I ran across your vid. Awesome work.

[@NewDayNY917]

Ironically on a network dubbed home of “black” shows/sitcoms the last people you saw interact on UPN were black wrestlers(Booker T, Sharmell and Lashley)…what a time!

[@ritchienavarro2920]

The united paramount network should be back on broadcast television full-time.

[@Wridde23]

Amen! I am thinking about setting up a Kickstarter campaign to revive and resuscitate UPN.

[@Barber747]

Sadly, I don't think that's ever going to happen. At least not in our lifetime. But I do agree with you though

[@BrianAwesome]

@Connor Higgins, I have a random question.. Who the hell wasN'T competing in the 90s - earlier 2000's? I mean there was the Monday Night (Wrestling) Wars. There were the Animated Block/Network wars (Fox Kids vs Kids WB and FK & KWB vs Toonami as examples). Then there were the network wars ( WB vs UPN as examples). I bring this up, because for a while I have noticed parallels and similarities. In wrestling there was shock value in Jeff Jarrett jumping ship to wCw, or an ECW guy comin to WWF, etc. Same thing in the animated block wars. Reboot was decent on ABC Kids, then they Jump Ship to the new Toonami. Or Beast Wars on Toonami, or DBZ and Sailor Moon jumpin from Syndication to Toonami (similar to Wrestlers from the territories jumpin to Big companies). This has happened Ive noticed in Prime Time tv. The Hugleys was on one of the Big 3, then Jumped to UPN. Buffy was on the WB, then jumped to UPN (and they made a BIG deal about it). MTV's celebrititties Death Match was temporarily on UPN, etc. TV was a hot zone/clusterfudge back in the day... even when just talkin abouit regular/non-cable tv.

[@Snowboi1963]

UPDATE: @Connor Higgins i would like to report that after doing a bit of digging, I have found out that Former ViacomCBS Chairman, Sumner Murray Redstone has sadly died on August 11, 2020 at his home in Los Angeles, CA at age 97.

[@rickymarcial571]

His daughter Shari Redstone took over as Chairwoman of National Amusements and ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global).

[@stthecat3935]

Meanwhile in the TV industry: *Sony Pictures Entertainment still doesn’t have a television network*

[@Musicradio77Network]

By the 2000, they launched the Screen Gems Network block where it includes classic TV sitcoms like “Bewitched”, “I Dream of Jeannie” and the “Partridge Family” which were made by Screen Gems. That didn’t last that long until it got pulled, and it was in syndication for a while.

[@The_X-PO_Center]

Not only that, but Sony does not have a streaming service yet. And no, Crunchyroll does not count. How lazy is Sony?!?!

[@devingiles6597]

@@The_X-PO_Center And do not get us started on Game Show Network.

[@jimtrue1465]

@@The_X-PO_Center Most of the streaming services are losing money left and right. Only Netflix and Prime are really making profits. Sony has figured out that by licensing their programs to other streaming services, Sony can make money from them, which would not be the case if the had their own streaming service.

[@The_X-PO_Center]

After some research, the reason why Sony does not have a TV network (broadcast that is) is due to FCC rules forbidding foreign-owned companies (Sony is located in Japan) from owning a U.S. broadcast network. GSN, getTV, Sony Movies, and Cine Sony are cable networks (almost), so those are exempt.

[@TheAutismCarol]

I saw that in the corrections that you were uncertain that Smackdown was the last program on UPN. It was. The September 15th 2006 episode of Smackdown (which was taped on the Tuesday before and did air on Australia earlier due to time differences) was the last thing on UPN stations from the network. It's main event was Bobby Lashley defeated Finlay (w/ King Booker, Queen Sharmell & William Regal) by DQ in a World Heavyweight Title #1 Contendership Match and that was the ending to that match and the aftermath, so it is the ending.

[@eastsidereviews727]

As a wrestling fan and lover of UPN it feels me with both sadness and joy that the final moments of the network featured King Booker telling Bobby Lashley that he's gonna kick his ass.

[@peterwesley]

Was that WWE episode with Booker T saying “ I’m gon buss ya ass” really the end of UPN? I really hope so.

[@connro]

As best I could tell... It is the episode from the date of UPN's demise and that comes from what I believe to be the credits sequence.

[@spencerkarterlive7378]

The A-word shouldn't been bleeped out.

[@conradojavier7547]

To End a Network with King Booker, & Lashley.

[@ajdynamo6866]

It's funny that they eventually aired Malcolm in the Middle through syndication on UPN.

[@ChrisBomar]

Incredibly well done! I have nostalgia for shows like WWF Smackdown!, WWF Tough Enough, WWF Tribute to the Troops, and who could forget Gary & Mike! This network was definitely a staple of my teenage years. Thank you for bringing such a well made documentary so that I could understand why it changed and more about it's history.

[@khrystianniyoko5619]

UPN was my favorite network of all time because of Moesha, the Parkers, America Next Top Model , shows about the black experience without being about racism just the experience imo a Golden Era in television. Thanks for doing this doc , I can feel UPN was just another network to you. For me it was and has been THEE only network I cared about ❤️

[@CallanKilderry]

50:05 FOX8 at the time was actually showing Smackdown before the US broadcast, because of the switch from Thursday to Friday on UPN and FOX8 still keeping it in it's Friday afternoon slot and with time differences meaning that it was shown ~18 hours beforehand.

[@catholiccontriversy]

For me there were 2 downfalls of UPN. 1st was when WB got exclusive rights to Pokemon and my local UPN affiliate lost it, second was when One Too ended. My after school routine was watch One Too on UPN, Full House on Superstation, and Supermarket Sweep followed by Sho till you Drop on PAX.

[@IkennaKonkwo2-lz8lj]

This was a very well done video. Some of the shows that came out on UPN in the 2000s sound good. If the network didn’t pass on American Idol, Malcolm In The Middle, and XFL, UPN would still be around and it would probably put out more shows. It’s sad.

[@rockisheaven]

Just listened to both parts of this retrospective while I worked and was very impressed with the level of research that went into them. If you ever do cover The WB (or any other TV topic as crazy as this one), I’ll be there!

[@codymerryman5605]

So will I! I love TV network history! I hope you won't stop making videos on TV networks. I'll be there when you cover more networks like the now big 4, or anything elce.

[@oranim12]

I never felt that emotional when learning about TV History in other countries. I may not be crying but my heart and eyes are still feeling it. The tone you gave and the music seemed so powerful. Even though I'm French, I could clearly (kinda) understand the history of UPN as a whole. I dunno if I'm wording it right but...Let's just say that it definetly was an intriguing story to learn. I'm not sure if many channels in France suffered the same fate as UPN (I don't mean a merger, I mean...Y'know...Corporate mess and all...)...But I think I'd compare it to Nolife which was a video game-themed channel in France. It wasn't just about video games but...Nolife sure had a bumpy life from what I've heard. Everyone tried their best until they couldn't continue despite the audience's support. (shown by the Nier Automata Ending E-like closure when they are asked "Will You Continue?" and the "Yes" option is greyed out, unable to be selected. After the closure, Nolife went into Nolife Zombie mode, broadcasting reruns until every TV operator cut the signal, including its Twitch stream) I'm not sure if that's the right way to compare but...Just now in my mind, I don't think there was any other french TV channel I could compare UPN and The WB to in terms of their fate, even though Nolife NEVER merged when it met its end unlike what UPN and The WB did. Welp...Tried my best to explain. I really like that series as a whole, seriously it's really interesting to learn about TV History from other countries! I'm sure you're busy which is why you didn't really made any new videos after this 2-part series...But as the loading screen in Persona 5 says...*"Take Your Time"*. Hope you're doin' well, take care!

[@crnkmnky]

This kinda sounds like G4tv. They merged TechTV into G4, and killed any shows that weren't about videogames. But G4 was still a cool channel for a few years, until Comcast let it die.

[@ToeTag9899]

UPN's Twilight Zone is underrated they had some pretty good episodes.

[@jopat87]

At best, I can see UPN being revived as a meme. If ever. In all seriousness, this was a great video series. You articulated so much about this particular network so well, in what can only be described as the last real effort at a major broadcast network.

[@robtheoutsider]

It's 2021, and that meme is called Squid Game

[@Barber747]

@@robtheoutsider Whatchu talkin' bout Mr. Robbins?!?

[@robtheoutsider]

@@Barber747 If you watch Squid Game, you’ll notice that there is a card that has a circle, triangle, and square on it. Look familiar? There have been a few memes that have circled the internet.

[@Barber747]

@@robtheoutsider oh yeah I've seen that! I didn't see the connection at first but now I do LOL

[@MadMan400096]

"[Les Moonves] is slated to retire in 2021 amid pressure from National Amusements." A had a chuckle at this line because he was kicked out just over a month after this video was published. Great retrospective, BTW. I live in an area that never had a UPN affilate due to lack of stations (we didn't even have a CBS affiliate for a long time, it wasn't until digital subchannels became a thing that we got a local Fox affiliate, and The WB was cable-only as far as a local affiliate was concerned), so two UPN affiliates (WSBK in Boston and WCTX in Connecticut) were chimed in to compensate. Honestly, my only real memories of UPN besides the kids' block (which aired at a time when kids were going to school, preventing us from seeing it very often, if at all) were of syndicated shows that just happened to be on WSBK, mainly South Park and The Three Stooges.

[@connro]

I was kicking myself because the first allegations against Moonves were unveiled just one or two days after this video went out. Oh well, I guess they can't all be winners. Glad you liked it.

[@rickymarcial571]

But in September 2018, Les Moonves RESIGNED as CBS CEO and Board Chairman due to alleged his sexual harrasment scandal.

[@marielromen814]

Just before and prior to the UPN-The WB merger known as The CW owned by and also the partnership between Paramount Global, Warner Bros. Discovery and Nexstar Media Group!

[@ashtraydekay6624]

Speaking of the CW, you forgot all about "whose line is it anyways?" That show is still going strong in 2023

[@bonghunezhou5051]

Star Trek: Voyager - and by extension "Enterprise" - had been created specifically to provide needed content to the long-delayed (since thev1970s) broadcast network. Without its launch, the Trek IP on the 📺 would assuredly have had an extended pause after Deep Space Nine. 👍 ~ very informative video ~

[@trippymoredd3016]

I love how UPNs final moments were a big black man threatening another black man with what seems to be his wife and it just faded to black

[@z0m813]

I dont think Malcom in the middle would of been the same on UPN

[@20062bMinnieSmooth]

Okay, Connor. What I've been understanding about American Idol is Simon first went to UPN in Spring 2001 as it failed, then failed with ABC, then failed with The WB, then failed with CBS, then MTV, then NBC, then failed with FOX the first time, took a break to work on Pop Idol, tried UPN again, then focused on the big 4 then FOX finally approved American Idol, thanks to Mr. Murdoch's daughter? Come on, UPN! You could've picked up the show. You should've been sincere when you said "We'll get back to you." Same with Malcolm in the Middle, UPN could've still been on today if they picked them up. Speaking of American Idol, I gotta upload some more commercials from the first season. My late maternal Grandma Minnie L. Price (1929-2007) used to watch American Idol during the first season, so stay tuned, VHS lovers!

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

UPN and The WB wound up joining DuMont in the TV graveyard...

[@robtheoutsider]

Do one on Metromedia Paramount Stations Group Chris-Craft Tribune USA Broadcasting

[@Ibhenriksen]

UPN is the perfect example how playing it safe, and not taking risks makes you unsuccessful. Then MITM killed UPN.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

I hope The CW changes their name back to The WB TV network if WarnerMedia buys back the remaining shares of The CW that ViacomCBS used to hold and if ViacomCBS decides to move their remaining programs over to the Fox Corporation's MyNetworkTV program service.

[@robtheoutsider]

Both CW and MyNet will fade out in a few years.

[@Justin-Hill-1987]

@@robtheoutsider I hope not...I am hopeful the upgrade from the current ATSC 1.0 TV standard to the ATSC 3.0 "NextGen" TV standard will change that...

[@robtheoutsider]

@@Justin-Hill-1987 What use is there for MyNet outside of airing reruns of syndicated dramas? Even Fox is aware of this because they’re not using the My branding for their O&O affiliates. As for CW, in a few years, Warner & ViacomCBS are probably going to end this joint venture and both parties will have to do something in terms of aiming towards the young adult audience for both HBO Max and Paramount+

[@camerongordon5914]

Growing up as a Black boy in the 90's, I can honestly say that I was completely unaffected by the rise and fall and *hype* of UPN as "the Black channel." I was perfectly content with Family Matters on ABC, In Living Color on Fox, and Fresh Prince on NBC. Come on, the first popular Black nerd, a truly wealthy and WASPy Black family, and the funniest sketch show in history? Yeah, I think I'll skip pouring out some Kool-Aid for the demise of that one channel that had Moesha and Eve. Still, this was truly a brilliant 2-part documentary!

[@smoothkidd272k6]

Is it crazy that Smackdown started on UPN, and is now on FOX….🤣🤣🤣

[@IkennaKonkwo2-lz8lj]

Just found out Smackdown got its start on UPN too.

[@zachronspees6432]

If memory serves, UPN was hard to pick up(dead air/lots of static) at least in my market/location. Am not sure if this was due to lower power transmitters, distance, or some combo. Basically once they merged with the WB to create the CW, the quality of the broadcast improved a lot.

[@moelester7527]

20:35 that hashtag did not age well.

[@trevonpernell0814]

Agreed.

[@cainmccoy804]

17:02 John Cena was a cast member in Manhunt. You CAN see him in the back row top right. The last photo he was ever seen in. 😔

[@NRFEPH]

57:09 - But in September 2018, Les Moonves resigned as CBS CEO due to alleged his sexual harrasment scandal. To give way for the remerger of CBS and Viacom and the remerger was officially closed on December 4, 2019 under the new name "ViacomCBS".

[@The_X-PO_Center]

Starting this September, all CBS-owned CW stations will become independent stations due to Nexstar.

[@joeybaseball7352]

I remember being very upset about the CW. I didn't want it to happen because I was very nostalgic about the WB, because it was my childhood. And I still resent the CW to this day. I have never watched that network, and never will. And even though I really wanted to watch everybody hates Chris, which I believed was the funniest show on television, I waited a year for it to come out on DVD, and rented it from blockbuster.

[@joeybaseball7352]

@@terryy7160 I liked UPN too. In fact, in its final years, I watched way more UPN than I did WB. But I had no real nostalgia attached to UPN like I did with WB. And also as a kid, I loved going to a now-defunct retail store called the WB Studio Store. They had one at my local mall growing up, along with a Disney store, and a now-defunct Nickelodeon store. Back then, there were only three networks (Nickelodeon, Disney channel, and Cartoon Network) fully dedicated to kids programming. And it was awesome bc it was the three cable kids networks stores in the same mall. There wasn't a "cartoon network store" but the WB store sold a lot of cartoon network merchandise. As well as a lot of kids WB merch too. And the saddest part was when the WB store, and the Nickelodeon store both closed, because I felt they were both miles better than the Disney store. As Disney channel was always my 3rd favorite kids network.

[@KHWendy28]

The only show I Watched on the CW came from the WB And that is SPN the only thing I watch.

[@KamenSentaiMetalHero]

Yes, I would like to see a video on The WB and its and UPN's "child" The CW.

[@BrianAwesome]

@Connor Higgins, 1) What if the CW Merger never/didn't happen? 2) How much longer do you think that WB and UPN woulda lasted? 3) What would the networks been like in 2006 and beyond? 4) Would One on One, etc. have continued w/series finales? 5) Would sumbody else buy/merge them?

[@jchizzle15]

6:24 “why do you need two different points of view for the news?”

[@nicksullivan4994]

After American Idol ended on FOX, Disney brought it back on ABC!

[@kitterbug]

7:20 huh. hm. that's definitely what happened

[@Musicradio77Network]

According to the epilogue, ViacomCBS is now rebranded to what is now Paramount which is Paramount Global as of this year.

[@JCtechwizard]

Still waiting for that WB video...

[@amberreed7704]

This was such a fun video to watch but I have to admit, as a black female millennial, hearing someone refer to Moesha, The Parkers, and Girlfriends as just some silly little shows made me a little mad. Those shows were so formative to my life and necessary because we did not get to see people who looked like us and deal with the same stuff we did on the big networks. And UPN did need them because those were the shows that kept us coming back.

[@JustJulyo]

Always respected how UPN had so many black sitcoms I absolutely love The Parkers and Girlfriends!

[@IkennaKonkwo2-lz8lj]

What’s kinda crazy is that CW outlived UPN and WB. I don’t think I had UPN, but I heard they had great shows, same thing with WB. Too bad they’re no longer here.

[@connro]

(This comment is where I put updates before I had access to the community tab. I am leaving it here as an archive.) *_Updates:_* 5/16/2020: I'm done editing the video itself. But there's a problem: I was a little sick when I recorded the original (~37 minutes when edited) voiceover and there are parts that need to be re-recorded because my voice just didn't sound great. Not sure how long that'll take - I need to flag all the parts that need to be re-recorded, then re-record, re-edit those clips, and replace the old clips. Hopefully it'll be a relatively quick process. Also, KZbin did approve my monetization request, so that's no longer an obstacle. I really hope to get the video out before the end of the month. 5/09/2020: Okay, this will be my last update for a little while. The new video is almost done, which is super exciting! However, I’ve actually just passed 1,000 subscribers, which makes me eligible for monetization! The bad news is that I have to wait for KZbin to manually approve me before I can begin to monetize, and that could take months. So I’m thinking about sitting on this video just until KZbin approves my monetization. We’ll see where we are in a couple of months. The very instant that I get approved for monetization, I will publish the new video. See you all then! 5/05/2020: Editing taking a little longer than anticipated. Currently about 40% of the video completed in editing. So it'll probably be a few days after the 8th. 4/29/2020: I can now officially confirm that I have begun the editing process on this new video, which is the point of no return for me. So yes, this video _will_ be coming out very soon. I'm still shooting for May 8, but it may be just a hair after that. Depends on how quickly I can get this thing edited. I don't want to officially reveal the subject just yet, but I will say that my voiceover clocked in (edited) at 37 minutes, so this is another long one. If you're hoping for a video about The WB, don't get your hopes up (because it isn't that), but don't worry: it is still well within the realm of television & broadcasting. I really hope you guys like it. 4/15/2020: Okay, it may not be about The WB, but I do have a video in the works that I am 99% positive will actually come to fruition this time. I'm really passionate about it, and I really think you guys will enjoy it. I'm gonna shoot to have it out by May 8, which will be exactly 2 years after the release of part 1 of my UPN video. I hope you'll tune in! 3/28/2020: Things don't always turn out the way you plan. I'm very bad about expanding the scope of smaller projects and turning them into something unmanageable. I'm the type of person to begin writing a video intending to discuss one specific event and have it expand into the history of the entire world. But hey, now that we're all quarantined, maybe I've got some spare time... 7/14/2019: Okay, the WB video obviously didn't come out on June 30. That was an optimistic deadline to begin with. I've been having some writer's block with this video. I had about half of a script written before I hit a wall. I went back and started revising but ultimately decided that the script was irreparable. From there it sat dormant; every so often I would go back to it but nothing significant changed. When I hit a wall like that, I usually try to distance myself from the project and return with a fresh state of mind. After doing that a handful of times to no avail, I've just made the decision to completely hit the reset button on the video for the second time. I am beginning a new script from scratch. I can make no projection as to when the video will be complete. I'm shooting for sometime before the new year but I'll make no promises. My plan with this new script is to shorten the length of the video to around 45 minutes. I was pushing that already with only the half of the script that I had completed; it was just too much. Again, I thank you for your support and your patience. I hope I can make something that you will all enjoy. 5/30/2019: WB video is on its way! I'm setting a rough deadline of June 30 (1 month from the day I write this), but it may very well be done before then. I will keep editing this pinned comment with any updates. Also, sorry it has been so long. I genuinely thought I had something going when I made this original comment but the project grew too large and I had to shelve it. I'll likely take it apart and make it into a mini-series of sorts in the future. Thanks to everyone for the continued support. 01/14/2019: Been getting a lot of comments wondering if I'm still planning to make more videos, and the answer is yes. However, progress has been slow. I've tried to begin 4 projects (one of which would have chronicled The WB) and devoted serious time to them, but each one fell flat at some point along the way and the scripts are sitting dormant. I'm too much of a perfectionist for my own good, but all of those projects just seemed to meander and lack the element of intrigue that UPN provided. I am pleased to say, though, that I have recently begun a project that I believe I will be able to complete and hopefully be able to release before the summer. And I'm super excited for it. (TL;DR: I'm still making videos. Stay tuned.)

[@trevonpernell0814]

Awesome to hear. I'm kinda like you my man. Too much of a perfectionist. Also, btw, it doesn't have to be perfect, as long as you develop quality content. I'd much rather prefer you to take your time with your projects and don't develop insanely high expectations for those planned projects of yours. Like your project on the WB for example, (btw, that's what eagerly anticipating from you the most), doesn't have to be as good as your documentary on UPN, as long as it's good, you will have all of our support. You'll definitely have my support.

[@IntrigueAvenue]

Hey mate, excited to watch your new content. I'm from Australia but am fascinated with US television. Sadly, I'm a little frustrated I can't watch any of these obscure (to me) tv shows - most of it never made it to DVD or streaming services.

[@matthewcampbell7985]

Connor, thanks to nbc and upn stations both kxas tv in fort Worth a sister of kxtx and ktxa tv a sister of cbs DFW affiliate for broadcast xfl.

[@rudyiraheta80]

wrong upn was with both kdaf & kdfi along with the wb

[@matthewcampbell7985]

No,upn was on 21 and WB on 33.

[@byrons8956]

This just shows the mess all this network television stuff is. I had gotten tired of chasing shows between networks and cable and satellite either dropping networks and constantly moving other networks to higher cost tiers I had completely cut the cord in 2010.

[@Estrad43]

What would've been cool, had the UPN, broadcasted pro break-dancing, djing, MC Battles, graffiti competions and call it the "URBAN GAMES", (sort of like The X-GAMES) and inspiredby the X-GAMES......and since MCing, DJing, Break dancing, and Graffiti art which are all part of the 4 Elements of Hip-Hop Culture, and would give this event creditably in the hip hop community. Have...adidas, Puma, Fila, Red bull/monster energy drink, wealthy Oil Gulf Airline companies like Fly Emiartes & Air Qatar, GO PRO, would've all been great corporate sponsors for this annual event! (Just like how the X-games are an annual event)...broadcasted on ABC/ESPN Or even the UPN could've televised the world DMC annual DJ championship. With different participants from around the world, competing to see who will be the number one DJ turntablist in the world.

[@the310zone9]

If the UPN would Televise the Hip Hop Source Awards, than they could televise this so called "Urban Games" idea that you came up with, that is inspired by ABC/ESPN's the "X-Games"....and have "Urban Games" take place in Harlem, Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Los Angels etc...That event would bring so much money into those neighborhoods & area's, no Gentrification needed!, for economic improvement.

[@scottleung9587]

This video reinforces the old notion at least a thousand times that money is the root of all evil - at least in the corporate world.

[@yukizboy3046]

I will always be grateful to UPN for the last 2 seasons of Buffy and for Roswell.

[@mightybitchy]

They sucked.

[@Zakster90]

Let’s face it we only remember UPN for two things, WWF SmackDown, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer

[@BrianAwesome]

@Connor Higgins, Just IMAGINE.... if UPN had a sendoff similar to The WB. 1) The Pilot AND Official 1st episode of WWF Smackdown 2) The 1999 and 2001 Source Awards 3) The Last Episodes of Star Trek Voyager and Seven Days 4) The last ST Enterprise Episode 5) The Pilot and Finale of the Parkers, etc. PLUS durin the week, Disney's 1Too woulda been brought back for that last week of UPN, UPN Kids' Action Zone being brought back for all Sat Mornin to Noon, and UPN Sunday Movies being seen one last time (Airing Gargoyles the movie, Terminator 2, Grimlins, Demolition Man, etc.).

[@timothymoynihan8063]

I remember watching UPN 9 News every night. It was called Hood News in my house.

[@an64p4nt5]

You should a video on the recent Disney/Fox merger and how it mirrors Disney’s 2001 acquisition of Fox Family Worldwide (JV between Fox and Saban Entertainment)

[@connro]

Actually not a bad idea... I'll look into it.

[@20062bMinnieSmooth]

@@connro I'd like to see that before the WB video. Not only that, a part where you explain why the FCC will not let Disney legit own the Fox O&Os let alone the Fox network or Mynetworktv but my theory is no production company or distributor has bought the Fox network, mynetworktv and their o&o stations because Disney may secretly and illegitimately own.

[@an64p4nt5]

Producer1998 good point. I believe that Rupert Murdoch and his family are now the second largest shareholders in Disney.

[@Trekapedia]

It didn’t help their acquisition of a sci-fi show from The WB called Roswell sank like a stone and got annihilated by Smallville from day one. Reportedly, UPN also threatened to move Buffy The Vampire Slayer back by an hour on Tuesdays due to the extremely adult content from their first season under UPN, season 6. Joss I believe is on record as saying that he liked Smallville and also knew it was a ratings juggernaut that would have destroyed Buffy. Buffy was on season 6, and, while it was a small hit, had been on for quite awhile. Smallville had just premiered and was running full steam ahead with no signs of the ratings falling anytime soon. Basically, Joss Whedon knew Smallville would have taken Buffy apart like it did with Roswell. He relented and Buffy kept its Tuesday night a lot

[@realmyspaceboss]

Making The Band returned for a 2nd season on ABC then future seasons went to MTV.

[@MissAlmostFine]

Looking back, UPN and The WB were among the main networks I watched as a preteen and teen. UPN picked up where Fox left off and invested heavily in Black sitcoms and helped extend one of the best eras of wrestling. The WB made teen dramas their bread and butter with no shame and I was right in the demo that adored all of it. Shoutout to UPN for giving Black creators, writers and production companies a chance to shine. Much love to the WB for further showing that teens cherish and support content just as much as "must see" adults.

[@KairuHakubi]

Man the station-ownership stuff is so confusing. I was hoping you would bring up Dilbert, and how someone bafflingly thought it was a logical thing to air side by side with Homeboys From Outer Space.

[@tiffanygotgame]

Yeah they messed up passing on Malcom in the middle🤦🏽‍♀️ but I loved all the shows on upn and the black shows were actually good too ! I miss that era of life😢