Comcast Network

Comcast Network
Launched	1996
Owned by	Comcast
Picture format	480i (SDTV)
Country	United States
Language	American English
Broadcast area	Mid-Atlantic and southern Pennsylvania
Formerly called	CN8
Sister channel(s)	Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic
Website	Comcast Network Philadelphia; Comcast Network Mid-Atlantic
Availability
Cable
Comcast	Check local listings for channels.

Comcast Network (formerly known as CN8) is a cable television station that is shown mostly in parts of Comcast Cable services in the Eastern part of the US. Viewers in four states and 20 television markets from New Jersey to Virginia on Comcast cable systems. The main focus of the network is Philadelphia although they attempt to make their shows look like national shows. Key markets include New Jersey, the Pennsylvania cities of Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Harrisburg, Baltimore, Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Richmond, Virginia. Comcast Network, which employs more than 400 people in its footprint, was founded in 1996 and now airs more than 90 hours a week of original programming from two to three studios in Philadelphia and Washington. The network's programming and hosts have been recognized by the television industry with more than 370 regional Emmy Award nominations, with a network demographic for people over 40 years of age.

The CN8 brand was discontinued in early 2009, as part of a larger restructuring of the network in order to respond to low ratings as well as closing down in the New England market, where its primary market was Boston.^[1] The Philadelphia and Washington feeds have been split into separate networks solely branded as "The Comcast Network"^[2], which will henceforth report to sister network Comcast SportsNet.^[1][2]

Shows broadcast

The network's flagship show is It's Your Call with Lynn Doyle, which is played three times a day and has been on the air for over 10 years. The restructuring of the network has now reduced it to a half-hour pre-recorded program from a live one-hour show. Another key show in the station's lineup is Seeking Solutions with Suzanne, a show that focuses on issues pertaining to seniors. It features the wife of the founder of Comcast, Suzanne Roberts.

Other shows broadcast that have been on CN8 include:

• American Builder with Brian Gurry (cancelled)
• Art Fennell Reports
• Backstage (cancelled)
• Christina Cooks (Airs on public television)
• Flavors of America
• The Fretz Kitchen
• Larry Kane: Voice Of Reason
• Money Matters Today with Mary Caraccioli (cancelled)
• One on One with Steve Adubato (cancelled)
• Out of Bounds with Gregg Murphy (cancelled)
• Smooth Jazz TV (now airs in the Philadelphia market on WFMZ-TV)
• Your Morning with Connie Colla and Greg Coy (cancelled)

Comcast Network has recently made the leap from linear television programming to On Demand content. Original programs are available On Demand immediately following their live broadcast for viewing any time day or night for up to three days. In addition, special broadcast events are also made available On Demand for up to two weeks following their original air time. In an effort to ramp up its political coverage, Comcast Network offers local political coverage On Demand as well. Political viewers have access to Candidates On Demand, the Philadelphia Mayoral Race, Political Conventions, Presidential Debates, and President Gerald Ford’s memorial services, among others.

Comcast Network Sports produces and airs more than 200 local, regional and national sports events each year. These broadcasts include collegiate teams in football, basketball, ice hockey, soccer and lacrosse; “Varsity GameNight” featuring regional high-school football and basketball match-ups and playoffs; professional and amateur sports events including boxing, figure skating, gymnastics, baseball, tennis, rodeo; and more. CN Philadelphia carries NISL soccer games for the Philadelphia KiXX as well as select minor league baseball games, generally from the Eastern League.

CN Philadelphia carries "overflow" games when at least two of the Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia Flyers, or Philadelphia 76ers play at the same time, with one of the games airing on CSN Philadelphia. WPSG or (as of 2009) WPHL-TV also carries games from each team to alleviate conflicts. In addition, CN Mid-Atlantic has carried Washington Capitals and Washington Wizards games when overflowing with Comcast SportsNet's Mid-Atlantic networks as well.

Within the last year, Comcast Network has made a big push to have more of a national presence, including the addition of a flagship studio in the Washington, DC market. Located on Capitol Hill, the studio hosts a variety of local and federal government leaders throughout the year. The network hired Robert Traynham as the Washington Bureau Chief for the network. Traynahm hosts “Roll Call TV with Robert Traynham”, CN’s show that focuses on legislative issues throughout the DC area. “Roll Call” is the first show to originate from the network's studio in the nation’s capital.

Controversy

Like other local cable networks in the United States, CN is not available on satellite systems, particularly DirecTV and Dish Network. Comcast Network, along with similar networks like NY1 and News 12, were created to add value to cable networks over satellite systems.

The area where this decision raises the most controversy is with sports. Lawmakers have put pressure on Comcast to make the sports contents that they cover, particularly on sister network CSN Philadelphia, available to satellite operators. CN Philadelphia is not available on the campus of the University of Pennsylvania, which covers many sporting events, because their internal cable system is satellite based.

Another controversy took place when the former CN8 expanded to New England. At the time, Comcast had a studio in Brookline, Massachusetts that was shared by the company for local-origination programming, and Brookline Access Television (BAT), the local public-access cable channel in that town. BAT was kicked out of that studio, and it resulted in Comcast getting bad publicity in a local newspaper. Eventually, BAT built its own separate studio elsewhere in the town while the former studio shared by Comcast and BAT was used full-time by CN8, the major and only production studio facility used by the network in New England until it pulled out in 2009.

In September 2007, Comcast was fined by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for allegedly airing multiple video news releases (VNRs) without disclosure. The FCC proposed $16,000 in fines for not-disclosing the use of footage from several companies, all airing in fall 2006. It was the FCC’s first-ever fine for violating the sponsorship-identification rules. Complaints had been lodged by the Center for Media and Democracy and Free Press, among others.

Variants

Chicago

Comcast's Chicago cable systems carry a different Comcast Network, unrelated to those in Philadelphia and the Mid-Atlantic region called CN100. It is the home of the AHL Chicago Wolves.

Michigan

Comcast Television - Available in Michigan, this channel is used mostly for infomercials and classified ads as well as occasional sports telecasts and public affairs shows.

Denver

A Comcast local channel similar to CN8 is available in the Denver area, Comcast Entertainment Television (CET).

References

External links

• Comcast Special offers^{[dead link]}
• Chicago's CN100
• Detroit's Comcast Local^{[dead link]}
• Multichannel News Article on FCC Video News Release controversy