TruTV

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truTV
Launched	July 1, 1991 (as CourtTV) January 1, 2008 (as TruTV)
Closed	December 31, 2007 (CourtTV)
Network	Turner Broadcasting System
Owned by	Time Warner
Picture format	480i (SDTV) 1080i (HDTV)
Slogan	Not Reality. Actuality.
Country	United States
Headquarters	New York City
Formerly called	Court TV (July 1, 1991–December 31, 2007)
Website	http://www.trutv.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV (U.S.)	Channel 246 Channel 1246 (VOD)
Dish Network	Channel 204
DirecTV (Latin America)	Channel 220
Cable
Comcast	Channel 37/58
Charter Communications	Channel 53

truTV is an American cable television network owned by Time Warner through its subsidiary, Turner Broadcasting.^[1] Named Court TV before 2008 (the Court TV name is still used in Canada as Court TV Canada), the basis of the network's programming has traditionally been live homicide trial coverage and other criminal justice programming; however, the network has branched out into more "caught on video" reality programs, or as truTV calls it, "actuality" television. CTVglobemedia's CourtTV Canada still continues to operate in Canada without the truTV branding.

The channel was launched in Latin America on April 1, 2009 by Turner Broadcasting System Latin America as truTV Latin America.^[2]

History

As Court TV

truTV was formed in 1991 as Court TV. It began as a joint venture owned by Liberty Media (50%), Time Warner (25%) and General Electric, through NBC (25%); and was led by law writer Steven Brill. The network originally featured continuous live trial coverage, with analysis by anchors. The network came into its own during the Menendez brothers first trial and later the O.J. Simpson trial.

Brill left the network in 1997. In 1998, NBC sold its share of the network to Time Warner. That same year, it began running several original and acquired programming in prime time, such as Homicide: Life on the Street and Forensic Files.

In 2004, recognizing the growth of its primetime programming, Court TV split itself into two divisions. Daytime trial coverage was branded as Court TV News, while primetime and weekend programming was branded as Court TV: Seriously Entertaining.

Time Warner bought full control of Court TV in 2006 and began running it as part of Turner Broadcasting.^[3] The buyout of Court TV marks Time Warner's first instance of buying a TV network, rather than selling one, since the acquisition of TBS Networks in 1996.

Transition to truTV

As part of the rebranding, daytime trial coverage, which previously aired from 9:00AM ET to 5:00PM ET, was cut back to 9:00AM ET to 3:00PM ET and branded as "In Session." From 3:00PM ET to 5:30AM ET on weekdays and throughout the weekend, it runs original investigation-based programming, as well as several new non-law enforcement related reality shows.

truTV HD is a 1080i high definition simulcast of truTV which is available from select providers.^{[clarification needed][citation needed]}

In Session

In Session logo

In Session (the successor to Court TV News) provides live coverage of trials, legal news, and details of highly-publicized crimes during their news programming hours from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. every weekday (except during national holidays). Their coverage takes viewers into the courtrooms and shares analysis from anchors and guests to help viewers understand legal proceedings.

In Session also runs a blog, Sidebar, where the In Session team posts updated legal news and analysis.

Programs

(effective June 1, 2009)

All times are eastern time.

• Ashleigh Banfield: Open Court - weekdays 9am-11am
• Jack Ford: Courtside - weekdays 11am-1pm
• Jami Floyd: Best Defense - weekdays 1pm-3pm

Anchors, correspondents, and contributors

Former Court TV personalities

Programming

^[4]

• Bait Car
• Black Gold
• COPS (TV series)
• Disorder in the Court
• Dominic Dunne's Power, Privilege, and Justice
• Forensic Files
• Haunting Evidence
• Hot Pursuit
• It Only Hurts When I Laugh
• Inside American Jail
• Ocean Force
• Operation Repo
• Man VS. Cartoon
• Masterminds
• Most Daring
• Most Shocking
• Murder by the Book
• Party Heat
• Rehab: Party at the Hard Rock Hotel
• Speeders
• Speeders Fight Back
• Surf & Rescue: Dewey Beach
• The Investigators
• The Smoking Gun Presents...
• World's Wildest Police Videos
• World's Wildest Vacation Videos

Future Shows

^[5]

• Conspiracy Theory with Jesse Ventura (Premieres on December 2, 2009)
• Full Throttle Saloon (Premiered on November 10, 2009)

Websites

In addition to truTV.com, the network also operates The Smoking Gun, a website that focuses on legal items often pertaining to famous people, such as mug shots and other public documents.^[6] It also owns the website Crime Library, which provides detailed information about infamous crimes and how they were solved ^[7] They as well host two blogs including Dumb as a Blog, a blog dedicated to "dumb" human misfortune ^[8] and Chuck Shepherd's: News of the Weird.^[9]. Online coverage of current trials (including In Session) is now hosted at sister website CNN.com's "Crime" section. truTV also maintains truTV video, a streaming video player, where users can watch "footage of car chases, dumb criminals, gun fights, drunk drivers, drug busts, naughty girls, police, things that blow up, taser attacks, naked thieves and more!"

Radio

On February 3, 2003, Court TV Plus debuted on Sirius Satellite Radio, featuring audio from Court TV programs. Originally on Channel 134, it was moved in September 2005 and aired on Channel 110 until the channel ceased operations on January 1, 2008.

International

Latin America

The channel was launched on April 1, 2009 in Latin America replacing Retro, also owned by Turner Broadcasting System. The announcement was made on March 25, 2009 by Turner Broadcasting System Latin America.^[2]

Controversy

Recently TruTV has come under criticism from some viewers due to some of its staged shows such as Operation Repo and All Worked Up. Some people have criticized the network because it claims its program is actuality. The channel changed from Retro to truTV on April 1, 2009 at 9.00 am UTC.

It has the same programming, idents and bumpers from the U.S. version.

Ratings

^[10]

See also

• The Legal Television Network (truTV's main competitor)
• CourtTV Canada
• List of DirecTV channels
• List of Dish Network channels

Notes

External links

• Official website
• CNN.com crime coverage (includes In Session)
• Sidebar, In Session's blog
• "Gavel to Gavel (to Gavel to Gavel) Coverage," by Alessandra Stanley, The New York Times, July 8, 2007