The Nashville Network

The Nashville Network
Launched	March 7, 1983
Owned by	Gaylord (1983-1995) Westinghouse-CBS (1995-1997) Viacom (1997-2000)
Headquarters	Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Replaced by	The National Network (2000-2003) Spike (2003-present)

The Nashville Network, or TNN as it is usually called, was an American country music-oriented cable television network. Programming included music videos, taped concerts, movies, syndicated programs, and numerous talk shows. In 2000, after an attempt to attract younger viewers failed, TNN's country music format was changed and the network was renamed The National Network, eventually becoming Spike in 2003.

History

Beginnings

The Nashville Network (TNN) was launched on March 7, 1983 from the now-defunct Opryland USA theme park near Nashville, Tennessee. Country Music Television, founded by Glenn D. Daniels, beat TNN's launch by two days, robbing TNN of the claim of "first country music cable television network".

TNN was originally owned by WSM, Inc., a subsidiary of National Life and Accident Insurance Company and initially focused on country music-related original programming. TNN's flagship shows included Nashville Now and Grand Ole Opry Live, both of which were broadcast live from Opryland USA.^[1][2] During TNN's first year of broadcasting, American General Corporation, parent company of NL&AIC, decided to divest itself of some of its non-core companies and put the fledgling network up for sale.

Gaylord: 1983–1995

Gaylord Entertainment purchased The Nashville Network and the Opryland properties in the latter half of 1983. Much of TNN's programming during the Gaylord era was originally produced by Opryland Productions, also owned by Gaylord Entertainment.^[3] Programming included variety shows, talk shows, game shows, outdoors shows, and lifestyle shows, all centered in some way around country music.^[4] Some of TNN's popular on-air talent included local Nashville media personalities Ralph Emery,^[5] Dan Miller, Charlie Chase, and Lorianne Crook, as well as established stars such as country music singer Bill Anderson and actresses Florence Henderson and Dinah Shore. TNN even created stars, such as wily fisherman Bill Dance.^[6]

TNN had two self-operating and self-promoting sub-divisions, TNN Outdoors and TNN Motor Sports.^[7] TNN Outdoors was responsible for the programming of hunting and fishing shows, while TNN Motor Sports was responsible for production of all of the network's auto racing coverage. Regarding the latter, NASCAR series races (including those of the then-Winston Cup Series and Busch Grand National Series, as well as the Craftsman Truck Series) were the most prominently featured, but races of smaller circuits such as the International Motor Sports Association IMSA Sports Car Series, ASA, USAC, the NHRA, and ARCA were also showcased, as was motorcycle and speedboat racing. TNN Outdoors and TNN Motor Sports also marketed themselves, selling a variety of merchandise and branding themselves onto video games such as TNN Bass Tournament of Champions and TNN Outdoors Bass Tournament '96.

In 1995, the motorsports operations were moved into the industrial park located at Charlotte Motor Speedway in Concord, North Carolina, where TNN had purchased controlling interest in World Sports Enterprises, a motorsports production company. Notable TNN racing personalities included Mike Joy, Steve Evans, Eli Gold, Buddy Baker, Neil Bonnett, Randy Pemberton, Ralph Sheheen, Dick Berggren, Matt Yocum, and Rick Benjamin.

The outdoors and motor sports programs were so successful that, by the early 1990s, only those shows were seen on Sundays, with no musical programming.

Westinghouse-CBS: 1995–2000

Westinghouse Electric Corporation, who at the time owned the CBS networks and had an existing relationship with TNN through its Group W division, purchased TNN and its sister network CMT outright in 1995 to form CBS Cable, along with a short-lived start up network entitled Eye On People (now Investigation Discovery).

Most of the original entertainment-oriented programming ceased production during this period, and the network began to rely more on TNN Outdoors and TNN Motor Sports for programming. The network's ties to CBS allowed it to pick up country-themed CBS dramas from the 1980s such as The Dukes of Hazzard and Dallas, and also allowed it to carry CBS Sports' run overs, which happened during a NASCAR Busch Series race at Texas Motor Speedway and also a PGA Tour event at Firestone Country Club.^[1]

During this time, Ralph Emery began a short-lived retirement from broadcasting, and left Nashville Now in the process. Upon Emery's exit, the show was overhauled and renamed Music City Tonight (hosted by Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase).^[8] After a very short run, Crook and Chase left the show to launch a syndicated daytime show, Crook & Chase, which would eventually return to TNN after two years in the syndication market.^[9] Music City Tonight was again overhauled to resemble its original Nashville Now format, but was rebranded as Prime Time Country. This version was originally hosted by actor Tom Wopat. He was later replaced with Christian singer/songwriter Gary Chapman, who enjoyed relative success with the show until its cancellation in 1999 as part of the MTV overhaul of the network.

In 1998, the network dropped its "The Nashville Network" moniker and shortened its official name to the simpler TNN. Ownership shifted to Viacom in the late 1990s after its acquisition of CBS Corporation, Westinghouse's successor.^[10] TNN subsequently moved out of its original Nashville base to New York City and folded into Viacom's MTV Networks division. Sister network CMT, however, remained in Nashville. In 1999, TNN began its relationship with professional wrestling, signing a three year deal with Extreme Championship Wrestling. ECW on TNN was the highest rated show on TNN through 2000, despite limited advertising.

Format change (2000-present)

In 2000, then owner Viacom attempted to bring in younger viewers to TNN but ultimately failed and decided to give TNN a complete makeover including a format change. The new TNN, know as fully as The National Network, was reformatted to compete with TNT, TBS, and USA and to attract viewers in the 18 to 49-year-old demographic.^[11] Previously, until 2000, over half of TNN's viewers were 55 years old and over and one third of it was 18 to 49, according to Nielsen Media Research.^[11]

Some of TNN's programming included off network sitcoms such as Diff'rent Strokes, The Wonder Years, and Taxi. Eventually male-oriented shows, such as Baywatch, Monster Jam, Bull Riding, Robot Wars and Star Trek: The Next Generation were added to the network's lineup and the demographic was changed to target "young adult males". This led to TNN to be renamed as Spike TV in 2003. Spike TV's name was changed to Spike in 2006. Today, the average age of Spike's viewers are 42 years old and the network is available in 96.1 million American homes.^[12] The network features re-runs of popular shows such as CSI, CSI: NY, Unsolved Mysteries, Married With Children, UFC, and various original programs and movies. It is also the home of the professional wrestling organization Total Nonstop Action Wrestling's flagship show Impact!.

Programming

See also

• Great American Country, former competitor and current home to some former TNN programs

References