http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/article/ds28375.html

The WB and UPN television networks in America are to be closed by their respective parent companies, Warner Bros. and CBS Corporation, who will then join forces to create a larger fifth terrestrial network.

The new channel will aim for the 18-34 demographic, be called "The CW," and launch in the autumn after The WB and UPN cease operations in September 2006. It will be a 50-50 joint venture between Warner Bros. and CBS.

Dawn Ostroff, currently the president of UPN, will become the new channel's president of entertainment. John Maatta, chief operating officer at The WB, will continue in this role at The CW.

"This new network will serve the public with high-quality programming and maintain our ongoing commitment to our diverse audience," said CBS president and CEO Les Moonves. "It will clearly be greater than the sum of its parts, delivering excellent demographics to advertisers, and building a strong new affiliate body. Additionally, The CW will be able to draw from the creative talent and production resources from the top two television production studios in the business, while also seeking programming from all sources -- independent producers or other studios. With this move, we will be creating a viable entity, one well-equipped to compete, thrive and serve all our many publics in this multi-channel media universe. I'd like to thank Dawn Ostroff and all the talented people at UPN who have worked so hard. For many years UPN had financial losses, but under CBS's guidance, UPN has been able to effect a dramatic creative turnaround in a short period of time."

The CW will operate on The WB's current scheduling model. On weekdays, the network will broadcast programming from 3pm-5pm as well as 8pm-10pm. On Saturdays, a 5 hour kids programming block will air from 7am-12 noon. On Sunday, programming will air from 5pm-10pm.

In terms of programming, the new network will carry a blend of programmes from The WB and UPN. The shows mentioned in today's announcement from CBS are America's Next Top Model, Beauty and the Geek, Smallville, Gilmore Girls, Supernatural, Veronica Mars, Everybody Hates Chris, Girlfriends, Reba, and WWE Smackdown. Notable in their absence are One Tree Hill and Charmed, although exclusion or inclusion in the list by no means guarantees continuation on The CW.


Well it looks like the era of Buffy and Dawson's Creek was really the highpoint of the WB.

Wow, I just read this. It's gonna be insane. A lot of shows are gonna die in this merger though. Well, as long as Veronica Mars, GG and Smallville survive, I'm alright with this.

NOooooooooooooo I <3 the WB 11 morning news and WB 11 new @ 10
THEY BETTER STAY AND GET RID OF THE UPN CRAP NEWS

That's pretty intense.
But it's a smart move - the two audiences combined should make for much better ratings. (assuming viewership is loyal)

Just keep Veronica and no one gets hurt.

They mentioned VM in the list of shows they want to keep so its safe. They like the critical acclaim that comes with it. And Veronica Mars could start finding a bigger audience because it will be surrounded by shows (Smallville,Gilmore Girls etc...) that are much more compatiable with it then a show like America's Next Top Model.

Anyway, THEY HAVE TO CHANGE THE NAME! The CW is TERRIBLE! It has no ring to it and does not make me think of a network with quality programming at all.

What a stupid name

CBS+The WB=The CW

YUCKY!

I love how they don't even use the UPN name in it LMAO!

Techinally it's a merger of CBS and Warner Brothers names, which are the overseers of UPN and WB.

Yes yesm Warner Bros is WB. But still

Anyways...what's staying from each netlet to become part of the new netlet
(and why ont expand to 3 hours? yeesh)

WB -
Gilmore Girls
Supernatural
Smallville
Most of their Friday Night lineup

UPN -
Veronica Mars
Everybody Hates Chris

Um...and...

I am only hoping the return and bonus success for Veronica Mars!!! Anyways, I am still sad for the loss of 7th Heaven, but I am guessing that show as getting old anyways...

So will this be a public channel still? or will it go into cable?

I'm cool as long as they keep Smallville and that dorky Amanda Bynes show.

DAMN I was just about to post this.

This is an AMAZING move and now it can get closer to becoming a part of the big 4.

I don't think the Amanda Bynes show will be kept, because amanda is going off to college

I'd like to see Charmed remain, but it's unlikely. OTH Ratings suck recently, not that I care because I don't watch it, so I don't know how that will turn out either.

VM must stay. <3

I heard about this a while ago; but I didn't know it was serious. WOW. I think it's kinda cool. They are much alike in many ways, maybe they can finally get on a track with FOX if they get more markets

No, "One Tree Hill" will stay. They put too much money into it and not to mention things like soundtracks; I don't see it going anywhere; "What I Like About You" will be gone. I think also gone when CW mergers, will be "7th Heaven", "Charmed", "Twins", "Living With Fran", "Related", "Half & Half", "Cuts", "Eve", a toss up between "All of Us" and "One on One", "Love, INC", and obviously the dud "South Beach", I'm curious as to see what the schedule will be!

Thank God ANTM will survive.

ok now i get it, because the WB69 news move to the NBC7 studios
i was like "what?"

mm thats pretty sad, the only lasted 11 years

this is gonna sux & what's gonna happen to the saturday morning kiddie shows are they gonna get the aux like pokemon.

.......

How sad. Last week's WB ratings:
#1 Gilmore Girls (new/Tuesday) 5,670,000
#2 Smallville (new/Thursday) 4,900,000
#3 Supernatural (new/Tuesday) 3,860,000
#4 Beauty and The Geek (new/Thursday) 4,170,000
#5 Reba (new/Friday) 3,850,000
#6 Charmed (new/Sunday) 3,670,000
#7 7th Heaven (Monday) 2,990,000
#8 Twins (new/Friday) 2,760,000
#9 Beauty and The Geek (Wednesday) 2,690,000
#10 One Tree Hill (new/Wednesday) 2,670,000
#11 Reba Beginnings (Sunday) 2,470,000
#12 Supernatural (Sunday) 2,210,000
#13 What I Like Abot You (new/Friday) 2,010,000
#14 Living With Fran (new/Friday) 1,980,000
#15 Related (Monday) 1,400,000
(Taken from "Charmed: The Prophecy" Boards)

Two repeat shows beat One Tree Hill. But I never said that OTH would be cancelled, I just said it's ratings were horrible. Which they are in the bottom tier of shows, and many shows in the past have been cancelled with much higher ratings (ie Angel went out with upwards of 4 million viewers, I think), but I agree the WB does have a lot in OTH, with the soundtracks and such. It's hard to tell for now, we'll just have to wait and see. Reba's numbers were so high because of the 100th episode... and I think Beauty and the Geek was a premiere