The CW facts for kids
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| Type | Broadcast TV network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Affiliates |
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| Headquarters | Burbank, California, U.S. |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Picture format | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Nexstar Media Group (75%) Paramount Global (12.5%) Warner Bros. Discovery (12.5%) |
| Parent | The CW Network, LLC |
| Key people |
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| History | |
| Founded | January 24, 2006 |
| Launched | September 18, 2006 |
| Replaced | |
The CW Television Network, often called The CW, is an American TV network. It broadcasts shows across the country. Nexstar Media Group owns most of it (75%). The name "CW" comes from its first owners: CBS Corporation and Warner Bros.. These companies later changed names to Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery. They still own a small part of The CW.
The CW started on September 18, 2006. It took over from two older networks, UPN and the WB, which closed just before it. The first shows on The CW were reruns and special launch programs. Its official start was September 20, 2006, with a new season of America's Next Top Model. The network first aimed for viewers aged 18 to 34. Later, it focused more on women in that age group. By 2017, its audience was split evenly between men and women.
The CW broadcasts shows every day of the week. It has prime time shows every evening. On Saturday mornings, it airs an educational block called One Magnificent Morning. This block is produced by Hearst Media Production Group.
You can also watch The CW in parts of Canada and Mexico. This is possible through stations near the borders. Some stations are owned by Nexstar. Others are affiliates that carry CW shows.
How The CW Started
Before The CW: Two Networks Merge
Two TV networks, The WB and UPN, both started in January 1995. They tried to be like the successful Fox network. Over about 11 years, both networks had some popular shows. These included Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Smallville, and America's Next Top Model.
However, by the early 2000s, both The WB and UPN were struggling. They weren't as popular as Fox or the "Big Three" networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC). Over 11 years, the two networks lost a lot of money.
So, on January 24, 2006, CBS and Time Warner (who owned UPN and The WB) made a big announcement. They decided to close UPN and The WB. Instead, they would combine their efforts to create a new network: The CW Television Network. They wanted to make new shows just for this network. The name "CW" came from the first letters of CBS and Warner Bros.
When The CW launched, it picked up 13 popular shows from its old networks. Seven came from The WB, like 7th Heaven and Supernatural. Six came from UPN, including America's Next Top Model and Everybody Hates Chris. The CW decided to use The WB's schedule style. This was because The WB had more hours of programming each week.
Early Years: Finding Its Way
The CW aimed its shows at younger audiences, just like UPN and The WB. CBS and Time Warner hoped this new network would become a fifth "major" TV network. The CW officially launched on September 18, 2006. Its first big premiere was America's Next Top Model on September 20.
Even with popular shows, The CW had a tough time at first. It struggled to get many viewers. Sometimes, even the Spanish-language network Univision had more viewers. This made some people wonder if CBS and Time Warner would give up on the network.
But things started to get better around 2008-2010. New shows like Gossip Girl, 90210, and The Vampire Diaries became popular. These shows especially attracted young women. The owners of The CW said they were still committed to the network.
In 2009, The CW stopped airing shows on Sunday nights. This meant they focused only on weeknights. They also kept their Saturday morning kids' block.
New Shows and More Success
In 2011, Mark Pedowitz became the new president of The CW. He wanted to bring comedies back to the network. He also changed the target audience. Instead of just women, it would be an "18–34 adult network."
The CW also made a big deal with streaming service Netflix in 2011. This deal allowed Netflix to stream old seasons of CW shows. This helped The CW make money.
New superhero shows like Arrow became very popular. Arrow was based on DC Comics' Green Arrow. It brought in many viewers, especially young men. This success led to another superhero show, The Flash. The Flash became the most-watched show on the network.
Other shows like Jane the Virgin also did well. Jane the Virgin won a Golden Globe Award. This was a big achievement for The CW. By 2015, the network had more viewers than it had in years.
The superhero universe, called the Arrowverse, kept growing. DC's Legends of Tomorrow joined the lineup. In 2016, Supergirl moved to The CW from CBS. The network also started making shows based on other well-known stories, like Riverdale (from Archie Comics) and a new Dynasty.
Streaming Deals and Expansion
Selling CW shows to Netflix and other countries was very profitable. This meant The CW almost stopped canceling shows. It also expanded its broadcast schedule. In 2018, The CW added Sunday night programming again. This made their prime time schedule longer.
In 2019, CBS and Viacom merged to form ViacomCBS. This made them co-owners of The CW with AT&T's WarnerMedia.
However, The CW's Netflix deal ended in 2019. The parent companies wanted to use their shows for their own streaming services. Warner Bros. shows from The CW started going to HBO Max. This also led to new ways of working together. For example, Stargirl was first shown on a streaming service, then on The CW.
In 2021, The CW expanded its programming to Saturday nights. This meant The CW now had shows every night of the week. It was the first time in the network's history.
Nexstar Takes Over
In January 2022, news came out that WarnerMedia and ViacomCBS might sell The CW. Nexstar Media Group, which owned many CW stations, was interested.
In May 2022, The CW canceled many shows. This was more than usual. Shows like Batwoman, Charmed, and Legends of Tomorrow were among them. More shows were canceled later.
On August 15, Nexstar announced it would buy 75% of The CW. Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery (the new name for WarnerMedia) would each keep 12.5%. Nexstar said it wanted to make The CW profitable by 2025. They planned to spend less on shows. They also wanted to attract a wider audience, not just young people.
On October 3, Nexstar officially took over. The longtime CEO, Mark Pedowitz, left. Dennis Miller became the new president. Nexstar said that by the 2023–24 season, there would be fewer shows from Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery.
New Focus: Linear TV and Sports
In 2023, The CW changed its focus. It appointed Heather Olander to lead unscripted (reality) programming. Many scripted show executives left. The network's schedule for 2023–24 mostly featured acquired shows (from outside the U.S.) and unscripted series.
The CW also started focusing on sports. It launched CW Sports. It got the rights to LIV Golf (a golf tour). Then it added ACC college football and basketball games. It will also air NASCAR Xfinity Series races starting in September 2024. And WWE NXT will move to The CW in October 2024.
In January 2024, The CW updated its brand. It got a new logo with a bolder look. Its main color changed from green to red-orange. The word "The" was removed from the logo. This was to make the brand more consistent.
What The CW Shows
Network Schedule
As of October 2023, The CW broadcasts 18 hours of shows each week. This includes 15 hours of prime time shows. These air Monday through Saturday evenings and Sunday evenings.
On Saturday mornings, The CW has a three-hour educational block. It's called "One Magnificent Morning". This block is made by Hearst Media Production Group.
Like Fox, The CW does not air shows during the 10:00 p.m. hour. This is different from ABC, CBS, and NBC. The CW also doesn't have national news, late-night shows, or daytime shows. Because of this, local CW stations fill these times with their own programs. Most stations show syndicated programs. Some stations, like WPIX in New York City, air local news.
The "One Magnificent Morning" block is usually shown at the same time everywhere. The last CW show that was carried over from the old networks was Supernatural. It aired its final episode in November 2020.
The CW used to have "Content Wraps" during commercials. These were short ads that tied into the shows. They were a way to advertise products. But viewers didn't like them much.
News on The CW
The CW does not make its own national news. However, in December 2023, it showed a debate from its sister network NewsNation. This was the first national news program on The CW under Nexstar's ownership.
Nexstar also started a Sunday morning political talk show. It's a team-up between The CW, NewsNation, and The Hill. This show, called The Hill Sunday, started airing on The CW in April 2024.
Most CW stations don't have their own news teams. But a few do, like WPIX in New York City and KTLA in Los Angeles. These stations have long histories of local news. Other CW stations often get their news from another local TV station. This happens a lot if they are owned by the same company.
CW stations often air morning news shows. These compete with national morning shows. They also often have prime time news at 10:00 p.m.
Sports on The CW
The CW started broadcasting sports in January 2023. It got the rights to LIV Golf. This was the first national sports deal for The CW. Some stations chose not to air LIV Golf. In those areas, it was shown on other Nexstar-owned stations.
In July 2023, The CW announced it would air 50 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) college football and basketball games. These broadcasts are produced by Raycom Sports.
The CW also got the rights to the NASCAR Xfinity Series. This seven-year deal starts in September 2024. The CW will show 33 races each year.
In November 2023, it was announced that WWE NXT would move to The CW. This wrestling show will start airing in October 2024. This brings WWE programming back to The CW for the first time since 2013.
Some local CW stations also show college or professional sports games. For example, WPIX in New York City shows New York Mets baseball games.
Kids' Shows on The CW
The CW has had different blocks of kids' shows on Saturday mornings.
- Kids' WB: When The CW launched in 2006, it carried over the "Kids' WB" block from the old WB network. This block ended in May 2008.
- The CW4Kids: In May 2008, 4Kids Entertainment took over the Saturday morning block. It was called "The CW4Kids". It later changed its name to "Toonzai". This block ended in August 2012.
- Vortexx: From August 2012, Saban Brands ran the kids' block. It was called "Vortexx". It showed action-adventure and comedy shows. This block ended in October 2014.
- One Magnificent Morning: Since October 2014, Litton Entertainment (now Hearst Media Production Group) has produced the Saturday morning block. It's called "One Magnificent Morning". It features live-action educational shows about wildlife and lifestyles. This block helps The CW meet rules for educational programming.
CW Stations
The CW has many stations across the United States. Nexstar Media Group owns or operates 46 of them. The network reaches almost all homes in the U.S. Some states, like Delaware and New Hampshire, don't have their own local CW stations. But people there can usually watch The CW from nearby states or on cable.
The CW also has a special service called the CW Plus. This service provides programming to smaller markets. It's carried on local stations or cable-only channels. The CW Plus offers its own schedule of syndicated shows and movies.
Issues with Stations
- Time Warner Cable Problems: When The CW first started, some cable customers couldn't watch it. This was because stations and Time Warner Cable couldn't agree on deals.
- Pappas Telecasting Bankruptcy: One of The CW's big station owners, Pappas Telecasting, went bankrupt in 2008. They said The CW's low ratings were part of the problem. Some of their CW stations closed or changed affiliations.
- Tribune's Relationship with The CW: Tribune Media owned many CW stations. In 2008, one of their stations in San Diego switched to Fox. Other Tribune-owned CW stations started to use less of The CW's name in their branding. Later, Tribune and The CW had talks about a new deal. In 2016, Tribune's Chicago station, WGN-TV, left The CW. It became an independent station.
- Roberts Broadcasting Bankruptcy: Another station owner, Roberts Broadcasting, also filed for bankruptcy in 2011. They had problems after losing UPN affiliations. Some of their stations also changed affiliations.
- DirecTV Dispute: In July 2023, Nexstar had a disagreement with DirecTV. This caused a temporary blackout of The CW on DirecTV. They reached a new agreement in September 2023.
- Paramount's Withdrawal: As part of the sale to Nexstar, Paramount Global decided to pull its eight CW stations from the network. This happened in September 2023. Nexstar found new stations to carry The CW in those areas.
Other CW Services
Watching Shows Online
The CW lets you watch full episodes of its shows online. You can use its website, CWTV.com, or its mobile apps. Shows are usually available the day after they air.
The CW also had deals with streaming services like Hulu and Netflix. These deals allowed people to watch past seasons of CW shows. The Netflix deal was very important for The CW. It helped the network make money. In 2019, The CW and Netflix did not renew their deal. Now, Warner Bros.-produced CW shows go to Max.
The CW also has a service called CW On Demand. This lets cable and internet TV customers watch shows.
High-Definition TV
The CW broadcasts its shows in high definition (HD). All of its prime time shows have been in HD since 2012. The Saturday morning educational block is also in HD.
CW Seed
CW Seed was a special part of The CW. It made original shows just for online viewing. These included animated series, game shows, and comedies. CW Seed was a separate streaming platform. It was available on devices like Roku and Amazon Fire TV.
CW Seed produced web series like Vixen. It also got streaming rights to shows from BBC Studios. In 2022, the CW Seed app and website were brought back into The CW's main website.
See also
In Spanish: The CW para niños
