Editing Paramount Network (section)

{{short description|American television channel}}
{{About|a present-day television channel|the streaming service|Paramount+|the international networks|Paramount Network (international)|the defunct television network|UPN}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name = Paramount Network
| logo = [[File:Paramount Network 2024.svg|220px|class=skin-invert]]
| logo_size = 220px
| logo_caption = Logo used since February 25, 2024
| type = [[Generalist channel|General entertainment]] cable network
| country = United States
| area = Nationwide
| headquarters = One Astor Plaza, [[New York City|New York]], United States
| language = English
| picture_format = [[1080i]] [[HDTV]]<br />(downscaled to [[letterbox (filming)|letterbox]]ed [[480i]] for the [[SDTV]] feed)
| owner = [[Paramount Media Networks]] ([[Paramount Global]])
| parent = [[Paramount Media Networks#MTV Entertainment Group|MTV Entertainment Group]]
| key_people = {{plainlist|
* Chris McCarthy (President, Entertainment & Youth Brands, Paramount Media Networks)
* Tanya Giles ([[General Manager|GM]]){{efn|In addition to oversight for Paramount Network, duties of the noted executives also include oversight of sister networks [[Comedy Central]] and [[TV Land]].|group=note|name=executives}}
* Rob O’Neill ([[Vice President|SVP]], Programming & Promotion Strategy){{efn|group=note|name=executives}}
* Debbie Beiter (Senior Vice President, Operations and Production){{efn|group=note|name=executives}}
}}
| sister_channels = {{collapsible list|
* [[CBS]]
* [[CBS Sports Network]]
* [[CBS Sports HQ]]
* [[CBS Sports Golazo Network]]
* [[MTV]]
* [[MTV2]]
* [[MTV Live (TV network)|MTV Live]]
* [[MTV Classic (American TV channel)|MTV Classic]]
* [[BET]]
* [[BET Gospel]]
* [[BET Her]]
* [[BET Hip-Hop]]
* [[BET Jams]]
* [[BET Soul]]
* [[VH1]]
* [[Nickelodeon]]
* [[Nick Jr. Channel]]
* [[Nicktoons (American TV channel)|Nicktoons]]
* [[TeenNick]]
* [[Comedy Central]]
* [[TV Land]]
* [[Logo TV|Logo]]
* [[CMT (American TV channel)|CMT]]
* [[Pop (American TV channel)|Pop TV]]
* [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]]
* [[The Movie Channel]]
* [[Flix (TV network)|Flix]]
* [[Smithsonian Channel]]
}}
| launch_date = {{Start date and age|1983|3|7}}
| former_names = {{Plainlist|'''[[The Nashville Network]]'''<br>(1983–2000)<br>'''The National Network'''<br>(2000–2001)<br>'''The New TNN'''<br>(2001–2003)<br>'''Spike TV'''<br>(2003–2006)<br>'''Spike'''<br>(2006–2018)
}}
| website = {{URL|1=https://www.paramountnetwork.com/|2=paramountnetwork.com}}
| online_serv_1 = Associated Streaming Service
| online_chan_1 = [[Paramount+]]
| online_serv_2 = Service(s)
| online_chan_2 = [[YouTube TV]], [[Hulu + Live TV]], [[Philo]], [[FuboTV]]
}}

'''Paramount Network''' is an American basic [[cable television]] channel and the flagship property of the [[Paramount Media Networks]] division of [[Paramount Global]], who operates it through the [[MTV Entertainment Group]]. The network's headquarters are located at the [[Paramount Pictures]] studio lot in [[Los Angeles]]. The channel was originally founded by a partnership between radio station [[WSM (AM)|WSM]] and [[Westinghouse Broadcasting]] as '''[[The Nashville Network]] (TNN)''' and began broadcasting on March 7, 1983.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1983/03/05/Nashville-Network-giant-commercial-for-country-music/4663415688400/|title=Nashville Network -- Giant Commercial for Country Music|last=Schwed|first=Mark|date=March 5, 1983|website=UPI|access-date=March 18, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=The Nashville Network Begins With Optimism|agency=UPI|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1983/03/11/arts/the-nashville-network-begins-with-optimism.html|date=March 11, 1983|work=The New York Times|id={{ProQuest|122145731}}}}</ref> 

It initially featured programming catering towards the culture of the [[Southern United States]], including [[country music]], [[variety show]]s, outdoors programming, and [[motor racing]] coverage (such as [[NASCAR]]). TNN was purchased by the [[Gaylord Entertainment Company]] in 1983.<ref>{{Cite news|work=The New York Times|title=Grand Ole Opry Finds a Buyer|last=Berg|first=Eric N.|date=July 2, 1983|id={{ProQuest|122147165}}}}</ref> After Gaylord bought [[Country Music Television|CMT]] in 1991, TNN's music programming was shifted to CMT, leaving TNN to focus on entertainment and lifestyle programming.

In 1995, [[The Nashville Network|TNN]] and [[CMT (American TV channel)|CMT]] were acquired by Westinghouse (owner of [[CBS]]), which was in turn acquired by [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]] in 1999. Under Viacom ownership, TNN would phase out country-influenced programming in favor of a general entertainment format appealing to [[Middle America (United States)|Middle America]]. It was renamed '''The National Network''' in September 2000, coinciding with the network premiere of ''[[WWE Raw|WWF Raw]]''. In August 2003, TNN relaunched as '''Spike TV''', which targeted a [[Men's interest channel|young adult male audience]]. From June 2006, the network's programming had a more explicit focus on the action genre, while in 2010, the network had an increased focus on original reality series. This culminated with a final rebrand in 2015 to emphasize gender-balanced series (such as ''[[Lip Sync Battle]]'') and a return to original scripted programming. 

On January 18, 2018, the channel took its current name, aiming to align the network with its Paramount Pictures (which previously lent its name to the [[UPN|United Paramount Network]], which is now [[The CW]]), and to position Spike as a flagship, "[[Pay television|premium]]" channel (similar to pay television networks [[HBO]] and [[Cinemax]], which are both owned by [[Home Box Office, Inc.]]). Paramount Network's most successful original program was ''[[Yellowstone (American TV series)|Yellowstone]]—''which quickly became its flagship series, and has spawned multiple spin-offs on [[Paramount+]], the streaming service owned by its parent company [[Paramount Global]]. The network has also featured limited engagements of new Paramount+ original series by ''Yellowstone'' co-creator [[Taylor Sheridan]], using ''Yellowstone'' as a lead-in. 

Between 2020 and 2021, most of Paramount Network's [[List of programs broadcast by Paramount Network|original programming]] would either be cancelled, or moved to other Paramount Global outlets, as part of a proposed plan to relaunch the network with a focus on [[Television film|made-for-TV films]]. By January 2022, these plans had been scrapped due to the impact of [[COVID-19 pandemic|COVID-19]], and the success of the ''Yellowstone'' franchise; leaving it, and Spike holdover ''[[Bar Rescue]]'', as the channel's only original, first-run programs. {{As of|2023|12}}, approximately 61.33 million pay television households in the United States received Paramount Network;<ref>{{cite web|url=https://wrestlenomics.com/u-s-cable-network-households-universe-1990-2023-nielsen-data/|title=U.S. cable network households (universe), 1990 – 2023|website=wrestlenomics.com|date=May 14, 2024|access-date=July 28, 2019}}</ref> down from 80.24 million in September 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://awfulannouncing.com/espn/nielsen-coverage-estimates-september-espn-nbcsn-nbatv-mlbn-nfln.html|title=Nielsen coverage estimates for September see gains at ESPN networks, NBCSN, and NBA TV, drops at MLBN and NFLN|website=awfulannouncing.com|date=10 September 2018 |access-date=July 28, 2019}}</ref>