Editing Paramount Network (section)

=== The Nashville Network (1983–2000) ===
{{Main|The Nashville Network}}

The Nashville Network first launched on March 7, 1983; it was dedicated to the culture and lifestyle of [[country music]] and the [[Southern United States]].<ref name="TNN history">{{Cite web|url=http://www.country.com/tnn/history/history-f.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000301171349/http://www.country.com/tnn/history/history-f.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=2000-03-01|title=TNN history |date=March 1, 2000}}</ref>  It originally operated as a [[joint venture]] of WSM, Inc., at the time owned by [[National Life and Accident Insurance Company]], and [[Westinghouse Broadcasting|Group W]] Satellite Communications. TNN operated from the now-defunct [[Opryland USA]] theme park near [[Nashville|Nashville, Tennessee]]. [[Country Music Television]] (CMT), founded by Glenn D. Daniels, beat TNN's launch by two days, robbing them of the claim of the "first country music cable television network." TNN's flagship shows included ''[[Nashville Now]]'', ''[[The Statler Brothers Show]]'', ''[[American Sports Cavalcade]]'' and ''[[Grand Ole Opry]] Live''. ''Nashville Now'' and the ''Grand Ole Opry'' were broadcast live from Opryland USA.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{cite web|url=http://www.countrystandardtime.com/d/editorial.asp?xid=102|title=Goodbye Nashville Network|work=Country Standard Time|date=November 2000|access-date=February 12, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Country Comes to Cable|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,923376,00.html?iid=chix-sphere|last=Stengel|first=Richard|date=March 21, 1987|magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]]|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070930135815/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,923376,00.html?iid=chix-sphere|archive-date=30 September 2007}}</ref>

The [[Ryman Hospitality Properties|Gaylord Entertainment Company]] purchased WSM, along with TNN and the Opryland properties, in the latter half of 1987. Much of TNN's programming (except for its sports) during the Gaylord era was originally produced by Opryland Productions, also owned by Gaylord Entertainment.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9507E6DB1439F932A25750C0A965948260|title=The Nashville Network Begins With Optimism|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 11, 1987|access-date=February 12, 2017}}</ref> From 1983 to 1992, all of TNN's auto racing and motor sports coverage was produced by Diamond P Sports. Starting in 1993, TNN started having its [[NASCAR]] coverage produced by World Sports Enterprises, and the [[American Speed Association]] (ASA) coverage produced by Group 5 Sports, while Diamond P continued to produce most of the rest of the racing coverage. Programming included variety shows, [[talk show]]s, [[game show]]s, outdoor shows (such as hunting and fishing), and lifestyle shows; all centered in some way around country music or the country style of living.<ref>{{cite book|last=Banks|first=Jack|title=Monopoly Television: MTV's Quest to Control the Music|publisher=Westview Press|year=1996|location=Boulder, Colorado|page=[https://archive.org/details/monopolytelevisi0000bank/page/59 59]|url= https://archive.org/details/monopolytelevisi0000bank|url-access=registration|quote=the nashville network.|isbn=0-8133-1821-1}}</ref>

Some of TNN's popular on-air talent included local Nashville media personalities [[Ralph Emery]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cmaawards.com/2007/hof/default.asp|title=2015 CMA Awards - Country Music's Biggest Night|work=2015 CMA Awards|access-date=June 6, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514021128/http://www.cmaawards.com/2007/hof/default.asp|archive-date=May 14, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Dan Miller (journalist)|Dan Miller]], [[Charlie Chase (broadcaster)|Charlie Chase]] and [[Lorianne Crook]], as well as established stars such as country music singer [[Bill Anderson (singer)|Bill Anderson]] and actresses [[Florence Henderson]] and [[Dinah Shore]]. By 1995, TNN was acquired by [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation]], which had recently acquired [[CBS]] around that time; two years later, Westinghouse bought CMT, TNN's chief competitor. In 1998, the channel dropped its "The Nashville Network" moniker and shortened its official name to TNN. Ownership shifted to [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]] in the late 1990s after its acquisition of CBS Corporation, Westinghouse's successor.<ref name="autogenerated1"/>