Paramount Quietly Shuts Down TV Network Without Warning
The media world has undergone a number of significant changes over the past few months with moves that altered how viewers watch their favorite networks and shows.
Just last month, Comcast officially announced the separation of most of its cable networks into a separate entity called Versant Media Group. Immediately following the spin-off, Versant acquired Free TV Networks – billed as a “leading provider of national premium free over-the-air digital broadcast networks (‘diginets’) and free ad-supported streaming TV (FAST) channels.”
Versant's new deal made an immediate change to one specific TV network: Fave TV.
What Is Fave TV?
Fave TV was a digital television network owned by Paramount Skydance Corporation through its CBS Entertainment Group division. It was initially soft-launched back in December 2020, "appearing quietly as a subchannel on CBS-owned television stations without any accompanying promotional campaigns, dedicated website, or social media presence," according to CordCutters News.
Fave TV was primarily distributed by local CBS TV stations in major markets like Atlanta, Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Los Angeles, Miami, New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, San Francisco, Seattle and Tampa.
The network's programming was mostly taken from the program archives of Paramount Skydance's adult networks, alongside reruns of syndicated sitcoms like The Office and Married with Children. Shortly before the network's end, it was showing titles like Bar Rescue, Run’s House and Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders.
Fave TV Shuttered
The network went off the air early Sunday morning, according to TV listings reviewed by The Desk. Paramount did not announce the closure of the network, and a website that featured programming-related information for Fave TV now redirects to the website of Paramount Plus.
Programming in the subchannel space vacated by Fave TV has already been reassigned, with four multicast networks 365BLK, Outlaw, Defy and Busted being operated by Versant's new acquisition, Free TV.