Pax TV (1998–2005) Ion Television

the network s original logo pax tv, used august 31, 1998 june 30, 2005. initial version (as prototype logo used prior launch) featured dove above x.

the network founded lowell bud paxson, co-founder of home shopping network , chairman of parent company paxson communications (the forerunner current ion media networks). called pax net, renamed pax tv (often referred pax ) – dual reference founder , corporate parent, , latin word peace – shortly before launch. paxson, felt television programs aired other broadcast networks raunchy , not family-friendly enough, had decided create network perceived alternative. since new network focus on programming tailored family audiences, pax tv maintained considerably more conservative programming content policy major commercial television networks, restricting profanity, violence , sexual content; accordingly, many of network s acquired programs edited remove sexual , overt violent content, while profane language muted.

most of network s initial affiliates paxson communications-owned affiliate stations of infomall tv network (intv), network launched paxson in 1995 relied on infomercials , other brokered programming. during late spring , summer of 1998, half-hour preview special hosted former waltons star richard thomas, featuring interviews lowell paxson pax s development , initial programming, aired on intv stations slated become charter outlets of new network.

pax tv launched on august 31, 1998, network s initial schedule being larger in scope in later years. @ launch, pax aired general entertainment programming on weekdays 12:00 p.m. 12:00 a.m. , weekends 4:00 11:00 p.m. eastern , pacific time. through agreement dic entertainment, schedule included children s program block called cloud 9 on saturdays 6:00 11:00 , sundays 7:00 9:00 a.m. eastern , pacific. in addition, network aired religious programming through time-lease agreements worship network (which aired overnight programming on pax 7 nights week) , praise tv (featuring contemporary christian music , other faith-based programs aimed @ teenagers , young adults, aired on friday , saturday late-nights 12:00 3:00 a.m. eastern , pacific until 2000). remainder of schedule filled paid programming.

initial programming on pax tv consisted of first-run shows (such true story profile series s miracle, game show reel reel picture show, , talk shows woman s day , great day america), along reruns of older programming (including highway heaven, here s lucy, hogan family, dave s world, touched angel, , new episodes , older reruns of candid camera, latter of moved network following revival series cancellation cbs earlier in 1998). network produced original drama series such sue thomas: f.b.eye, doc, mysterious ways (which originated on nbc), hope island , twice in lifetime through programming division paxson entertainment. pax aired many game shows including first-run revivals of established games originated on cable networks such supermarket sweep , shop til drop, along original game shows such on cover, balderdash, 2002 revival of beat clock, hollywood showdown (in conjunction game show network, aired show) , born lucky. network later carry reruns of syndicated revival of family feud (consisting of episodes louie anderson, richard karn , john o hurley s tenures host, airing on one-year delay original syndication broadcast) and, due alliance nbc, weakest link (both anne robinson-hosted network run , george gray-hosted syndicated version) 2000 revival of twenty one.

in september 1999, nbc purchased 32% share of paxson communications $415 million in convertible stock, option expand interest 49% february 2002, pending changes in ownership regulations set federal communications commission (fcc) allow acquire additional television stations. nbc later sold share in network paxson in november 2003.

in lieu of national news program, in 2000, paxson communications signed agreement jackson, mississippi-based weathervision – produces weather forecast inserts television stations in markets not operate in-house news department or maintain news share agreement local station – produce tomorrow s weather tonight, five-minute national forecast segment aired monday through friday nights @ conclusion of pax tv s entertainment schedule. starting in 2001, many pax stations entered news share agreements local major network affiliate (mostly involving nbc-affiliated stations, though involved affiliate of abc or cbs) air tape-delayed broadcasts of evening, , in markets, morning newscasts partner station; in few cases, agreement partner produced live newscasts pax station (as examples of latter, nbc affiliate wthr in indianapolis produced prime time newscast pax o&o wipx-tv february june 2005, after cbs affiliate wish-tv (now cw affiliate) took on production of newscast wthr had been producing upn affiliate wndy-tv (now mynetworktv affiliate) since 1996; cleveland nbc affiliate wkyc-tv produced evening newscasts wvpx-tv focused on o&o s city of license, nearby akron). in cities, major network affiliate provided engineering , other office services pax station.

in effort increase revenue due low viewership , other financial issues, pax gradually increased amount of paid programming content on schedule throughout 2000s, @ expense of general entertainment programming. infomercials , other types of brokered programs became dominant form of programming during network s broadcast day; january 2005, time pax tv had allocated entertainment programs had been reduced 6 hours on weekdays (from 6:00 p.m. 12:00 a.m.) , 5 hours on weekends (from 6:00 11:00 p.m. eastern , pacific time). original programming affected network s programming changes; pax tv offering 5 or 6 new series each season. however, in 2003, number of new series aired on pax dwindled two: sue thomas: f.b.eye, cancelled in 2005, , doc, cancelled in 2004 after pax s international backer, canadian broadcast network ctv, pulled out of producing shows. network seemingly recovered year later when 7 series made pax s 2004–05 schedule.