TruTV

Infobox TV channel
name = truTV
logofile = TruTV logo.svg
logosize = 200
logoalt =
logo2 =
launch = July 1, 1991 (as Court TV)
January 1, 2008 (as truTV)
closed date =
picture format=480i (SDTV) and 1080i (HDTV)
network = Turner Broadcasting System
owner = Time Warner
slogan = Not Reality. Actuality.
country = United States
broadcast area =
headquarters =
former names = Courtroom Television Network, or Court TV (July 1, 1991–December 31, 2007)
replaced names =
sister names =
timeshift names =
web = [http://www.trutv.com/ truTV.com]
sat serv 1 = DirecTV
sat chan 1 = Channel 246
Channel 1246 (VOD)
sat serv 2 = Dish Network
sat chan 2 = Channel 204
cable serv 1 = Available on most cable systems
cable chan 1 = Check local listings for details

truTV is an American cable television network owned by Time Warner through its subsidiary, Turner Broadcasting. Named Court TV until December 31 2007, the basis of the network's programing has traditionally been and still is live trial coverage and law enforcement/investigation-related shows; however, the network is branching out into some non-law enforcement related "real life reality television" or as truTV calls it, "actuality" television. CTVglobemedia's CourtTV Canada still continues to operate in Canada without the truTV branding.

History

As Court TV

TruTV was formed in 1991 as Court TV, the former name which is still used in Canada. It began as a joint venture owned by Liberty Media (50%), Time Warner (25%) and NBC (25%) and led by Steven Brill. The network originally featured continuous live trial coverage, with analysis by anchors. The network came into its own during the O.J. Simpson trial.

Brill left the network in 1997. In 1998, NBC sold its share of the network to Time Warner. That same year, it began running several original and acquired programming in prime time, such as "" and "Forensic Files".

In 2004, recognizing the growth of its primetime programming, Court TV split itself into two divisions. Daytime trial coverage was branded as Court TV News, while primetime and weekend programming was branded as Court TV: Seriously Entertaining.

Time Warner bought full control of Court TV in 2006 and began running it as part of Turner Broadcasting. [http://www.usatoday.com/money/media/2006-05-15-court-tv-usat_x.htm Time Warner buys remaining part of Court TV] , "USA Today", May 15, 2006] The buyout of Court TV marks Time Warner's first instance of buying a TV network, rather than selling one, since the acquisition of TBS Networks in 1996.

Transition to truTV

As part of the rebranding, daytime trial coverage, which previously aired from 9:00AM Eastern/8:00AM Central to 5:00PM Eastern/4:00PM Central, was cut back to 9:00AM Eastern/8:00AM Central to 3:00PM Eastern/2:00PM Central and branded as "In Session." From 3:00PM Eastern/2:00PM Central to 4:00AM Eastern/3:00AM Central on weekdays and throughout the weekend, it runs original investigation-based programming, as well as several new non-law enforcement related reality shows.

TruTV HD

TruTV HD launched January 1, 2008. It is currently available on Comcast. It is also available on DirecTV Channel 246.

tation presentation

July 1, 1991 to April 12, 1999
April 13, 1999 to 2005 [ [http://www.mywire.com/pubs/CableFAXsCableWORLD/1999/04/05/298134?extID=10051 Court TV Debuts New $10M Thumbprint: New logo, slogan, programs on tap for network beginning April 12] mywire.com]
2005 to December 31, 2007 [ [http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117920239.html?categoryid=1237&cs=1 Court TV rules in favor of new logo, branding] variety.com]
January 1, 2008

"In Session"

s and shares analysis from anchors and guests to help viewers understand legal proceedings.

In Session also runs a blog, "Sidebar," where the "In Session" team posts updated legal news and analysis.

Programs

*"Lisa Bloom: Open Court" with Lisa Bloom
*"Best Defense" with Jami Floyd
*"Banfield & Ford: Courtside" with Ashleigh Banfield and Jack Ford

Anchors, correspondents, and contributors

* Ashleigh Banfield
* Lisa Bloom
* Jean Casarez
* Jami Floyd
* Jack Ford
* Fred Graham
* Eddie Hayes
* Beth Karas
* Rikki Klieman
* Ron Kuby
* Star Jones Reynolds
* Adaora Udoji

Former Court TV personalities

*Dan Abrams
*Catherine Crier
*Nancy Grace
*Savannah Guthrie
*Gregg Jarrett
*Terry Moran
*Vinnie Politan
*Kimberly Guilfoyle

Primetime programming

*"50 Crimes That Captivated America"
*"ACLU Freedom Files"
*"Al Roker Investigates"
*"Anatomy of Crime"
*"Bait Car"
*"Beach Patrol: Honolulu"
*"Beach Patrol: Miami"
*""
*"Black Gold"
*"Body of Evidence"
*""
*"Brooklyn North"
*"Cops"
*""
*"The First Amendment Project"
*"Forensic Files"
*"Getting a Ticket in America"
*"Haunting Evidence"
*"Hip Hop Justice"
*"Hollywood Heat"
*"Hollywood Justice"
*"Home of the Brave"
*"Hot Pursuit"
*"I, Detective"
*"Inside: Supercops"
*"Inside: Supermax"
*"Inside: Vice Squad Miami"
*"The Investigators"
*"Jail" (known as Inside American Jail on Tru TV)
*"L.A. Forensics"
*"Las Vegas Law"
*""
*"The Lindbergh Kidnapping: Investigation Re-Opened"
*"Masterminds"
*"Memphis Homicide"
*"Mississippi Justice"
*"Most Daring"
*"Most Shocking"
*"NOPD: After Katrina"
*"NOPD: Mardi Gras"
*"North Mission Road"
*"NYPD Blue"
*"Ocean Force: Hermosa Beach"
*"Ocean Force: Huntington Beach"
*"Ocean Force: Miami Beach"
*"Ocean Force Panama City Beach"
*"Operation Repo"
*"Parco P.I."
*"Party Heat"
*"Psychic Detectives"
*"Riots: Mobs Out of Control"
*"Saturday Night Solution"
*"Sky Racers"
*""
*"The Principal's Office"
*"Special Forces"
*"Speeders"
*"Stories of the Innocence Project"
*"The Real Hustle"
*"The Star Jones Show"
*"Texas Swat"
*"Tiger Team"
*"Til' Death Do Us Part"
*"Trace Evidence: The Case Files of Dr. Henry Lee"
*"Under Fire: Deadliest Police Shootouts"
*"Under Investigation"
*"Unexpected Heroes"
*"Video Justice"
*"World's Wildest Police Videos"

Websites

In addition to truTV.com, the network also operates The Smoking Gun, a website that focuses on legal items often pertaining to famous people, such as mug shots and other public documents. It also owns the website Crime Library, which provides detailed information about infamous crimes and how they were solved. Online coverage of current trials (including "In Session") is now hosted at sister website CNN.com's "Crime" section. truTV also maintains [http://www.trutv.com/video truTV video] , a streaming video player, where users can watch "footage of car chases, dumb criminals, gun fights, drunk drivers, drug busts, naughty girls, police, things that blow up, taser attacks, naked thieves and more!"

Radio

On February 3, 2003, Court TV Plus debuted on Sirius Satellite Radio, featuring audio from Court TV programs. Originally on Channel 134, it was moved in September 2005 and aired on Channel 110 until the channel ceased operations on January 1, 2008.

Main competitors

* "The Legal Television Network"

ee also

* CourtTV Canada
* List of DirecTV channels
* List of Dish Network channels

References

External links

* [http://www.trutv.com/ truTV.com]
* [http://www.cnn.com/CRIME CNN.com crime coverage] (includes "In Session")
* [http://insession.blogs.cnn.com/ Sidebar, In Session's blog]
* [http://www.nytimes.com/2007/07/08/arts/television/08stan.html "Gavel to Gavel (to Gavel to Gavel) Coverage," by Alessandra Stanley, "The New York Times", July 8, 2007]