From PAX Message Board:

Thursday, April 21, 2005
NBC UNIVERSAL STATEMENT ON PAXSON COMMUNICATIONS’ INTENTION TO TERMINATE OPERATIONAL AND JOINT SERVICE AGREEMENTS
Released by NBC


NBC UNIVERSAL STATEMENT ON PAXSON COMMUNICATIONS’ INTENTION TO TERMINATE OPERATIONAL AND JOINT SERVICE AGREEMENTS

Paxson Communications Corporation has notified NBC Universal that it seeks to terminate Paxson’s network, national and local sales agreements with NBC Universal, as well as the joint sales agreements between Paxson and stations affiliated with the NBC network. Paxson apparently intends to abandon network programming and rely primarily on infomercials, direct response advertising and paid programming as revenue sources.

NBC Universal strongly disagrees with Paxson’s attempt to terminate operational agreements that sustain the company and its stations as a broadcast network. We believe that the elimination of all sales and local operational capabilities will reduce the long-term value of the company and its station assets.

We have expressed repeatedly to Paxson management and the Board of Directors our concerns regarding Paxson’s desire to change its business strategy in a manner that will negatively impact Paxson’s asset value. We believe that the adoption of a paid programming model will jeopardize Paxson’s long-term financial prospects in light of its highly leveraged balance sheet, and is not in the best interests of Paxson stakeholders.

Paxson’s attempt to terminate its sales agreements with NBC Universal and to abandon network programming constitutes a breach of the contractual agreements between Paxson and NBC Universal. NBC Universal will not agree to this course of action in the absence of a viable new business plan that preserves and maximizes the value of Paxson’s assets.

I really don't know what the point is to have an all informercial station on the lineup. Their are so many great channels out there and we get to keep a channel like this. I'd rather watch a test pattern. :mad:

So PAX is going to stop showing regular programs?

Why the heck are they going to do that?

That's just plain stupid all around, that station will probably last a month :rolleyes: Seriously who wants to watch 24/7 of Informercials?

My grandma is gonna be ticked, cause she watches Doc on Pax, now she won't be able to see it anymore(it's the only station it airs on) :cuss:

PAX sucks anyway... the picture quality here is TERRIBLE.

It's not too bad here, but yeah it's not the greatest

It's not too bad here, but yeah it's not the greatest

It's low-power or something. The UPN station is bad too.

Well my UPN is WB/UPN combined, but it's pretty bad at times :eek:

Well my UPN is WB/UPN combined, but it's pretty bad at times :eek:

Really? How does that work?

Both networks have prime time programming on against each other, do they share?

:confused:

Well my UPN is WB/UPN combined, but it's pretty bad at times :eek:

How does Primetime work? What network's shows get shown???

For instance... UPN tonight has Enterprise and a repeat of Top Model while WB has What I Like About You/Reba/Living With Fran(Comedies).

This TV market(Columbus, GA) is terrible. The ABC and CBS stations are the only ones with newscasts... and the CBS station's quality is pretty bad(dark picture) and they've been cutting off the beginning of programming lately. Last night for Survivor and all week for The Price is Right, anywhere from the first 30 seconds to a minute and a half were cut. :mad:

Really? How does that work?

Both networks have prime time programming on against each other, do they share?

:confused:

It is confusing, but they air WB shows at different times than everyone else gets them(for example Smallville here airs at 10 pm instead of 8 pm Wednesdays, 7th Heaven airs at 10 pm Mondays instead of 8 pm) Most of the UPN shows air like they should. Enterprise is on the time it should be, it mostly only affects the WB shows.

So like Veronica Mars it airs after Smallville for everyone else, here it's on a completely different day and time

That's too confusing.

You should just give up TV.

;)

Although that sucks about them taking away their reruns of Diagnosis Murder and their gameshow Balderdash.... I'd have to say informercials are an upgrade from all the religious bull**** and Doc, which is a horrendous TV series. I'd rather die than have a mullet-wearing redneck doctor operate on me.

RIP Pax. Never liked it. The picture quality is horrible on our affiliate.

I used to live an another city and there they were started screwing up the channels in the mid 90s. when UPN came out we had two of those so they dropped the LA one and kept the one from Oxnard which was of really poor quality and would go down or only be accesible by antenna. then that affilliate was dropped by UPN and the had to bring back the LA affiliate. We used to have 2 CBS and 2 ABC and the cable company dropped the CBS and ABC out of LA and now the only ABC there cuts off the ABC primetime shows and runs infomercials but still calls themselves an ABC affiliate. so people in certain areas get no ABC programming. in other words no Lost or Desperate Housewives.

Really the only thing I'll miss about Pax was the Early Edition repeats :(

So PAX is going to stop showing regular programs?


They had regular programs?? K, I'm kidding, but seriously, they were mostly infomercials already anyway.

So, the "seventh" broadcast network goes off the air. Not surprised.

So, the "seventh" broadcast network goes off the air. Not surprised.tvobscurities, is this the first network to end sense DuMont?

The Only Show all miss is lie ditector but that was getting old anyways

tvobscurities, is this the first network to end sense DuMont?

Yep! This is the first time since 1956 where DuMont was no longer a network.http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/frown.gif PAX is the only network to go.

If WB and/or UPN aren't careful... one of them is going to fold in the near future.

If WB and/or UPN aren't careful... one of them is going to fold in the near future.

Maybe they will bring back two local stations that were independent for the first time in 10 years. WPIX and WWOR are the two stations are broadcasting WB and UPN. If they don't do well, the two stations will bring back more independent programming like for example the "Eight O'Clock Movie", some older cartoon shows and those other ones. This will recreate another "11 Alive" and WOR-TV from the 70's.

well, my sister will be pissed off. She likes some of the shows on PAX.
As for me; I could care less. Like someone else said; PAX sucks anyway!!! :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Woohoo! A 24-hour infomercial network?! I'll be sure to watch it. :)


This TV market(Columbus, GA) is terrible. The ABC and CBS stations are the only ones with newscasts... and the CBS station's quality is pretty bad(dark picture) and they've been cutting off the beginning of programming lately. Last night for Survivor and all week for The Price is Right, anywhere from the first 30 seconds to a minute and a half were cut. :mad:
I'm in the Columbus market, too, and the reason for the lack of newscasts on all but ABC, CBS, and FOX is because the local ABC station completely dominates the market. The local ABC news ratings are quadruple that of its closest competition, CBS. The only reason FOX's news has really been able to stay afloat is the fact that it airs an hour earlier and that the local FOX is also owned by the same company that owns the local ABC (they use the same set and everything).

I don't have any problems though with any of the local stations broadcast signals with the exception of UPN - which I think is based in Opelika - that station always seems to cut off portions of programs and it's a pain watching anything on it.

Woohoo! A 24-hour infomercial network?! I'll be sure to watch it. :)


I'm in the Columbus market, too, and the reason for the lack of newscasts on all but ABC, CBS, and FOX is because the local ABC station completely dominates the market. The local ABC news ratings are quadruple that of its closest competition, CBS. The only reason FOX's news has really been able to stay afloat is the fact that it airs an hour earlier and that the local FOX is also owned by the same company that owns the local ABC (they use the same set and everything).

I don't have any problems though with any of the local stations broadcast signals with the exception of UPN - which I think is based in Opelika - that station always seems to cut off portions of programs and it's a pain watching anything on it.

I'm only 15 miles from Opelika and I swear if you didn't know the station was coming from there... you'd think it was from Birmingham or something.

I didn't know you were in the same market... yeah the ABC station by far is the best. They are the only ones I watch for news in this market. Yeah... the FOX station has the same weathermen and sportscaster as does ABC that night. :lol: They just recently started doing that.

All my channels come in perfectly including PAX but their's never anything on there to watch except for the occasional Oriole Game.

As you know, PAX started on August 31st, 1998. PAX will go bye-bye at the end of this month. This is the first time since Game Show Network died when it was replaced with GSN. That was one year ago. WPXN will go infomercials all the time.

As you know, PAX started on August 31st, 1998. PAX will go bye-bye at the end of this month. This is the first time since Game Show Network died when it was replaced with GSN. That was one year ago. WPXN will go infomercials all the time.

What? :p

I remember back in 1998 when I was living east of Birmingham near Anniston. A local station popped up in Gadsden(40 miles to the north) and was a CBS station for a few months(we didn't need it... we got Birmingham just fine and everyone watched it :lol: ) because ABC/FOX/NBC came from there. It turned into the PAX station when it came along.

Yep! This is the first time since 1956 where DuMont was no longer a network.http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/frown.gif PAX is the only network to go.

Well, there was The United Network in 1967, formerly known as The Overmyer Network. Lasted about a month with one night of programming but could be considered another failed network. But PAX, while not seen nation-wide, was still leaps and bounds ahead of The United Network.

Somebody has mentioned early about ratings. Once you go infomercial ratings don't matter because you don't depend on ratings to set ad rates to make money. The infomercial company pays you up front and all you have for costs is some basic overhead. What this basically means is that PAX was losing copious amount of money on its programming was knew that it would never make a profit, so it simply gave up.

The only program that people are trying to save from the network is "Sue Thomas." That show averaged more than 1 million viewers a week (the top rated series on the network by far) and would be a good fit on Lifetime or another women-oriented cable network. I've also heard rumours that CTV is Canada is looking to pick it up (it's filmed in Toronto) and sell it into international syndication. But the hopes are still slim.

Well my UPN is WB/UPN combined, but it's pretty bad at times :eek:

By any chance are you talking about TVX 34, out of West Palm Beach, FL? That's where I live, and I watch it all the time. It used to be so cool back in the mid 90s, solely as a UPN station. It showed Sanford & Son, Different Strokes, What's Happening & What's Happening Now, and All In The Family to name a few. Now TV Land controls and cuts up most of those.

When PAX first started out they had a lot of cool shows on it. I really don't know what went wrong.

When PAX first started out they had a lot of cool shows on it. I really don't know what went wrong.

Yeah... I used to watch Supermarket Sweep all the time. :(

i think that infomercials should be outlawed as they are completely devoid of educational or entertainment value, and they are just wasting valuable bandwidth.

i hope PAX gets its FCC license revoked and sued by EVERYONE.

i think that infomercials should be outlawed as they are completely devoid of educational or entertainment value, and they are just wasting valuable bandwidth.

i hope PAX gets its FCC license revoked and sued by EVERYONE.I not sure if it's still happening, but NBC was going to sue.

i think that infomercials should be outlawed as they are completely devoid of educational or entertainment value, and they are just wasting valuable bandwidth.

i hope PAX gets its FCC license revoked and sued by EVERYONE.

I agree... I freaking HATE Infomericals with a passion! :mad: I think a snowy picture would be better than that garbage. :rolleyes:

Hey IGNTBone, do you remember a broadcast channel called WAQ TV 19 in West Palm Beach, FL in the late 80's & early 90's? And do you know that WAQ TV 19 went off the air in early 1995?

I am glad others spoke up about picture quality. I thought my area only had problems. It is grainy. It is a shame but I didn't really see a lot on the station to see. I did see Balderdash and Diagnois murder but with the grain picture it somewhat hurt my eyes. With the station going infermerical I will just delete it from the tv set and pass it by.

PAX sucks. Why don't don't they just take it off now? They know what they can do with their wonderful informercials.

I agree... I freaking HATE Infomericals with a passion! :mad: I think a snowy picture would be better than that garbage. :rolleyes:

The only good informercials are the ones selling CDs.

I haven't watched PAX in years. Tuned in years ago for the Scarecrow & Mrs. King repeats. Loved when they ran Mysterious Ways and Early Edition, but other than that I hardly viewed that station. I know I won't be missing it.

As for reception...here in the SF Bay Area, it wasn't that bad.

Well rumor has it on another messageboard, Byron Allen (REAL PEOPLE) was trying to buy the PAXSON Network, which I am leaning to believe it because last weekend here in the Bay Area they showed of all movies CARWASH. Not exactly the type of movie you would think of for religious based programming ;) and he does own and produce those Entertainment Studios programs that get aired in syndication.

The only good informercials are the ones selling CDs.

I agree! :)

I'll give you the station's history of PAX during the last 7 years as a network:

The PAX Network, PAX TV, PaxNet, or simply PAX, is a broadcast and cable television network first broadcasted on August 31, 1998. PAX, which is primarily owned by Paxson Communications, shows family-oriented programming (NBC Universal also has a 32% share). Its programming contains little or no sex, violence, or strong language. Unlike most TV networks in the United States such as ABC, CBS, Fox, or NBC, PAX has a national feed that is part of basic DBS packages as well as having its affiliates carried by cable TV systems, LPTV stations, or translators, similar in structure to most Latin American TV networks (on which model TV networks have relay stations across the country). PAX programming consists of some original programming mixed with reruns of popular TV shows and movies and some Christian-oriented programming.

It was estimated in 2003 that PAX is viewable by 74.25% of all households, reaching 79,185,730 houses in the United States. PAX has 94 VHF- and UHF-owned-and-operated or affiliate stations in the U.S., although these stations are mainly poorly watched UHF stations, and not all of the stations air PAX's complete nightly transmission.

PAX is not considered by many to be a channel on par with the six existing major national broadcast networks, as it is not received in many parts of the country yet. It has no stations in several major markets, most notably Charlotte, Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and St. Louis.

Typically, PAX television shows average only 1% of the viewing audience, which is considerably lower than any other (major) broadcast network. To compare, NBC and CBS frequently garner 15–22% of viewers.

In 2003 PAX scaled back its operations, presumably due to financial losses: it was originally offering five or six new series each season. That year the number of new series airing on PAX dwindled to just two: Sue Thomas: F.B.Eye and Doc. The netlet seemingly recovered when as seven TV series made it to PAX's 2004–05 schedule.

However, the network now plans to break its contract with NBC Universal on June 30, 2005 and eliminate all entertainment programming on Friday July 1, 2005 and rely on infomercials, direct response advertising, and other paid programming to help increase cash flow.

So will PAX be gone forever?

Supermarket Sweep used to air on PAX i also liked Shop Till you Drop (the old ones they changed everything towards the end of the series)

Most Talented Kid i liked because i loves it on NBC with Mario Lopez ( what is he doing these days)

overall Pax stunk and the picture was horrible

and the shows were bad like Cold Turkey, Bolderdash, and that other game show

If NBC owns it they should air NBC shows like Old episodes of Friends! Or air movies that USA shows like Adam Sandler stuff!

I also do not like WLNY-TV 10 which is in New York they have horrible shows just like PAX!

Guys,

The only good shows that I liked on Pax were Supermarket Sweep and The Hogan Family. When those stopped showing, I stopped watching.

I would LIKE to see an all 60's-70's independent classic sitcom station take its place! Wouldn't that be cool? Something to compete with TV Land?

Jack

Today is June 7th and my pax is still on? Ill only miss diagnosis murder when it leaves

Well, PAX Announced a Fall of this year schedule, But, I thought It was going all infomercials!

So will PAX be gone forever?

Yes!http://www.sitcomsonline.com/ubb/biggrin.gif

NBC, who still has a sizeable stake in the network, stopped them, for now

NBC, who still has a sizeable stake in the network, stopped them, for now
Wow. I didn't hear about that. My PAX airs mostly informercials anyway. They only have about 3 or 4 hours of original programs.

NBC, who still has a sizeable stake in the network, stopped them, for now

Why? :lol:

This Sucks...Where Am I Gonna See Poor Quality Family Feud Re-Runs?

I Thought PAX was saying goodbye!

We are excited to announce that PAX TV is changing its name to i. We will introduce the i brand name on PAX TV on July 1, 2005, and during the summer months, you will see on-screen identities featuring both the new and existing brands and on-air promotional spots informing you of the change.

Many of your favorite PAX TV shows will continue to air on i, and we will be adding new programs to the schedule in the future. The i schedule will feature a mix of entertainment programs including dramas, comedies, movies, sports and news that appeal to a variety of interests.