Satellite Program Network: Difference between revisions

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{{short description|American television network from 1979 to 1989}}

'''Satellite Program Network''', or SPN, was a satellite and cable [[TV network]] which broadcast in the United States from 1979 to 1990. SPN was created by Ed Taylor, an associate of [[Ted Turner]] and the head of the Southern Satellite Systems company. In 1985, SPN was acquired by [[Satellite Syndicated Systems]].<ref>"Satellite Syndicated Systems reports earnings for Qtr to June 30." ''[[The New York Times]]''. August 6, 1985. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DEFDB1639F935A3575BC0A963948260]</ref>

{{distinguish|ESPN}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}

{{Infobox television channel

| name = Satellite Program Network

| logo = Satellite_Program_Network_logo.png

| logo_size =

| logo_alt =

| logo_caption = Original logo as Satellite Program Network

| image = Tempo_Television_logo.png

| image_size =

| image_alt =

| alt =

| caption = Logo for network as Tempo Television (1986–1989)

| type = [[Television broadcaster|Television network]]

| country = [[United States]]

| area = United States<br>[[Puerto Rico]]

| language = English

| picture_format = [[Standard-definition television|SDTV]] 4:3

| owner =

Southern Satellite Systems (1979–1985)<br>Satellite Syndicated Systems (1985–1986)<br>Tempo Enterprises (1986–1988)<br>[[NBC]] (1988–1989)

| parent = Satellite Syndicated Systems (1979–1985)

| sister_channels = Tempol International (SPN International) (1986–1989)

| founded =

| founder = Ed Taylor

| launch_date = 1979

| closed_date = April 1, 1989

| replaced_by = [[CNBC]]

| former_names = Satellite Program Network (SPN) (1979–1986)<br>Tempo Television (1986–1989)

| child =

| embed_header =

| embedded =

}}

'''Satellite Program Network''' ('''SPN''') was a satellite and cable [[television network]] that broadcast in the United States from 1979 to 1989. Following a name change to '''Tempo Television''' in 1986, it was bought by [[NBC]] and relaunched as [[CNBC]] in 1989.

==History==

In the 1980s Satellite Syndicated Systems changed its' name to TEMPO Enterprises and SPN and SPN International were changed to TEMPO Television and TEMPO International, respectively. TEMPO Television was a 24-hour national cable network serving all contiguous states, including Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. The network which began in 1979, was the second oldest cable-only network.

===Early years===

{{more citations needed section|date=April 2019}}

SPN was created by Ed Taylor, an associate of [[Ted Turner]] and the head of the Southern Satellite Systems company. The network, which began in 1979, was the second-oldest cable-only network.

Among the programs broadcast on SPN were ''[[Video Concert Hall]]'', an early [[music- video]] show (before the launch of [[MTV]]); ''News from Home'', a program for Canadians in the US, hosted by early [[CNN]] news anchor Don Miller; ''[[The Shopping Game]]'', a Nicholson-Muir [[game show]] produced in [[Nashville]] and hosted by [[Art James]]; ''The Susan Noon Show'', featuring celebrity interviews; ''Nutrition Dialogue'', hosted by Dr. Betty Kamen; ''[[Sewing with Nancy]]''; ''The [[Paul Ryan (actor)|Paul Ryan]] Show'', another celebrity interview program with the actor/interviewer of the same name; and ''Moscow Meridian'', a [[Current affairs (news format)|current-affairs]] program produced by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] authorities and hosted by [[Vladimir Pozner Jr.|Vladimir Posner]]. [[Rerun]]s of old [[situation comedies]] and movies, mostly from [[B movie|low-budget]] studios, rounded out the schedule.

Using a counter-programming philosophy, TEMPO Television fulfilled viewer needs by dividing its program schedule into various dayparts including international programming, finance, sports, leisure and classic films.

In 1984, the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association]] (NCAA) paid SPN to broadcast some [[college football]] games of the [[Division I-AA]] playoffs, including that season's [[1984 NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship Game|championship game]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31284927/bobcats_ready_for_iaa_championship/ |title=Bobcats ready for I-AA championship shootout |first=George |last=Geise |newspaper=[[Great Falls Tribune]] |___location=[[Great Falls, Montana]] |page=1-B |date=December 15, 1984 |access-date=May 5, 2019 |via=newspapers.com |archive-date=November 18, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191118033231/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31284927/bobcats_ready_for_iaa_championship/ |url-status=live }}</ref> following a [[Supreme Court of the United States|Supreme Court]] ruling (''[[NCAA v. Board of Regents of the University of Oklahoma]]'') that halted the NCAA's practice of negotiating television contracts for its members.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866152/iaa_playoffs_spell_trouble_money/ |title=I-AA playoffs spell trouble M-O-N-E-Y |first=Roscoe |last=Nance |newspaper=[[The Clarion-Ledger]] |___location=[[Jackson, Mississippi]] |page=2D |date=December 1, 1984 |access-date=April 22, 2019 |via=newspapers.com |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430040826/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866152/iaa_playoffs_spell_trouble_money/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

Market studies clearly indicated that this unique programming approach attracted and retained upscale audiences who were looking for entertainment that was informative and substantially different from the standard options.

In 1985, SPN was acquired by [[Satellite Syndicated Systems]].<ref>"Satellite Syndicated Systems reports earnings for Qtr to June 30." ''[[The New York Times]]''. August 6, 1985. [https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990DEFDB1639F935A3575BC0A963948260] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230402150845/https://www.nytimes.com/1985/08/06/business/satellite-syndicated-sysems-reports-earnings-for-qtr-to-june-30.html |date=2023-04-02 }}</ref>

Among the programs broadcast on SPN were ''[[Video Concert Hall]]'', an early music-video show (before the launch of MTV); ''News from Home'', a program for Canadians in the US, hosted by early [[CNN]] news anchor Don Miller; ''[[The Shopping Game]]'', a Nicholson-Muir [[game show]] produced in [[Nashville]] and hosted by [[Art James]]; ''The Susan Noon Show'', featuring celebrity interviews; ''Nutrition Dialogue'', hosted by Dr. Betty Kamen; ''[[Sewing with Nancy]]''; and ''Moscow Meridian'', a [[Current affairs (news format)|current-affairs]] program produced by [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] authorities and hosted by [[Vladimir Posner]]. [[Rerun]]s of old [[situation comedies]] and movies, mostly from [[B movie|low-budget]] studios, rounded out the schedule.

===Later years===

SPN later became '''Tempo Television'''.<ref name="CRTC 1988-58">"Public Notice CRTC 1988-58: Revised List of Part II Eligible Satellite Services and List of Part III Non-Canadian Eligible Satellite Services." [[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]]. April 13, 1988. [http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1988/PB88-58.htm]</ref> A Canadian regulatory description of the channel in 1988 said that Tempo's "schedule consists of outdoors, travel, general information and entertainment programming and classic feature films that are in the public ___domain."<ref name="CRTC 1988-58"/> In 1988, by which time Tempo had 15 million subscribers, the channel was purchased by [[NBC]].<ref>"The Media Business: NBC to Buy Cable Service." ''[[The New York Times]]''. May 3, 1988. [http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDC103FF930A35756C0A96E948260]</ref> It was relaunched in 1989 as the Consumer News and Business Channel, [[CNBC]].

In March 1986, Satellite Syndicated Systems changed its name to Tempo Enterprises, and SPN and SPN International were changed to Tempo Television and Tempol International, respectively.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866505/tv_column/ |title=(TV column) |newspaper=[[Akron Beacon Journal]] |___location=[[Akron, Ohio]] |page=C4 |date=March 10, 1986 |access-date=April 22, 2019 |via=newspapers.com |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430063517/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866505/tv_column/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866409/notice/ |title=(notice) |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]] |page=13 |date=March 23, 1986 |access-date=April 22, 2019 |via=newspapers.com |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430061106/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866409/notice/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Tempo Television was a 24-hour national cable network serving all contiguous states, [[Alaska]], [[Hawaii]] and [[Puerto Rico]].

Using a counter-programming philosophy, TEMPOTempo Television fulfilled viewer needs by dividing its program schedule into various dayparts including international programming, finance, sports, leisure and classic films. Market studies clearly indicated that this unique programming approach attracted and retained upscale audiences who were looking for entertainment that was informative and substantially different from the standard options.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}

== References ==

{{reflist}}

A Canadian regulatory description of the channel in 1988 said that Tempo's "schedule consists of outdoors, travel, general information and entertainment programming and classic feature films that are in the public ___domain."<ref>{{cite web |title=Public Notice CRTC 1988-58: Revised List of Part II Eligible Satellite Services and List of Part III Non-Canadian Eligible Satellite Services. |publisher=[[Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]] |date=April 13, 1988 |url=http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1988/PB88-58.htm |access-date=September 30, 2010 |archive-date=October 1, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121001054159/http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/1988/PB88-58.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 1988, by which time Tempo had 12 million subscribers, the channel was purchased by [[NBC]], mainly for its existing carriage and not its programming.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866732/nbc_buy_latest_as_hollywood_goes_cable/ |title=NBC buy latest as Hollywood goes cable |agency=[[Associated Press|AP]] |newspaper=[[Battle Creek Enquirer]] |___location=[[Battle Creek, Michigan]] |page=8A |date=May 3, 1988 |access-date=April 22, 2019 |via=newspapers.com |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430040834/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30866732/nbc_buy_latest_as_hollywood_goes_cable/ |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Media Business: NBC to Buy Cable Service |newspaper=[[The New York Times]] |date=May 3, 1988 |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDC103FF930A35756C0A96E948260 |access-date=February 12, 2017 |archive-date=October 12, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071012165258/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DEEDC103FF930A35756C0A96E948260 |url-status=live }}</ref> It was relaunched on April 17, 1989, in a new guise as the [[business news]] channel [[CNBC]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30867027/a_pretty_big_baby_just_one_day_old/ |title=A pretty big baby just one day old |first=Lee |last=Winfrey |newspaper=[[The Philadelphia Inquirer]] |page=1-E |date=April 18, 1989 |access-date=April 22, 2019 |via=newspapers.com |archive-date=April 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430040839/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/30867027/a_pretty_big_baby_just_one_day_old/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist|30em}}

==Further reading==

* {{cite web |url=https://uhfhistory.com/articles/spn.html |title=Satellite Program Network |first=K. M. |last=Richards |website=History of UHF Television |access-date=April 22, 2019 }}

[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1979]]

[[Category:Television channels and stations disestablished in 1988]]

[[Category:Defunct American television networks in the United States]]

[[Category:CNBC]]

{{US-tv-prog-stub}}