| truTV | |
| Logosize: | 200 |
| Launch: | July 1, 1991 (as Court TV) January 1, 2008 (as truTV) |
| Picture Format: | 480i (SDTV) and 1080i (HDTV) |
| Network: | Turner Broadcasting System |
| Owner: | Time Warner |
| Slogan: | Not Reality. Actuality. |
| Country: | United States |
| Former Names: | Courtroom Television Network, or Court TV (July 1, 1991 - December 31, 2007) |
| Web: | 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 before 2008, the basis of the network's programing has traditionally been live homicide trial coverage and other criminal justice programming; however, the network has branched out into more "caught on video" reality programs, or as truTV calls it, "actuality" television. CTVglobemedia's CourtTV Canada still continues to operate in Canada without the truTV branding.
truTV was formed in 1991 as Court TV. 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.[1] 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.
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 5:30AM 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 is now broadcasting in High Definition, which is available from select providers.
In Session (the successor to Court TV News) provides live coverage of trials, legal news, and details of highly-publicized crimes during their news programming hours from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Their coverage takes viewers into the courtrooms 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.
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 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!"
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.
http://www.thefutoncritic.com/news.aspx?date=12/10/08&id=20081210trutv01