The Movie Channel
Type	Cable network (movies)
Country	United States
Availability	National
Owner	Showtime Networks, Inc. (CBS Corporation)
Key people	Matthew C. Blank - Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Showtime Networks, Inc.
Launch date	December 1, 1979
Website	www.sho.com/tmc

The Movie Channel (TMC) is an American premium cable television network owned by Showtime Networks, Inc., a subsidiary of CBS Corporation, which, true to its name, shows only movies. TMC provides theatrically released feature films and independent films, special behind-the-scenes features and softcore adult erotica to subscribers. Image File history File links Tmclogo. ... Coaxial cable is often used to transmit cable television into the house. ... A television network is a distribution network for television content whereby a central operation provides programming for many television stations. ... For other uses see film (disambiguation) Film refers to the celluliod media on which movies are printed Film — also called movies, the cinema, the silver screen, moving pictures, photoplays, picture shows, flicks, or motion pictures, — is a field that encompasses motion pictures as an art form or as... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Showtime Netwotrks, Inc. ... CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) is an American media conglomerate focused on broadcasting, publishing, billboards, and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ... Pay television, or pay-TV, usually refers to subscription-based television services, usually provided by both analogue and digital cable and satellite, but also increasingly by digital terrestrial methods. ... Showtime Netwotrks, Inc. ... CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) is an American media conglomerate focused on broadcasting, publishing, billboards, and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. ...

Channels

The Movie Channel operates two multiplex channels and a high definition channel. In telecommunications, multiplexing (also muxing or MUXing) is the combining of two or more information channels onto a common transmission medium using hardware called a multiplexer or (MUX). ... Projection screen in a home theater, displaying a high-definition television image. ...

The Movie Channel: Movies for movie lovers. Hit movies & first-run films from hollywood blockbusters to independent films and behind-the-scenes information and fun facts. Image File history File links Tmclogo. ...

The Movie Channel Xtra: Secondary channel, features more movies on a different schedule than TMC. More of the big movies, trivia and film facts from The Movie Channel. It was launched in 1999 as The Movie Channel 2. Image File history File links TMC_Extra. ... 1999 (MCMXCIX) was a common year starting on Friday, and was designated the International Year of Older Persons by the United Nations. ...

The Movie Channel HD is a high definition simulcast of The Movie Channel and The Movie Channel Xtra. Image File history File links TMC_HD.jpg‎ Summary The Movie Channel HD Logo from http://www. ... Projection screen in a home theater, displaying a high-definition television image. ... Simulcast is a contraction of simultaneous broadcast, and refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium at the same time. ...

The Movie Channel also packages the Eastern and Pacific feeds of the primary service and TMC Xtra together, allowing viewers a second chance to watch the same movie two hours earlier/later depending on their geographic location.

History

The Movie Channel began in 1973 as Star Channel, a pay movie service of Gridtronics, delivering movies to cable systems via videotape delivered to the cable companies. Sometimes cable companies would have technical problems with the delivered tapes, especially when the tapes jammed on playback to viewers. 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

Later in the decade, it was acquired by Warner Communications, and eventually brought into the Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment joint venture. The network was initially offered on Warner Cable systems, and later on Warner-Amex's experimental QUBE interactive service. In January 1979, Star Channel was uplinked to satellite, and became a national service. On December 1, 1979, the network took on its current name. Warner Communications, formerly Kinney National Company, was the parent company for Warner Bros. ... Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment Company (WASEC) was a joint venture run by Warner Communications and American Express. ... December 1 is the 335th (in leap years the 336th) day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the song by the Smashing Pumpkins, see 1979 (song). ...

The Movie Channel was also the first premium channel to show R-rated films during the day. Parent network Showtime also airs R-rated films during the day, as does Cinemax, Encore and Starz. HBO does not air any R-rated films on its primary channel until after 8:00pm (Eastern Time). This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Encore is a US pay TV network which exclusively features mainly first-run as well as past motion pictures. ... Starz is a US pay TV network which features mainly first-run motion pictures. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is an American premium cable television network. ...

In 1981, The Movie Channel was one of the first channels to broadcast movies in Stereo. As the standard for stereo television broadcast was a few years away, cable operators simulcast the stereo as an FM radio signal. Simulcast is a contraction of simultaneous broadcast, and refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium at the same time. ... FM broadcasting is a broadcast technology invented by Edwin Howard Armstrong that uses frequency modulation (FM) to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. ...

In 1983, Warner-Amex merged The Movie Channel with Viacom's Showtime to form Showtime Networks. In 1985, Viacom acquired WASEC's cable network assets, including their share of The Movie Channel. Viacom (pronounced with a long i as in eye) began life as CBS Films, the television syndication division of CBS. In 1971, the division was renamed VIACOM (Video & Audio Communications), and in 1973 it was spun off, amid new FCC rules forbidding television networks from owning syndication companies (the rules... Showtime is a subscription television brand used by a number of channels and platforms around the world, but primarily refers to a group of channels in the United States. ...

In 1997, The Movie Channel began an extensive rebranding effort. For a brief period, The Movie Channel experimented with premiering its own original movies. The channel also began airing TMC Movie Marathons, which featured three or four movies selected by the channel set around a specific theme. As part of these marathons, TMC would also air Double Vision Weekend, a marathon of movies airing for one weekend each month with two movies featuring the same actor. In addition, TMC also started running TMC Fun Facts (later known as TMC Reel Stuff) featuring behind-the-scenes facts about movies as well as celebrity trivia. TMC also inserted fun facts about movies the channel promoted that were scheduled to air on the channel.

The Movie Channel was originally an individual channel, although part of the Showtime Networks family. Before cable systems dropped The Movie Channel (along with Showtime and rivals Cinemax, Encore and Starz) from their basic packages, relegating it to their digital cable packages, TMC had a high basic cable coverage rate. However, there were several cable providers in areas with smaller populations that didn't offer TMC as an add-on to their basic service. In addition, now-defunct satellite provider Primestar never carried The Movie Channel on their service. In most of these cases, TMC was never carried as a pay service on said cable and satellite providers, though Showtime was. Encore is a US pay TV network which exclusively features mainly first-run as well as past motion pictures. ... Starz is a US pay TV network which features mainly first-run motion pictures. ... PrimeStar is a now-defunct U.S. direct broadcast satellite organization formed in 1991. ...

Around the end of the 1990s and early 2000s, Showtime began offering all of its channels as part of the Showtime Unlimited package and many cable systems, with the exception of Comcast, along with satellite providers DirecTV and Dish Network stopped advertising The Movie Channel as a separate network from Showtime and since Showtime Networks are only available on digital cable, many cable systems will not offer The Movie Channel to non-Showtime subscribers. Comcast Corporation, (NASDAQ: CMCSA) based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the largest cable company and the largest broadband (second overall) Internet service provider in the United States. ... A standard DIRECTV satellite dish with 1 LNB on a roof DIRECTV (trademarked as DIRECTV) is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service based in El Segundo, California, USA, that transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, the Caribbean and Latin America except for Mexico. ... DISH Network is a direct broadcast satellite (DBS) service that provides satellite television and audio programming to households and businesses in the United States, owned by parent company EchoStar Communications Corporation. ...

In 1999, The Movie Channel launched a multiplex service, The Movie Channel 2 (renamed The Movie Channel Xtra in 2001). TMC has the least multiplex services of any of the major premium channels, which is a probable reason as to why the channel is not part of a separate package from Showtime.

In 2001, The Movie Channel added TMC First Run Movies -- movies premiering on the channel that never were released theatrically or on home video or DVD. TMC also began to airing softcore erotica late at night like parent network Showtime and its competitor Cinemax, which started the trend on US cable networks as a way to better compete in the premium channel race.

The channel also started running a two-minute sketch segment titled The Pitch which starred Sean Smith, a character actor who has appeared in several TV series and movies, as a movie exec who listens as people try to pitch him movie ideas. The movies pitched are famous movies such as Cliffhanger, The Terminator, etc. An action movie starring Sylvester Stallone and including John Lithgow as a key villain. ... The Terminator (also known as Terminator in some early trailers and posters) is a 1984 science fiction/action film featuring former bodybuilder Arnold Schwarzenegger in what would become his best-known role, and also starred Linda Hamilton and Michael Biehn. ...

Movie opens on the channel also have to deal with the behind the scenes goings on in movies. All movie opens airing on TMC since 2001, feature a faux scene from a movie being made. As the camera zooms out, the "crew" comes into the scene.

In 2005, Viacom and CBS announced its intention to split up only six years after Viacom bought the network and its television assets. The newly formed CBS Corporation got the broadcasting elements, Paramount Television's production operations (renamed CBS Paramount Television), Viacom Outdoor advertising (renamed CBS Outdoor), Showtime Networks, Simon & Schuster and Paramount Parks, which the company later sold, while Viacom kept Paramount Pictures, MTV Networks, BET, and Famous Music. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... This page is about the post-2005 Viacom. ... CBS is one of the largest radio and television networks in the United States. ... CBS Corporation (NYSE: CBS) is an American media conglomerate focused on broadcasting, publishing, billboards, and television production, with most of its operations in the United States. ... CBS Paramount Television (formerly Desilu Productions, Paramount Television, among other companies) is an American television production/distribution company. ... CBS Outdoor is the outdoor advertising division of media conglomerate CBS Corporation. ... Showtime Networks, Inc. ... Jean-François Millet Le Semeur (The Sower) Simon & Schuster logo, circa 1961. ... Paramount Parks is an operator of theme parks and attractions, which annually attract about 13 million patrons. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... MTV Networks is a division of media conglomerate Viacom that oversees the operation of many TV network and Internet brands, including the first MTV channel. ... Black Entertainment Television is an American cable network based in Washington, D.C. targeted toward African-American audiences in the United States. ... Famous Music is a music publisher in the United States. ...

Up until the 2006 revamp, The Movie Channel's official website was unusual in it was one of only a few (if not the only) cable networks whose website had no special features whatsoever. The channel's website consisted mainly of a programming schedule of films to air on the channel a month in advance. This changed when the channel revamped itself in 2006, when special features were added such as an online store, a video player and previews of films airing on the channel.

On May 3, 2006, The Movie Channel rebranded itself once again, without the signature ball. The tagline is now The Movie Channel—Movies For Movie Lovers.^[1] TMC Xtra was also in the rebranding process as well. May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

Commercials

As did former sister network Nick at Nite, The Movie Channel has used a myriad of unusual and sometimes bizarre commercials, logos and promotions. In the late 1980s, TMC began airing somewhat clever graphics for their time such as a "tour of Hollywood" movie open which closed with a shot of Hollywood with a faintly visible heart in the middle of the sky.

By 1989, the channel was guided towards creating a series of internal campaigns to emphasize the seeming paradox of a contemporary network setting that programmed recent and classic movies. In the early 1990s, the channel began running a few different computer animated 10 second feature presentation opens/network identifications. One of them was of a the logo at the time, a rectangle with a face visible with the channel's name above and below it, changing facial expressions at the open of a curtain set to calliope-type music. Another open featured the logo rotating to the front profile in front of a gray background with the face also colored gray accompanied by a steady drumbeat. The logo would then "wink." In a longer open, set in a family living room, someone strikes a match about to set fire to a newspaper with the logo on it. Noticing it is in danger, the logo shoots lasers from its eyes and escapes experiencing numerous calamities and seeing unusual sights from the logo's point-of-view such as a close-up of dog's face, the logo almost getting run over by a toy train, etc. until it reaches the safety of a television screen, all set to Indiana Jones-style adventure music.

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, The Movie Channel started running a wide variety of promos from a general movie trailer-type promo to including behind-the-scenes facts on the film. The channel still uses this technique today, although often in a more hybrid way. The channel also began using a unique way of telling viewers what movies were about to play next. It featured the announcer reading off that evening's main feature set to somewhat sophisticated graphics and the time it would be on while the information was displayed and music was played, this simple concept would be revised and rerevised many times over. This continues to be changed and updated.

By 1997, The Movie Channel adopted a very slick on-air look. The channel's slogan became "100% Pure Movies, 100% Pure Fun", and more predominantly used CGI graphics. The channel's announcer offered bold, brash, and entertaining voice-overs. The channel began using more simpler state-of-the-art graphics by 2001 and by 2006, they became similar in form to Nick at Nite's current graphics package.

Programming Blocks

The character of Joe Bob Briggs was the host of a weekly movie block on The Movie Channel airing on Saturday nights from 1986 to 1997. Joe Bob was known for wearing cowboy attire and his signature ten-gallon hat and having a unique way of introducing movies. In 1997, following TMC's makeover, Joe Bob was dropped as host of this movie feature. This happened as premium channels began to stray from featuring hosts for its movies. He was popular enough that after The Movie Channel dropped him, TNT asked him to host their weekly horror film feature "MonsterVision" until 2000.

Around the same time, The Movie Channel sought that much of its subscriber base owned VCRs as the device became more and more common during the 1980s. TMC began adding a weekly feature called "The Movie Channel's VCR Theater", which would air on early Wednesday mornings at 3:00AM ET. These films were movies the channel figured were worth recording so that their subscribers could watch them whenever they liked. By the late 1990s, TMC created a reworked version of "VCR Theater" called "TMC Overnight."

In 1997, following TMC's makeover, the channel began airing daily movie marathons, three (sometimes four) movies that were tied to a specific subject (such as "Ouch" for crime dramas or "Omar Goodness" for films that starred Omar Epps). In turn, the channel also launched "TMC Double Vision Weekends", which aired bi-monthly, that featured three different movies that star the same actor with each marathon changing after the previous one ended. "Double Vision Weekends" typically lasted for a longer portion of the day than a typical movie marathon (a typical TMC movie marathon lasts only during the afternoon/evening or from late afternoon to mid-evening).

The Movie Channel On Demand

The Movie Channel On Demand is a VOD counterpart to The Movie Channel. The Movie Channel On Demand was launched in 2003 ^[2] Image File history File links Tmc_vod_logo. ... Video on demand (VOD) systems allow users to select and watch video content over a network as part of an interactive television system. ...

and has a subscriber base of two million. ^[3] Movies are divided into the following categories: Action, Drama, Comedy, Midnight Movies (Late-night pornography), and Movie Stuff.

The Movie Channel Around the World

United Kingdom

The Movie Channel was also the name of an unrelated satellite television channel in the United Kingdom, from March 1990 to November 1997, when it was renamed Sky Screen 2. Originally part of British Satellite Broadcasting, it became part of the newly merged BSkyB in November 1990. Since then, it has become part of the Sky Movies network. 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1997 is a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... BSB logo British Satellite Broadcasting (BSB) was a company set up in 1986 to provide direct broadcast satellite television services to the United Kingdom. ... British Sky Broadcasting (BSkyB - formerly two companies, Sky Television and British Satellite Broadcasting, which merged) is a company that operates the most popular subscription television service in the Ireland. ... 1990 is a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Australia

A cable network carrying The Movie Channel name was available on WIN Television. WIN Television or WIN is an Australian regional television network. ...

Movies

The Movie Channel (through Showtime) currently has exclusive deals with major and smaller independent movie studios. After being acquired by Viacom in 1994, Paramount Pictures began an output deal with Showtime and The Movie Channel (then also owned by Viacom), effective after 1997. In addition to Paramount, The Movie Channel and Showtime has agreements with MGM, Lions Gate Films, IFC Films (which shares pay-cable release rights with Starz) and ThinkFilms among others. 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American motion picture production and distribution company, based in Hollywood, California. ... This page is about the post-2005 Viacom. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For alternate meanings of MGM, see MGM (disambiguation). ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Lions Gate Films. ... IFC Films is an American film distribution company based in New York, owned by the Independent Film Channel. ... Starz is a US pay TV network which features mainly first-run motion pictures. ...

The Movie Channel also sometimes plays a lot of classic movies from United Artists and Columbia Pictures, and some mid-to-late '90s movies from Sony Pictures Classics (whose parent Sony Pictures Entertainment shares pay-cable release rights with Starz, except for films produced by Revolution Studios and HBO). The current United Artists logo (a variant was used during the 1980s). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sony Pictures Classics is the specialty films division of Sony Pictures. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Starz is a US pay TV network which features mainly first-run motion pictures. ... Revolution Studios was founded in 2000 by Joe Roth, a former chairman of Walt Disney Studios and Twentieth Century Fox. ... HBO (Home Box Office) is an American premium cable television network. ...

The window between a film's initial release in theatres and its initial screening on Showtime and The Movie Channel is much larger than on HBO and Starz.

Usually films for which Showtime has rights will also run on The Movie Channel during its time of license.

Branding

TMC's launch logo featured strips of film made to resemble a star with folded sides and another star inside it alongside of an uppercase The Movie Channel (with a slightly enlarged letter "M"), in a fitting reference to its previous identity as Star Channel.

In 1989, TMC changed its logo to feature a profile of a person's face with a pair of eyes and bridge of a nose visible, in a rectangle with the network's name in uppercase letters on two tilted lines on either side. The logo was changed again in 1997, with a new logo and the tagline "100% Pure Movies, 100% Pure Fun." Its logo featured a green ball with an acronym of the channel's name (in lowercase), usually shown either to the side of the channel's full name also in lowercase letters or on top of the name.

A similar logo was used when the channel rebranded itself in 2001, with the tagline "The Stuff Movies Are Made Of". This logo design featured the ball with TMC on it, surrouned with two lines on the corners of the ball. The word "Movie" was shown in bold. In 2006, TMC introduced a new logo borrowing certain elements from the 1992-1997 and 2001-2006 logos such as the typeface of the channel's name from the former and the usage of a bold type of the word "MOVIE" from the latter. The logo also features three green or blue crescent-like slivers on the top and bottom sides of the channel's name.

First logo for The Movie Channel, used from 1979 to 1989. Image File history File links TMC1G.png‎ The first generation Movie Channel logo. ...	Logo used from 1989 to 1997. Image File history File links Tmc1. ...	The Movie Channel logo used from 1997 to March 5, 2001. Image File history File links TMC_1997. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...	The Movie Channel logo used from March 5, 2001 to May 3, 2006 Image File history File links TMC.gif Summary The Movie Channel Logo Licensing File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... March 5 is the 64th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (65th in leap years). ... 2001 (MMI) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...
The Movie Channel's current logo since May 3, 2006. Image File history File links Tmclogo. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ...

References

1. ^ About Showtime networks. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
2. ^ Cable Industry Information for The Movie Channel. National Cable and Telecommunications Association. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
3. ^ Showtime press release (2005-03-29). Showtime Networks To Launch FLIX ON DEMAND In Second Quarter 2005. The Futon Critic. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.

For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the Manfred Mann album, see 2006 (album). ... August 12 is the 224th day of the year (225th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See Also

• List of DirecTV channels
• List of Dish Network channels

Below is a numerical representation of the DirecTV channel lineup. ... This is a list of the channels receivable from DISH Network. ...

External Links

• Official Site

• Movie Channel graphics and intro from the 80s - courtesy of Youtube.com

• Star Channel Promo -courtesy of retrojunk.com