CW Network
by Laura Nachman

Delaware County Daily Times

January 26, 2006

With the new television network, The CW, a 50/50 partnership between CBS and Warner Bros. Entertainment on the way next year, meaning the end of The WB and UPN networks, does that mean viewers will be watching “Everybody Hates Reba” or “Smallville’s Next Top Model?” 

Not quite. Here’s what the formation of the new network means to Philadelphia television viewers.

According to WPHL-17 creative services director Wendy Kaiser, Channel 17, a WB affiliate for the 11-years, will return to being an independent station.  It will continue to air reruns such as “Will and Grace” and other syndicated offerings.  She also said that the “WB17 News Powered by NBC10,” which premiered last month, will continue to air at 10 p.m. (though it will have to change its name). 

The popular series from WB and UPN such as “Smallville,” “Supernatural,” and “Gilmore Girls” (WB) and “America’s Next Top Model,” “Everybody Hates Chris,” and “WWE’s Smackdown” (UPN) will likely move to the new CW network next year.

UPN57 will turn into a CW affiliate (Which means the new UPN57 slogan “So Philly, So U” goes out the window). 

CBS3 and UPN57 president general manager Michael Colleran said, “It’s an exciting day for Channel 57.  We and the audience will become the beneficiaries of outstanding entertainment.”  He added that original programming on Sunday night from 7 – 10 p.m. will air on Channel 57 in the fall.

Though in some markets, the WB affiliate is becoming a CW affiliate, since UPN57 is a CBS owned and operated station, that’s why it gets the nod in Philadelphia.