CBS to Launch Retro Digital Channel Focused on Pop Culture, History

[Mr Tony]

The CBS O&O group is finally developing its ample digital subchannel real estate, partnering with Weigel Broadcasting to launch an outlet devoted to vintage TV and pop culture.


The channel dubbed Decades aims to stand apart from other retro-TV services by offering wrap-around programming designed to highlight the overall theme of the day’s program slate. The anchor of this effort will be an hourlong daily program, “Decades Retrospectical,” that will examine the news and events of a particular day or period in history, and all of the programs airing that day will reflect the theme.


Billed as “the ultimate TV time capsule,” Decades will allow CBS to make use of its vast library of TV series, telepics and movies, which range from “I Love Lucy” (pictured) to “Cheers” to “Beverly Hills, 90210,” as well as the archives of CBS News, “Entertainment Tonight” and other in-house resources. The channel will be carried by the 16 CBS O&Os, and offered to stations in other markets on a syndicated basis in exchange for a national/local split of advertising time.

http://variety.com/2014/tv/news/cbs...el-focused-on-pop-culture-history-1201335405/

 

[Mr Tony]

launch between April and June next year

The 14 markets are New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Philly, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Sacramento, Miami, Denver, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Minneapolis.
note-they mention 16 O&O's. Minneapolis has 2 satellite stations (KCCO & KCCW) and those are O&O too

 

[boba]

Sounds like too little too late. Dallas is already saturated with oldies not so goodies. As far as I am concerned "METV" is the only one worth watching and that is on CBS 11-1 sister station 21-2.
I do occasionally find something on Antenna TV or Grit etc. to watch but I do watch more on PBS than I do on the Nostalgia channels.

 

[Mochuf]

Well, there goes that great looking 1080i pq here in Detroit.

 

[CK SatGuy]

Well, there goes that great looking 1080i pq here in Detroit.

Only question is will they put it on CBS 62 WWJ or on CW 50 WKBD. CBS owns both of them.

 

[Mochuf]

Only question is will they put it on CBS 62 WWJ or on CW 50 WKBD. CBS owns both of them.

Well, they're both 1080i.

 

[Mr Tony]

Only question is will they put it on CBS 62 WWJ or on CW 50 WKBD. CBS owns both of them.

it will launch on the CBS O&O stations (not any other station that CBS may own)

 

[Mr Tony]

list courtesy of rabbitears

http://www.rabbitears.info/search.php?request=network_search&network=Decades

 

[Mr Tony]

interesting

So couple things.....they signed their 1st non O&O in WBAY Green Bay (ABC)

and the BIG thing...It appears the network will soft-launch on January 16th with full series runs of shows that will appear on the network. The official launch of Decades is set for May 25th. What isn't clear is whether the CBS O&O stations set to air the network will also soft launch as well.

schedule (remember this is a soft launch)
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-01122015.pdf
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-01192015.pdf
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-01262015.pdf
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-02022015.pdf

 

[retrotv]

Supposedly Decades & Heroes & Icons launched Jan. 8 on the lp station WJDE. This is the channel hardly anyone in the area can pick up.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WJDE-LD

 

[Trip]

Considering Decades isn't up on satellite yet as far as I know and isn't supposed to begin its soft launch until Friday, it can't have launched yet. Is there any better source than Wikipedia? Perhaps one of those few people who can receive it?

- Trip

 

[FTA4PA]

Supposedly Decades & Heroes & Icons launched Jan. 8 on the lp station WJDE. This is the channel hardly anyone in the area can pick up.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WJDE-LD

Sounds like the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton PA market. MeTV is available OTA but on the station with the lowest transmitter power.

 

[retrotv]

I saw that launch date too. Someone that can pick that station up listed what channels were coming in when he did a re scan. I can't pick it up, so I can't confirm first hand. Maybe what he was seeing was logos for channel placements. It seems that this lp channel will now have 6 sub channels instead of 4. If they are not going to increase power, I don't know why they bother adding channels.

 

[Mr Tony]

Maybe what he was seeing was logos for channel placements.

probably

 

[boba]

From the soft launch schedule it looks like they are going to bore us to death or for the few that love the shows fill their VCR for future watching

 

[larrykenney]

KOVR 13 in Sacramento has announced that "Decades" will be coming soon to KOVR 13-2. It may not be on the "Soft" start date of January 16th, but soon afterwards. They said that they have the equipment and are in the process of getting it installed.

 

[Mr Tony]

starts tonight at 11PM Central time. What CBS O&O stations will carry it at launch is unknown
WDJT-DT4 Milwaukee (CBS Weigel owned station) confirmed the launch tiome

 

[ejb1980]

interesting

So couple things.....they signed their 1st non O&O in WBAY Green Bay (ABC)

and the BIG thing...It appears the network will soft-launch on January 16th with full series runs of shows that will appear on the network. The official launch of Decades is set for May 25th. What isn't clear is whether the CBS O&O stations set to air the network will also soft launch as well.

schedule (remember this is a soft launch)
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-01122015.pdf
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-01192015.pdf
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-01262015.pdf
http://wx.wbay.com/local/DECADES-02022015.pdf

I wonder if Burlington, VT will join the non-O&O stations (yeah, right)...

 

[Mr Tony]

I wonder if Burlington, VT will join the non-O&O stations (yeah, right)...

maybe down the road. Since then WBAY has decided not to carry it since Live Well decided to stay alive for a couple more months
The 1st non O&O is WDJT 58 Milwaukee (Weigel owned)

Again this is the soft launch. Real launch is Memorial Day

 

[Mr Tony]

sounds like only a couple markets went live (Milwaukee and NYC)