More About USA Network
USA is an American basic cable company, and also a satellite channel that is owned/run by NBCUniversal Cable. NBC is a division of Comcast, which is controlled by NBCUniversal. It used to be a small player in cable, but now it is popular among people of all ages for its original shows and content. It also broadcasts reruns of current and former non-cable television, and theatrically released feature films. USA also shows limited sports television.
USA Network first aired on September 8, 1971 as Madison Square Garden Network. It became one of the first national networks to use satellite delivery instead of microwave relay to cable systems. In the beginning it ran a mix of college and lesser known sports similar to ESPN. On January 3, 1979, the channel changed its name to USA Network after ownership of the network changed to a joint operating agreement by UA-Columbia Cablevision and MCA Inc./Universal City Studios. That fall it started to air some talk shows, and a children's show called Calliope. In 1982, Time Inc. and Gulf+Western's Paramount Pictures would also buy into the venture, and in the fall of 1982 USA would start to run on a 24-hour schedule. MCA/Universal and Paramount would become soul owners in 1987 (each owning 50%).
From 1984 to 1986 USA would start to move away from sports programming and begin to focus on general entertainment, including some less common network drama series and cartoons. In 2001, USA and other channels were brought into Vivendi's Universal Television Group. The police comedy-drama "Monk" first aired in 2002 and became one of USA's first breakout hit series. It ran for eight seasons, until it ended on December 4, 2009. in 2006 it aired "Psych," which as of 2013, was the channel's longest running original series. Psych's final episode was on March 26, 2014.
USA is an American basic cable company, and also a satellite channel that is owned/run by NBCUniversal Cable. NBC is a division of Comcast, which is controlled by NBCUniversal. It used to be a small player in cable, but now it is popular among people of all ages for its original shows and content. It also broadcasts reruns of current and former non-cable television, and theatrically released feature films. USA also shows limited sports television.
USA Network first aired on September 8, 1971 as Madison Square Garden Network. It became one of the first national networks to use satellite delivery instead of microwave relay to cable systems. In the beginning it ran a mix of college and lesser known sports similar to ESPN. On January 3, 1979, the channel changed its name to USA Network after ownership of the network changed to a joint operating agreement by UA-Columbia Cablevision and MCA Inc./Universal City Studios. That fall it started to air some talk shows, and a children's show called Calliope. In 1982, Time Inc. and Gulf+Western's Paramount Pictures would also buy into the venture, and in the fall of 1982 USA would start to run on a 24-hour schedule. MCA/Universal and Paramount would become soul owners in 1987 (each owning 50%).
From 1984 to 1986 USA would start to move away from sports programming and begin to focus on general entertainment, including some less common network drama series and cartoons. In 2001, USA and other channels were brought into Vivendi's Universal Television Group. The police comedy-drama "Monk" first aired in 2002 and became one of USA's first breakout hit series. It ran for eight seasons, until it ended on December 4, 2009. in 2006 it aired "Psych," which as of 2013, was the channel's longest running original series. Psych's final episode was on March 26, 2014.