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TV CHANNEL NAMES BECOMING SHORTER

K

kc0ltv

I'm sure you have all noticed the trend towards shorter names for TV networks. What is the root of this? What are some examples you'd like to list? And is it correlated with a dumbing-down of programming / catering to the lowest common denominator?

Some examples:

MuchMusic USA -> MuchMusic -> Fuse (dumbed down IMO)
The Nashville Network -> TNN -> Spike
The History Channel -> History (dumbed down, became a reality TV channel)
History International -> H2
The Learning Channel -> TLC (exec said a while back that it does not stand for anything anymore, dumbed down)
Paxnet -> Pax -> i
Outdoor Life Network / OLN -> VS
ZDTV -> TechTV -> G4 (extremely dumbed down)
 
Lifetime Movie Network -> LMN

-crainbebo
 
The reason for using lettered abbreviations probably had less to do with a 'dumbing down' of programming (would you say that about 'Discovery'?), and more to do with the fact that most people grew up watching programming from sources referred to as 'CBS', 'PBS', 'NBC', and 'ABC'. For that matter, some channels such as MTV, BET, and TNT launched already using such branding. Also, with both printed and digital programming guides (online and on-screen), its easier to point people to 'TLC' than 'The Learning Channel', per use of that old name.

kc0ltv said:
Outdoor Life Network / OLN -> VS
Click to expand...
It wasn't known as vee-ess, it was 'Versus', often using a logo featuring that abbreviation.

And today, it's NBC Sports Network--so the name grew again.
 
Old rule of thumb...less is more. Any title that is more than 2-3 words needs to be driven down to just letters. The attnetion span of the average viewer is near zero. Yes, it IS dumbing down the message, and it does work at the end of the day.
 
My new flat screen doesn't do it, but many TVs (well maybe older analog TVs) would allow the owner to label each channel usually with no more than four letters. And TNN/The Nashville Network was sold and new owners wanted a new identity. BTW TNN is back, available to sub-channles, now.
 
kc0ltv said:
Outdoor Life Network / OLN -> VS
Click to expand...

Versus is now NBC Sports Network.

A more recent one is NBCUniversal rebranding their mystery/crime-themed cable channel Sleuth as Cloo.

And of course there's The Sci-Fi Channel becoming SCI FI and then Syfy.
 
fussbudget said:
Nothing new here. "This is the Columbia Phonograph Broadcasting Company." >"This is the Columbia Broadcasting System"> CBS.
Click to expand...

In the early days, CBS was known as "The Columbia Chain." They didn't start calling it "CBS" until World War II.

I think the "letters" thing is mostly an American and Canadian quirk. It's been NBC, CBS, ABC, VOA, CBC, SRC, CTV, etc. for decades. It's probably why call letters are still part of many stations' branding, especially older ones.

The only exceptions I can think of for broadcast networks all are one-word names: Mutual, Dumont, Fox, & Global. The only European network I can think of that uses letters is the BBC.
 
Music Television > MTV

Video Hits 1 > VH1

Turner Broadcasting System > TBS

Turner Network Television > TNT

New England Sports Network > NESN

Madison Square Garden Network > MSG

Microsoft NBC > MSNBC

Consumer News & Business Channel > CNBC
 
TVCOOL said:
Music Television > MTV

Video Hits 1 > VH1

Turner Broadcasting System > TBS

Turner Network Television > TNT

New England Sports Network > NESN

Madison Square Garden Network > MSG

Microsoft NBC > MSNBC

Consumer News & Business Channel > CNBC
Click to expand...

Again, are these [example in bold] really 'shortened' names? Has anyone ever heard TNT referenced as 'Turner Network Television' in a voiceover? I'm fairly confident that you've never heard anyone say 'Microsoft NBC', though that's what the original channel partnership consisted of.

(I'm only being nitpicking because the OP did. ;) )
 
I didn't really intend on this thread being an acronym thread, but for it to have names which have gotten shorter over time.

For example, "TLC" doesn't stand for "The Learning Channel" anymore, even though it started out as an abbreviation for that. It's simply "TLC".

And as for European broadcasters using abbreviations, there are a ton:

TF1
MCM
ITV
C4
RTE
NRK
YLE
SVT
ARD
ZDF
SWR
MDR
RAI
TVE
RTP
SIC
TVP
RTS
ERT
MKTV
 
It started in the 60s when we were TCB with BTO, we had no time to waste back then and time grows shorter with each of the following decades
 
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