 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Nationwide |
| Programming | |
| Language(s) | English |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | NBCUniversal |
| History | |
| Launched |
|
| Closed | July 30, 2014 |
| Links | |
| Website | Archived official website at the Wayback Machine (archive index) |
Fearnet was an American digital cable television network, website and video on demand service owned by Comcast. The network specialized in horror entertainment programming through a mix of acquired and original series, and feature films.
Fearnet launched on October 31, 2006 as a video on demand service, Fearnet On Demand. It was originally operated as a joint venture between Comcast, Lions Gate Entertainment, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The on-demand service featured full-length horror, thriller, and suspense films as well as shorts, trailers, interviews, and behind-the-scenes featurettes. It was available to subscribers of Comcast, [1] Cox Communications, [2] Verizon FiOS, [1] AT&T U-verse, [3] Insight Communications, [4] Bresnan Communications, [5] Guadalupe Valley Systems, [5] Buckeye CableSystem, Time Warner Cable, Wave Broadband, Bright House Networks, [6] and CenturyLink.
Fearnet launched as a linear cable channel on October 31, 2010. The network was originally scheduled to launch four weeks earlier on October 1, [7] but the date was pushed back as Fearnet was in the midst of carriage negotiations with cable providers to carry the linear channel. The Fearnet channel was available through Comcast (in select markets), Cox Communications, Time Warner Cable, Verizon FiOS, Bright House Networks, and CenturyLink. The network aired over 350 full-length feature films annually, as well as popular series (such as Tales from the Crypt and Reaper ) and original content (such as Holliston ) and the weekend program block called "Funhouse".
In September 2012, Fearnet became the first television network to offer Dynamic Ad Insertion (DAI), [8] technology which decreases integration time from four weeks to as few as three days, and allows advertisers to refresh creative mid-campaign and track impressions on a daily basis. [9]
The Fearnet website featured thriller, suspense, and horror films available for streaming (with available content updated each week); other videos including movie trailers and shorts; daily news and reviews that covered all aspects of the genre; and sweepstakes, chats, and forums. The website had over 270,000 registered users.[ citation needed ]
In 2010, Peter Block (who launched the top-grossing Saw horror film franchise, and produced several other blockbuster horror and thriller films including Hostel , Cabin Fever , Open Water , and House at the End of the Street ) was named president and general manager of Fearnet, replacing Diane Robina. [10] In addition to his duties at Fearnet, Block continued to run his production company A Bigger Boat. [11]
On April 14, 2014, Comcast purchased Lions Gate Entertainment and Sony Pictures Entertainment's stakes in Fearnet to acquire full ownership of the channel. [12] Comcast planned to fold Fearnet's programming into its existing horror- and thriller-focused network Chiller (owned by the company's NBCUniversal Cable unit) and move some of Fearnet's programming to Syfy. [12] The merger occurred on July 30, 2014 at midnight, after an airing of House of 1000 Corpses . Chiller ceased operations on December 31, 2017 folding the former Fearnet channel space.
On April 3, 2012, Fearnet premiered their only original series, Holliston , a horror/comedy series starring real-life filmmakers Adam Green and Joe Lynch as two college graduates chasing the dream of becoming successful horror filmmakers while struggling to make ends meet through their jobs at a Boston public-access cable channel. [13] [14] The series was renewed for a second season which aired in 2013. [15]
In August 2012, Fearnet debuted a two-hour program block on Saturday and Sunday mornings called "Funhouse", featuring reruns of science-fiction and horror series aimed at children, including: The Real Ghostbusters , Tales from the Cryptkeeper , Eerie, Indiana , and Dark Oracle .[ citation needed ]
USA Network is an American basic cable television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. It was originally launched in 1977 as Madison Square Garden Sports Network, one of the first national sports cable television channels, before being relaunched under its current name on April 9, 1980. Since then, USA steadily gained popularity through its original programming, a long-established partnership with WWF/WWE and, for many years, limited sports programming that increased significantly in 2022 after the shutdown of NBCSN.
Cinemax is an American pay television, cable, and satellite television network owned by the Home Box Office, Inc. subsidiary of Warner Bros. Discovery. Developed as a companion "maxi-pay" service complementing the offerings shown on parent network Home Box Office (HBO) and initially focusing on recent and classic films upon its launch on August 1, 1980. Programming featured on Cinemax currently consists primarily of recent and older theatrically released motion pictures, and original action series, as well as documentaries and special behind-the-scenes featurettes.
Syfy is an American basic cable television channel, which is owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division and business segment of Comcast's NBCUniversal. Launched on September 24, 1992, the channel broadcasts programming relating to the science fiction, horror, and fantasy genres. As of January 2016, Syfy is available to 92.4 million households in America.
YTV is a Canadian English language discretionary specialty channel owned by YTV Canada, Inc., a subsidiary of Corus Entertainment. The channel and its programming is targeted at children and young teenagers; consisting of both original live-action and animated television series, movies, and third-party shows from various international markets, mainly from U.S.-based kids networks. Its name was originally thought to be an abbreviation for "Youth Television", though the channel's website has denied this.
E! Entertainment Television is an American basic cable television network. It is owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of Comcast's NBCUniversal. The channel focuses primarily on pop culture, celebrity based reality shows and movies.
NBCUniversal Media, LLC is an American multinational mass media and entertainment conglomerate that is a subsidiary of Comcast and is headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in Midtown Manhattan in New York City.
Starz is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by Lionsgate, and is the flagship property of parent subsidiary Starz Inc. Programming on Starz consists of theatrically released motion pictures and first-run original television series. Launched in 1994 as a multiplex service of Starz Encore, Starz operates six 24-hour, linear multiplex channels; a traditional subscription video on demand service; and a namesake over-the-top streaming platform that both acts as a TV Everywhere offering for Starz's linear television subscribers and is sold directly to streaming-only consumers.
NBCUniversal Media Group is the television and streaming arm of NBCUniversal, and the direct descendant and successor of the former division NBCUniversal Television Group, which existed from 2004 to 2019.
MoviePlex, stylized as movieplex since 2006, is an American premium cable and satellite television network owned by the Starz Inc. subsidiary of Lions Gate Entertainment and headquartered at the Meridian International Business Center complex in Meridian, Colorado. Launched on 1 January 1997 as Plex: Encore 1, its programming consists of recent, as well as older theatrically released motion pictures. It is the sister channel of Starz and Starz Encore.
Cloo, formerly known as Sleuth, was an American pay television channel owned and operated by NBCUniversal which aired programming originally dedicated to the crime and mystery genres, though it often fell out of this format in its later years with a more generic selection of series and films, and was used as an example of channel drift and superfluous channel bundling, presenting series easily found through other venues. The channel launched on January 1, 2006, replacing Trio. It ceased broadcasting on February 1, 2017.
Here TV is an American premium television network targeting LGBT audiences. Launched in 2002, Here TV is available nationwide on all major cable systems, fiber optics systems, and Internet TV providers as either a 24/7 premium subscription channel, a video on demand (VOD) service, and/or a subscription video on demand (SVOD) service. Here TV is actively involved in the LGBT community and offers sponsorship to yearly events such as gay pride events and film festivals as well as supporting a number of community organizations. In 2013, Here TV programming became available on the YouTube paid channels.
Qubo was an American television network for children between the ages of 5 and 14. Owned by Ion Media, it consisted of a 24-hour free-to-air television network often mentioned as the "Qubo channel", associated website with games and programs available through video on demand, and a weekly programming block on Ion Television, along with Ion Life, later known as Ion Plus.
FX Networks, LLC, is a company consisting of a network of cable channels plus a production company and a subsidiary of the Disney Entertainment business division of The Walt Disney Company. Originally a part of 21st Century Fox, the company was acquired by The Walt Disney Company on March 20, 2019. Consequently, FX Networks was integrated into the newly renamed Walt Disney Television unit.
Chiller was an American cable and satellite television network that was owned by NBCUniversal Cable Entertainment Group subsidiary of NBCUniversal, all owned by Comcast. It later opened its own film production company as well. Chiller specialized in horror, thriller and suspense programming, mainly films.
Adam Green is an American actor, filmmaker and musician, best known for his work in horror and comedy films, including the Hatchet franchise, 2010's Frozen, and the television series Holliston.
Myx is an American pay TV channel based in Daly City, California with an office also in Redwood City, California targeting a multicultural audience. As a sister network to Myx (Philippines), it launched in the United States in 2007. MyxRadio launched in November 2019 as a radio station on Dash Radio & as a global podcast on Spotify, iHeartRadio & Apple iTunes in March 2020. A video on demand service for Myx shows is also available via iWantTFC and TFC IPTV.
Holliston is an American horror sitcom created by Adam Green, which debuted on April 3, 2012 on the FEARnet cable television network as their only original series. Aside from the FEARnet cable television network, the show is also offered to watch on outlets such as Hulu, iTunes, and FEARnet On-Demand.
Universal Kids is an American children's television channel owned by the NBCUniversal Media Group division of NBCUniversal, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Comcast.
ArieScope Pictures is a film and television production company based in Los Angeles and founded in 1998 by Adam Green, Will Barrat, and Cory Neal. The studio focuses on horror and comedy productions, as the Hatchet's series, Frozen (2010) and the Fearnet TV sit-com Holliston.
