The CW

The CW
Name	The CW
Country	United States
Headquarters	Burbank, California
Picture format	1080i (HDTV)
Owner	Nexstar Media Group (75%), Paramount Global (12.5%), Warner Bros. Discovery (12.5%)
Launched	18 September 2006
Founder	CBS Corporation, Warner Bros.

The CW. It is an American English-language commercial broadcast television network launched in September 2006, formed as a joint venture between the media conglomerates CBS Corporation and Warner Bros.. The network's name is derived from the first letters of its corporate parents, "C" for CBS and "W" for Warner Bros.. It primarily targets a younger demographic with a programming slate focused on scripted dramas, superhero series, and reality television, operating as a successor to two earlier networks, The WB and UPN.

History

The network was conceived in early 2006 as a merger of the struggling The WB and UPN networks, which were owned by Time Warner and CBS Corporation, respectively. Key executives involved in the launch included Leslie Moonves of CBS and Barry Meyer of Warner Bros.. Its inaugural night of programming on September 18, 2006, featured the seventh season premiere of the reality series America's Next Top Model and the debut of the drama Runaway. For much of its early existence, it struggled to find a consistent identity and profitability, heavily relying on series developed by its corporate owners like Smallville and Supernatural. A significant turning point came in the 2010s with the success of series based on DC Comics properties, such as Arrow, which launched the interconnected Arrowverse. In 2022, majority control was acquired by Nexstar Media Group, marking a major shift in corporate strategy and leadership.

Programming

Programming has historically focused on genre and youth-oriented series, building a strong brand with adaptations from DC Comics and Archie Comics. Key early hits included long-running dramas like Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries, which defined the network's aesthetic. The Arrowverse, beginning with Arrow and expanding to include The Flash, Supergirl, and Legends of Tomorrow, became a programming cornerstone for nearly a decade. Other notable series have included Riverdale, All American, and the Walker reboot. Its schedule also features unscripted content like Penn & Teller: Fool Us and acquired programming, including off-network repeats of series like Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Two and a Half Men.

Network operations

The network's operations are headquartered in Burbank, California, with master control and some network functions based at Tribune Broadcasting's facilities in Chicago. Unlike major competitors ABC, NBC, CBS, and Fox, it does not own and operate a full group of major-market television stations, instead relying on a mix of affiliate stations. For most of its history, it provided a nightly prime time programming block, with affiliates responsible for daytime, late-night, and weekend programming. Following the acquisition by Nexstar Media Group, there was a strategic expansion into Saturday morning programming with a live news block called The CW News, produced in partnership with Nexstar's NewsNation.

Affiliates

The network has a national affiliation base that includes stations owned by major groups like Nexstar Media Group, Gray Television, and Sinclair Broadcast Group. Its initial affiliate lineup was secured through agreements with former The WB and UPN stations, with key founding affiliates including KTLA in Los Angeles and WPIX in New York City. The affiliation model has seen significant changes, especially after 2022, with Nexstar leveraging its owned stations to improve the network's distribution. In some markets, it is carried on a digital subchannel of a major network affiliate, such as on stations owned by the E. W. Scripps Company.

Ratings and viewership

Historically, it has ranked as the fifth or sixth major broadcast network in terms of total viewership, behind ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox, and often closely competing with MyNetworkTV. Its ratings strength has traditionally been concentrated in the young adult demographic, particularly women aged 18–34, with shows like Gossip Girl and The Vampire Diaries achieving cultural resonance. The Arrowverse crossover events, such as Crisis on Infinite Earths, often represented annual ratings highs. In the late 2010s and early 2020s, overall linear ratings declined industry-wide, leading to a greater emphasis on digital viewership through platforms like Netflix and its own CW TV app.

Corporate affairs

The network was originally a 50/50 joint venture between CBS Corporation and Warner Bros., a division of Time Warner. Following the merger of CBS Corporation and Viacom to form ViacomCBS (now Paramount Global), the ownership structure evolved. In October 2022, Nexstar Media Group acquired a 75% controlling interest, with Paramount Global and Warner Bros. Discovery each retaining a 12.5% stake. This acquisition installed Dennis Miller as the network's president. Under Nexstar, the corporate strategy shifted towards lower-cost programming, including acquisitions, international series, and live sports, moving away from the high-cost, scripted originals model of its previous owners.

Category:Television networks in the United States Category:English-language television networks Category:2006 establishments in California