Editing UPN (section)

== History ==
{{For|a year-by-year chronological history of the network and its programming|History of UPN}}

=== 1948–1994: Origins of the network ===
[[Paramount Pictures]] had played a pivotal role in the development of network television. It was a partner in the [[DuMont Television Network]], and the Paramount Theaters chain, which was spun off from the corporate/studio parent and merged with [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] in a deal that helped cement that network's status as a major network. The [[Paramount Television Network]] was launched in 1948, but dissolved in the 1950s.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Schatz |first1 = Thomas |title = Boom and Bust: American Cinema in the 1940s |date = 1999 |publisher = University of California Press |isbn = 978-0-520-22130-7 |page = 433 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=dwf5SUcfousC&pg=PA433 |language = en |quote = In 1948, Television Productions, Inc., formed the Paramount Television Network }}</ref><ref>{{cite thesis |last = White |first = Timothy R. |title = Hollywood's Attempt to Appropriate Television: The Case of Paramount Pictures |type = PhD dissertation |publisher = University of Wisconsin-Madison |year = 1990 |pages = 107–131 }}</ref>

Paramount had long had plans for its own television network with the [[Paramount Television Service]]. Set to launch in early 1978, it would have run its programming for only one night a week. Thirty "Movies of the Week" would have followed ''[[Star Trek: Phase II]]'' on Saturday nights. Plans for the new network were scrapped when sufficient advertising slots could not be sold, though Paramount would contribute some programs to [[Operation Prime Time]], such as the mini-series ''[[A Woman Called Golda]]'', and the weekly pop music program, ''[[Solid Gold (TV series)|Solid Gold]]''. ''Star Trek: Phase II'' was reworked as the theatrical film, ''[[Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', absorbing the costs already incurred from the aborted television series.

Paramount, and its eventual parent [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]] (which bought the studio's then-parent, Paramount Communications, in 1994), continued to consider launching their own television network. [[Independent station (North America)|Independent station]]s, even more than [[network affiliate]]s, were feeling the growing pressure of audience erosion to [[cable television]] in the 1980s and 1990s; there were unaffiliated commercial [[television station]]s in most of the major television markets, even after the foundation of [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] in 1986. Meanwhile, [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]], which had long been successful in syndication with repeats of ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series|Star Trek]]'', launched several first-run syndicated series by the 1990s, including ''[[Entertainment Tonight]]'', ''[[The Arsenio Hall Show]]'', ''[[Friday the 13th: The Series]]'', ''[[War of the Worlds (1988 TV series)|War of the Worlds]]'', ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'', and ''[[Star Trek: Deep Space Nine]]''.

In 1993, [[Time Warner]] and [[Chris-Craft Industries]] entered into a [[joint venture]] to distribute programs via a [[prime time]] programming service, the [[Prime Time Entertainment Network]] (PTEN), which is UPN's partial parent. Chris-Craft later became a partner in UPN, and Time Warner launched The WB in a joint venture with the [[Tribune Media|Tribune Company]] at roughly the same time.

=== 1994–1999: Launch and early years ===
{{multiple image
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 | image1 = Upn1995.png
 | caption1 = The original UPN logo, used from 1995 to 1999, and in various iterations from 1997 to 2002 (though the "primary colors" variant continued on some affiliates and in print advertising until 2002).
 | image2 = UPN Logo 1998.svg
 | caption2 = Silver variant of UPN logo, used from 1997 to 2002.
}}
Paramount formed the [[Paramount Stations Group]] in 1991 when it purchased the assets of the [[TVX Broadcast Group]], which owned several independent stations in major markets. This was not unlike the purchase of the [[Metromedia]] stations by [[News Corporation (1980–2013)|News Corporation]] five years earlier, which were used as the nucleus for Fox. In another parallel, [[20th Century Fox]] (the News Corporation subsidiary behind the Fox network, which was spun off with the company's other entertainment assets to [[21st Century Fox]] on June 28, 2013 before [[The Walt Disney Company|Disney]] [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney|acquired]] them on March 20, 2019), like Paramount, had long been a powerhouse in television syndication. All indicators suggested that Paramount was about to launch a network of its own.

In April 1993, the [[Federal Communications Commission]] ended the [[fin-syn]] rules that prohibited networks from owning the rerun rights to programs they broadcast. Fear that networks would stop buying programs from independent studios was another reason for Paramount to start a network.<ref name="lowry19991226">{{Cite news |last=Lowry |first=Brian |date=1999-12-26 |title=The Whims of War |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1999-dec-26-ca-47501-story.html |access-date=May 25, 2012 |work=Los Angeles Times}}</ref>

On October 27, 1993, Viacom and Chris-Craft announced the formation of a new television network, later to be named the '''United Paramount Network''', with initial plans to run two hours of programming in prime time for two nights per week.<ref>{{cite news |title = Paramount Plans a TV Network |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/27/business/paramount-plans-a-tv-network.html |first = Bill |last = Carter |newspaper = [[The New York Times]] |date = October 27, 1993 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094915/http://www.nytimes.com/1993/10/27/business/paramount-plans-a-tv-network.html |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref> The new network would be co-owned by United & Paramount Television, while most of its shows were to be produced by Paramount Television.

Initially, the network was to simply be called "U", but the "U Network" trademark was held by the now-defunct [[National Association of College Broadcasters]] (NACB), which had been operating a satellite television programming network featuring programs largely produced by college students since 1991. The founder and first head of UPN, [[Lucie Salhany]], approached NACB with an offer of US$50,000 to transfer the name. Due to the costs related to rebranding the student network, and under the advice of its then-volunteer legal counsel, Cary Tepper, the non-profit association countered with a request of $100,000, which Salhany refused. At one point, the network was set to be titled the '''U/P Network'''<ref>{{Cite news |last = Coe |first = Steve |date = October 10, 1994 |title = U/P Network Unveils Launch Lineup |pages = 7–8 |work = Broadcasting & Cable |url = https://worldradiohistory.com/hd2/IDX-Business/Magazines/Archive-BC-IDX/94-OCR/BC-1994-10-10-Page-0007.pdf }}</ref> before its current name was decided. Ultimately, the "U" in UPN stood for Chris-Craft subsidiary [[BHC Communications#United Television|United Television]], which owned the network's two largest stations, [[WWOR-TV]] in [[New York City]] and [[KCOP-TV]] in [[Los Angeles]]; the "P" represented Paramount Television, the studio that formed a programming partnership with Chris-Craft to create the network. Chris-Craft and Paramount/Viacom each owned independent stations in several large and mid-sized U.S. cities, and these stations formed the nuclei of the new network.

[[Warner Bros.]] announced plans to launch a similar network, which would become known as [[The WB]], in close proximity to UPN. The belief that a new broadcast network could grow to be competitive was predicated on the idea that the network in question would not have a fledgling rival to contend with. With the change in landscape, the joint understanding of assured defeat prompted executives from [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]] and Time Warner (at the time, UPN and The WB's respective owners, with the latter owning most of The WB) to discuss the prospect of [[Mergers and acquisitions|merging]] the networks together.<ref>{{Cite book |title = Season Finale: The Unexpected Rise and fall of the WB and UPN |last1 = Daniels |first1= Susanne |date = 2007 |publisher = HarperCollins e-books |last2 = Littleton |first2 = Cynthia. |isbn = 9780061542268 |location = Pymble, New South Wales |oclc = 191702277 }}</ref> Both sides reached an agreement on the division of affiliates, but Chris-Craft expressed extreme skepticism and declined to proceed with the merger. A merger would ultimately come in 2006 with the creation of [[The CW]].

UPN launched on January 16, 1995, initially carrying programming only on Monday and Tuesday nights from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern]] and [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Time]].<ref>{{cite news |title = The Media Business: 2 Would-Be Networks Get Set for Prime Time |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/09/business/the-media-business-2-would-be-networks-get-set-for-prime-time.html |first = Bill |last = Carter |newspaper = The New York Times |date = January 9, 1995 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094720/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/09/business/the-media-business-2-would-be-networks-get-set-for-prime-time.html |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref> The first telecast, the [[Caretaker (Star Trek: Voyager)|two-hour pilot episode]] of ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', was an auspicious start, with 21.3 million viewers; however, ''Voyager'' would neither achieve such viewership levels again, nor would any of the series premiering on UPN's second night of broadcasting survive the season. In contrast, The WB debuted one week earlier, on January 11, with four series – only one of which, ''[[Muscle (TV series)|Muscle]]'', would not survive its first season. The first comedy series to premiere on UPN were ''[[Platypus Man]]'', starring [[Richard Jeni]], and ''[[Pig Sty]]'', with both shows airing Monday nights in the 9:00&nbsp;p.m. hour; both received mixed reviews. Neither lasted long. <ref>{{cite news |title = UPN Network Cancels 3 of Its 4 Programs |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/18/arts/upn-network-cancels-3-of-its-4-programs.html |first = Lawrie |last = Mifflin |newspaper = The New York Times |date = May 18, 1995 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094847/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/05/18/arts/upn-network-cancels-3-of-its-4-programs.html |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref>

Other early UPN programs included the action series ''[[Nowhere Man (American TV series)|Nowhere Man]]'', starring [[Bruce Greenwood]] and ''[[Marker (TV series)|Marker]]'', starring [[Richard Grieco]]; the comic western ''[[Legend (TV series)|Legend]]'' starring [[Richard Dean Anderson]]; the sci-fi themed action series, ''[[The Sentinel (TV series)|The Sentinel]]''; and ''[[Moesha]]'', a sitcom starring R&B musician [[Brandy (entertainer)|Brandy Norwood]]. Of the network's early offerings, only ''Star Trek: Voyager'', ''Moesha'' and ''The Sentinel'' would last longer than one season. As a result of the lack of viewership, UPN operated on a loss and had lost $800&nbsp;million by 2000.<ref>{{cite magazine |title = Why Won't Anyone Pull the Plug on UPN? |url = https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2000/04/03/why-wont-anyone-pull-the-plug-on-upn |first = James |last = Surowiecki |magazine = [[The New Yorker]] |date = April 3, 2000 |access-date = January 17, 2010 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081218170110/https://www.newyorker.com/archive/2000/04/03/2000_04_03_032_TNY_LIBRY_000020545 |archive-date = December 18, 2008 }}</ref>

Within nearly two years of the network's launch, on December 8, 1996, Paramount/Viacom purchased a 50% stake in UPN from Chris-Craft for approximately $160&nbsp;million.<ref>{{cite news |title = Viacom Buys 50 Percent Stake in UPN Network |url = https://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/05/business/viacom-buys-50-percent-stake-in-upn-network.html |newspaper = The New York Times |date = December 5, 1996 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094516/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/05/business/viacom-buys-50-percent-stake-in-upn-network.html |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = Viacom to Buy Half of UPN: Is Investing $160 Million in Fledgling Network |url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18935896.html |first1 = Steve |last1 = McClellan |first2 = Lynette |last2 = Rice |periodical = [[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date = December 9, 1996 |access-date = June 22, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131011162936/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-18935896.html |archive-date = October 11, 2013 }}</ref> Like Fox had done nine years earlier, UPN started with a few nights of programming each week, with additional nights of primetime shows gradually being added over the course of several seasons. Because of this, UPN's affiliates were basically independent stations for all intents and purposes during the network's early years, with these stations airing either syndicated programs or movies during primetime on nights when the network did not provide programming. The first expansion of its primetime lineup came with the addition of programming on Wednesday nights on March 6, 1996 (during the second half of the 1995–96 season); that expansion also saw UPN assume the broadcast rights to the [[Blockbuster Entertainment Awards]], which aired its inaugural broadcast on CBS the year before.

UPN ordered 36 sci-fi films to air as part of its weekly movie presentations beginning in 1998; the films were supplied by four production companies, with most of the titles coming from Paramount. Some titles would be shown on [[Showtime (TV network)|Showtime]] first, which allowed the [[pay television|premium cable channel]] to cooperate in advertising the movies.<ref>{{cite book |last1 = Segrave |first1 = Kerry |title = Movies at Home : How Hollywood Came to Television |date = 1999 |publisher = McFarland |location = Jefferson, North Carolina |isbn = 0786406542 |page = 144 |url = https://books.google.com/books?id=IZTehB3M1_kC&pg=PA144 |access-date = January 8, 2016 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160624054459/https://books.google.com/books?id=IZTehB3M1_kC&lpg=PA146&pg=PA144 |archive-date = June 24, 2016 }}</ref>

UPN completed its prime time expansion in the 1998–99 season, with Thursdays and Fridays as the last nights of programming to be added to the network's evening slate. That season saw the debut of ''[[The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer]]'', a sitcom set during the [[American Civil War|Civil War]] that centered on a black English nobleman who becomes the valet to [[Abraham Lincoln]]; even before its premiere, the series was riddled by controversy and protests from several African American activist groups (including the Los Angeles chapter of the [[NAACP]], who picketed outside [[Paramount Studios]] one week before the originally scheduled [[television pilot|pilot episode]]) and some advertisers for its perceived lighthearted take on [[Slavery in the United States|American slavery in the 19th century]]. Despite the publicity ''Desmond'' received from the controversial approach it applied to its topic, the series suffered from low ratings (with the first episode on October 5, 1998, placing 116th out of 125 programs aired that week on network television) and was canceled after four episodes.<ref>{{cite news |title = Racism Is Not 'Diary's' Crime |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-02-ca-28389-story.html |first = Howard |last = Rosenberg |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = October 2, 1998 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094649/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/oct/02/entertainment/ca-28389 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Candy Maker Pulls Its Ads from Controversial Comedy |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-13-fi-32006-story.html |first = Greg |last = Braxton |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = October 13, 1998 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094959/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/oct/13/business/fi-32006 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = 300 Protest at Studio Against TV Comedy Set in Slavery Era |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-01-me-28286-story.html |first = Greg |last = Braxton |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = October 1, 1998 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094615/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/oct/01/local/me-28286 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = They Vote by Remote: As UPN debuts 'Desmond Pfeiffer,' Viewers Tune in Other Channels |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-oct-07-ca-29945-story.html |first = Greg |last = Braxton |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = October 7, 1998 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094510/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/oct/07/entertainment/ca-29945 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = 'Desmond Pfeiffer' Is Deep-Sixed |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1998-nov-07-ca-40123-story.html |first = Greg |last = Braxton |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = November 7, 1998 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094549/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/nov/07/entertainment/ca-40123 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref>

=== 1999–2005: Viacom era and decline ===
[[Image:Paramount networklogo.jpg|225px|thumb|Proposed logo for the scrapped Paramount Network.|class=skin-invert]]
Six months before Viacom announced its $36&nbsp;billion merger with (the original) [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation|CBS Corporation]], in March 1999, Viacom applied a contractual clause that would – within a 45-day grace period – force Chris-Craft to either buy Viacom out of UPN, or have Chris-Craft sell its ownership stake in UPN to Viacom. Three days later on February 8, Chris-Craft subsequently filed a lawsuit against Viacom in the [[New York Supreme Court]] to block Viacom's merger with CBS, claiming that a pact signed between the two partners in 1997 had prevented either from owning "any interest, financial or otherwise" in "any competing network," including CBS, for a four-year period through January 2001. On March 17, New York Supreme Court judge Herman Cahn ruled against Chris-Craft's move for a permanent [[injunction]] to curtail the Viacom-CBS merger and the enforcement of Viacom's ultimatum.<ref>{{cite news |title = Viacom Makes 2 Offers to BHC on TV Venture |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/04/business/viacom-makes-2-offers-to-bhc-on-tv-venture.html |newspaper = The New York Times |date = February 4, 2000 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20171103205351/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/02/04/business/viacom-makes-2-offers-to-bhc-on-tv-venture.html |archive-date = November 3, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = BHC Sues UPN Partner Viacom over CBS Deal |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-09-fi-62554-story.html |first = Sallie |last = Hofmeister |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = February 9, 2000 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015095028/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/feb/09/business/fi-62554 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Chris-Craft Loses UPN Ruling |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/17/business/chris-craft-loses-upn-ruling.html |newspaper = The New York Times |date = March 17, 2000 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015095032/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/17/business/chris-craft-loses-upn-ruling.html |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref>

Unable to find a suitable partner, on March 20, Chris-Craft allowed Viacom to buy out its 50% stake for $5&nbsp;million, giving Viacom full control of UPN.<ref>{{cite news |title = Viacom Buys Chris-Craft's Stake in UPN for $5 Million |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/21/business/viacom-buys-chris-craft-s-stake-in-upn-for-5-million.html |first = Bill |last = Carter |newspaper = The New York Times |date = March 21, 2000 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151117102355/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/21/business/viacom-buys-chris-craft-s-stake-in-upn-for-5-million.html |archive-date = November 17, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = Viacom Wins UPN so Let the Digestion Begin |url = http://www.medialifemagazine.com:8080/news2000/mar00/news20321.html |periodical = [[Media Life Magazine]] |date = March 2000 |access-date = May 4, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130617235807/http://www.medialifemagazine.com:8080/news2000/mar00/news20321.html |archive-date = June 17, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = UPN Deal Done; Viacom Buys out Chris-Craft Share |url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-62239976.html |first1 = Melissa |last1 = Grego |first2 = Joe |last2 = Schlosser |periodical = Broadcasting & Cable   |date = April 10, 2000 |access-date = June 22, 2013 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140611025706/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-62239976.html |archive-date = June 11, 2014 }}</ref> This gave UPN the rare distinction of being one of the only broadcast networks to not have had [[owned-and-operated station]]s (O&O) in the three largest media markets, New York City, Los Angeles, and [[Chicago]] (with The WB – the only network that never have had an O&O – being the only other, as minority owner [[Tribune Broadcasting]] owned most of its charter affiliates including those in [[WPIX|all]] [[KTLA|three]] [[WGN-TV|markets]], while majority owner Time Warner only owned [[WPCH-TV|WTBS-TV]], an independent station that originated then-[[superstation]] [[TBS (TV network)|TBS]]). With Viacom taking full ownership control of UPN, KCOP-TV and WWOR-TV lost their statuses as O&Os and automatically became affiliates of UPN, with UPN's ''[[de facto]]'' owned-and-operated flagship stations becoming [[Philadelphia]] outlet [[WPSG]] (now an independent station) and [[San Francisco]] outlet [[KPYX|KBHK-TV]] (now KPYX, also an independent). In addition, neither Chris-Craft or Viacom had ever held ownership of Chicago affiliate [[WPWR-TV]], which had been the largest UPN station that was not owned-and-operated by UPN before the Viacom buyout.

Shortly afterward, Viacom shortened UPN's official name from the "United Paramount Network" to the three-letter initialism, "UPN". Viacom also proposed a rebranding of UPN into the "'''Paramount Network'''", using a prototype logo based on Paramount's mountain logo, which served as the basis for the "P" triangle in UPN's original logo that was used until September 2002.<ref>{{cite news |title = Media Talk: UPN Will Become Paramount Network |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/31/business/media-talk-upn-will-become-paramount-network.html |first = Jim |last = Rutenberg |newspaper = The New York Times |date = July 31, 2000 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094613/http://www.nytimes.com/2000/07/31/business/media-talk-upn-will-become-paramount-network.html |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = UPN Network Will Carry On Without Its 'U' |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jul-26-ca-59125-story.html |first = Greg |last = Braxton |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = July 26, 2000 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094628/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jul/26/entertainment/ca-59125 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = UPN's Name in 2001: Paramount Network |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jul-26-fi-59235-story.html |agency = Associated Press |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = July 26, 2000 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015095147/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jul/26/business/fi-59235 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref> This idea was abandoned after many affiliates protested, citing that the rebranding might confuse viewers and result in ratings declines, alongside the costs of rebranding their stations with a new image and new network (and possible call sign changes). Several years later, cable television network Spike (part of Viacom) rebranded as [[Paramount Network]].

Viacom's purchase of [[CBS]] a few months before (which resulted in the merger of that network's owned-and-operated stations into Viacom's Paramount Stations Group unit), created duopolies between CBS and UPN stations in Philadelphia ([[KYW-TV]] and WPSG), [[Boston]] ([[WBZ-TV]] and [[WSBK-TV]]), [[Miami]] ([[WFOR-TV]] and [[WBFS-TV]]), [[Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex|Dallas–Fort Worth]] ([[KTVT]] and [[KTXA]]), [[Detroit]] ([[WWJ-TV]] and [[WKBD-TV]]), and [[Pittsburgh]] ([[KDKA-TV]] and [[WPKD-TV|WNPA]]). Viacom's purchase of CBS was said to be the "death knell" for the [[Federal Communications Commission]]'s longtime ban on [[Duopoly (broadcasting)|television station duopolies]]. Further transactions added [[San Francisco]] ([[KPIX-TV]] and [[KPYX|KBHK-TV]], the latter of which was traded to Viacom/CBS by [[Fox Television Stations]]) and [[Sacramento, California|Sacramento]] ([[KOVR]] and [[KMAX-TV]], the former of which was sold to Viacom/CBS by the [[Sinclair Broadcast Group]]) to the mix.

At the time of UPN's launch, the network's ''[[de jure]]'' [[Flagship (broadcasting)|flagship station]]s were Chris-Craft-owned WWOR-TV in [[Secaucus, New Jersey]] (which serves the New York City market) and KCOP-TV in [[Los Angeles]] (which serves the Los Angeles market). Even after Chris-Craft sold its share in the network to Viacom, WWOR and KCOP were still commonly regarded as the ''de jure'' flagship stations of the network since it had long been common practice for this status to be associated with a network's station in the East Coast and West Coast. For this reason, some doubt was cast on UPN's future after Fox Television Stations bought most of Chris-Craft's television stations for $5.5&nbsp;billion on August 12, 2000, which included several UPN affiliates (including WWOR and KCOP).<ref>{{cite news |title = Fox in the UPN house |url = https://www.nexttv.com/news/fox-upn-house-87627 |first = Steve |last = McClellan |periodical = [[Broadcasting & Cable]] |date = August 21, 2000 |access-date = May 4, 2013 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924112714/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/fox-upn-house/87627 |archive-date = September 24, 2015 }}</ref> Fox later bought the third-largest UPN affiliate, Chicago's WPWR-TV, through a separate deal with [[Newsweb Corporation]] for $450 million in June 2002.<ref>{{cite web |title = Fox Duops in Chicago |url = https://www.nexttv.com/news/fox-duops-chicago-93050 |first = Steve |last = McClellan |periodical = Broadcasting & Cable |date = June 30, 2002 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924112703/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/fox-duops-chicago/93050 |archive-date = September 24, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = Fox Takeover to Bring Changes to Chicago-Area Television Station |url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-90412674.html |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924165032/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-90412674.html |url-status = dead |archive-date = September 24, 2015 |first = Kathy |last = Bergen |agency = Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News   |date = August 16, 2002 |access-date = September 2, 2015 }}</ref> Despite the uncertainty of the network's future following the Fox purchases, UPN reached four-year affiliation agreements with Fox Television Stations' nine UPN affiliates on September 24, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |title = Company News: Nine Fox-Owned Stations Will Remain UPN Affiliates |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/25/business/company-news-nine-fox-owned-stations-will-remain-upn-affiliates.html |newspaper = The New York Times |date = September 25, 2003 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094741/http://www.nytimes.com/2003/09/25/business/company-news-nine-fox-owned-stations-will-remain-upn-affiliates.html |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref>

In 2001, UPN entered into a public bidding war to acquire two series from The WB – ''[[Buffy the Vampire Slayer]]'' and ''[[Roswell (TV series)|Roswell]]'' – from producing studio [[20th Century Fox Television]]. UPN eventually outbid The WB for the shows and aired them together on Tuesday nights until ''Roswell'' ended its run in 2002; ''Buffy'' ended its run the following year. In January 2002, Viacom President and COO, [[Mel Karmazin]] restructured UPN, resulting in UPN being taken out of the ownership of [[Paramount Television]], and being placed under the oversight of CBS Television, with CBS President [[Leslie Moonves]] being given responsibility for UPN. Under CBS, new shows began to breathe life into UPN starting in Fall 2003 with ''[[America's Next Top Model]]'' and sitcom ''[[All of Us]]'' (which was produced by [[Will Smith|Will]] and [[Jada Pinkett Smith]]), followed up by the Fall 2004 premiere of the mystery series ''[[Veronica Mars]]'' and the Fall 2005 premiere of the sitcom ''[[Everybody Hates Chris]]'', produced and narrated by [[Chris Rock]].

=== 2005–2006: CBS Corporation era and network closure ===
{{see also|2006 United States broadcast television realignment}}
On June 14, 2005, Viacom announced that it would be [[Split of CBS Corporation and Viacom|split]] into two companies due to declining performance of the company's stock; both the original Viacom – which was renamed [[CBS Corporation]] – and a new company that took the [[Viacom (2005–2019)|Viacom]] name would be controlled by the original Viacom's parent [[National Amusements]] (controlled by [[Sumner Redstone]]). UPN was kept by CBS Corporation, while the new Viacom took Paramount Pictures among other holdings each company acquired in the deal.<ref>{{cite news |title = Viacom Board Agrees to Split of Company |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/business/media/15viacom.html |first = Geraldine |last = Fabrikant |newspaper = The New York Times |date = June 15, 2005 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140306130603/http://www.nytimes.com/2005/06/15/business/media/15viacom.html |archive-date = March 6, 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = SpongeBob or Survivor? |url = https://money.cnn.com/2005/12/19/news/fortune500/viacom/index.htm |first = Paul R. |last = La Monica |publisher = CNN |date = December 19, 2005 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130404101820/http://money.cnn.com/2005/12/19/news/fortune500/viacom/index.htm |archive-date = April 4, 2013 }}</ref> The split took effect on January 1, 2006.

On January 24, 2006, UPN parent CBS Corporation and [[Time Warner]], the majority owner of The WB, announced that they would shut down the two respective networks and launch a new broadcast network that would be operated as a joint venture between both companies, [[The CW]], which incorporated UPN and The WB's higher-rated programs with newer series produced exclusively for The CW. The new network immediately signed 10-year affiliation agreements with 16 stations affiliated with The WB (out of 19 stations that were affiliated with the network) that were owned by that network's part-owner, the [[Tribune Media|Tribune Company]] – including stations in the coveted markets of [[WPIX|New York City]], [[KTLA|Los Angeles]] and [[WGN-TV|Chicago]] – and 11 UPN stations that were owned by CBS Corporation.<ref name="UPN, WB merge"/><ref>{{cite news |title = UPN and WB to Combine, Forming New TV Network |url = https://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/24/business/media/24cnd-network.html?bl |first = Bill |last = Carter |newspaper = The New York Times |date = January 24, 2006 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151017035638/http://www.nytimes.com/2006/01/24/business/media/24cnd-network.html?bl |archive-date = October 17, 2015 }}</ref> Fox Television Stations' nine UPN affiliates were passed over for affiliations as a result, and two days later, those stations removed all UPN branding from those stations and ceased promotion of the network's programs. One month later on February 22, Fox announced the formation of [[MyNetworkTV]], a new network that would also launch in September 2006 that would use the company's soon-to-be former UPN affiliates as the nucleus.<ref>{{cite news |title = News Corp. to Launch New Mini-Network for UPN Stations |url = http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/life/television/news/2006-02-22-fox-my-network_x.htm |agency = [[Associated Press]] |newspaper = [[USA Today]] |date = February 22, 2006 |access-date = January 21, 2013 }}</ref> Over the next eight months, determinations were made as to which shows from the two networks would cross over to The CW, as well as which of UPN and The WB's affiliate stations would be selected to become affiliates of the new network. Programming-wise, six UPN shows – ''America's Next Top Model'' (which was the last surviving series from UPN that remained on The CW's schedule until it moved to [[VH1]] in 2016), ''Veronica Mars'', ''Everybody Hates Chris'', ''[[Girlfriends (American TV series)|Girlfriends]]'', ''All of Us'', and ''[[WWE SmackDown|WWE SmackDown!]]'' – were chosen to move to The CW for its inaugural 2006–07 fall schedule.

With the exception of ''WWE SmackDown!'', all of the programs that aired during the network's final three months were reruns. Unlike The WB, which closed its operations two days later with ''[[The Night of Favorites and Farewells]]'' (a special night of programming paying tribute to the network's most popular series), UPN closed with little to no fanfare on September 15, 2006, fading to black after that night's ''WWE SmackDown!.'' The Fox-owned UPN stations had disaffiliated from the network on August 31; as a result, UPN's last two weeks of programming did not air in 10 markets where Fox owned a UPN affiliate that was set to become an owned-and-operated station of MyNetworkTV, when that network launched on September 5, alongside other markets where the local UPN station affiliated with MyNetworkTV or terminated their UPN affiliation during the summer. Shortly after the network's closure, UPN's website was redirected to The CW's website, and then to CBS's website.