Editing UPN (section)

== Programming ==
{{Main|List of programs broadcast by UPN}}
At the time of its shutdown, UPN ran only two hours of primetime network programming on Monday through Fridays from 8:00 to 10:00&nbsp;p.m. [[Eastern Time Zone|ET]] (compared to the three primetime hours on Monday through Saturdays and four hours on Sundays offered by the [[Big Three television networks|Big Three networks]], ABC, NBC and CBS). UPN never carried any weekend primetime programming throughout the network's run (though it did offer children's programming on weekend mornings until 2003, and a movie package to its affiliates on weekend afternoons until 2000, when the latter was replaced with a two-hour repeat block of UPN programs); as a result, affiliates held the responsibility of programming their Saturday and Sunday evening schedules with syndicated programs, sports, movies or network programs that were preempted from earlier in the week due to special programming, in the 8:00–10:00&nbsp;p.m. ([[Eastern Time Zone|Eastern]] and [[Pacific Time Zone|Pacific Time]]) time period. This primetime scheduling allowed for many of the network's affiliates to air local newscasts during the 10:00–11:00&nbsp;p.m. (Eastern and Pacific Time) time period.

Most of UPN's programming through the years was produced by [[Paramount Television]] or a Viacom-owned sister company ([[Viacom Productions]], [[Big Ticket Television]], [[Spelling Television]] or [[CBS Productions]]). UPN's first official program was ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', with the first comedy shows to debut being two short-lived series: the [[Richard Jeni]] [[Star vehicle|starring vehicle]] ''Platypus Man'' and ''Pig Sty''.

Other notable UPN programs during the network's existence included ''[[The Sentinel (TV series)|The Sentinel]]'', ''[[Moesha]]'', ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'', ''[[WWE SmackDown]]'', ''[[America's Next Top Model]]'', ''[[Girlfriends (2000 TV series)|Girlfriends]]'', the ''Moesha'' spin-off ''[[The Parkers]]'', ''[[Veronica Mars]]'', ''[[Everybody Hates Chris]]'', and the animated adaptation of ''[[Dilbert (TV series)|Dilbert]]''. In Summer 2005, UPN aired ''[[R U the Girl]]'', in which [[Contemporary R&B|R&B]] group [[TLC (music)|TLC]] (not with Left Eye) searched for a woman to join them on a new song. The network also produced some special programs, including 2001's ''[[Iron Chef USA]]''. Much of UPN's comedy programming between 1996 and 2006 (particularly those that aired as part of the network's Monday evening lineup) was largely aimed at [[African American]] audiences, with minor exceptions in shows such as ''[[Clueless (TV series)|Clueless]]'', ''Realitycheck'' and ''[[Head over Heels (American TV series)|Head Over Heels]]''.

UPN occasionally acquired series canceled by the other broadcast networks, including former WB series ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' and ''Roswell'' (both of which moved to UPN in 2001, ''Buffy'' was picked up after The WB chose not to renew it due to issues with license fees while ''Roswell'' joined UPN after that same network also canceled the series),<ref>{{cite web |title = UPN Makes Bid for 'Buffy' |url = https://variety.com/2001/tv/news/upn-makes-bid-for-buffy-1117795697/ |first1 = Josef |last1 = Adalian |first2 = Michael |last2 = Schneider |periodical = Variety |date = March 21, 2001 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094820/http://variety.com/2001/tv/news/upn-makes-bid-for-buffy-1117795697/ |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref> and former ABC series ''[[Clueless (TV series)|Clueless]]'' and ''[[The Hughleys]]''. The first program that UPN acquired from another network was ''[[In the House (TV series)|In the House]]'', which moved to the network from [[NBC]] (which canceled the [[LL Cool J]] sitcom after its second season) in 1996. In its later years, as part of the network's desire to maintain its own identity with its own unique shows, UPN instituted a policy of "not picking up other networks' scraps", which was a strong argument when fan pressure was generated in 2004 for them to pick up ''[[Angel (1999 TV series)|Angel]]'', the [[Spin-off (media)|spin-off]] of ''Buffy the Vampire Slayer'' which had been dropped from The WB.

UPN aired only one regular sports event program: the much-hyped [[XFL (2001)|XFL]] in 2001, airing Sunday evening games as part of a package from co-creator and [[WWE]] founder [[Vince McMahon]], which also included what was then ''[[WWE SmackDown|WWF SmackDown!]]'', and the only time the network carried programming officially outside of weeknights.<ref>{{cite web |title = UPN Kicks off Sundays with Extreme Football |url = https://variety.com/2000/tv/news/upn-kicks-off-sundays-with-extreme-football-1117781880/ |first1 = Paula |last1 = Bernstein |first2 = Michael |last2 = Schneider |website = Variety |date = May 19, 2000 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015095006/http://variety.com/2000/tv/news/upn-kicks-off-sundays-with-extreme-football-1117781880/ |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref> UPN had planned to air a second season of the XFL in 2002, but it also demanded that ''SmackDown!'' be reduced by 30 minutes; McMahon did not agree to the change and the football league folded not long afterward.<ref>{{cite web |title = It's Sudden Death for XFL |url = https://variety.com/2001/tv/news/it-s-sudden-death-for-xfl-1117799155/ |first = John |last = Dempsey |website = Variety |date = May 12, 2001 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015095130/http://variety.com/2001/tv/news/it-s-sudden-death-for-xfl-1117799155/ |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref>

=== News programming ===
Like Fox and The WB, UPN never aired national morning or evening [[newscast]]s; however, several of its affiliates and owned-and-operated stations did produce their own local news programs. Several UPN affiliates ran a local newscast in the 10:00–11:00&nbsp;p.m. Eastern and Pacific (9:00–10:00&nbsp;p.m. Central and Mountain Time) timeslot at some point during or throughout their affiliations with the network; there were also a few stations that produced a weekday morning newscast, although early evening newscasts were largely absent on most of these stations. The UPN affiliate body had fewer news-producing stations in comparison to stations aligned with the Big Three television networks (NBC, ABC and CBS) and considerably fewer than Fox and especially The WB. In several markets, the local UPN affiliate either outsourced news programming to an NBC, ABC or CBS station in the market (either due to insufficient funds or studio space for production of their own newscasts, or in later years after the FCC permitted duopolies in markets with at least eight unique station owners in 2000, the station being operated through a legal duopoly or [[local marketing agreement|management agreement]] with a major network affiliate); other affiliates opted to carry syndicated programming in the hour following UPN's primetime programming lineup. For example, one of the largest O&O UPN affiliates in the country, [[WPWR-TV]], never aired news programming in its 11-year run. This is mainly due to Viacom and [[Chris-Craft Corporation|Chris Craft]]'s non-affiliation with the Chicago station.

When the network launched in January 1995, UPN automatically added six affiliates with functioning news departments through Chris-Craft/United Television and Viacom's respective affiliation deals with the network; all of those stations started their news operations as either [[Independent station (North America)|independent stations]] or during prior affiliations with other networks: WWOR-TV/Secaucus, New Jersey (New York City), KCOP-TV/Los Angeles, [[WKBD-TV]]/[[Detroit]], [[KPTV]]/[[Portland, Oregon]], [[KMSP-TV]]/[[Minneapolis]] and [[WTOG]]/[[Tampa, Florida]]. Two more stations would join them later on: [[KSTW]]/[[Seattle]], also owned by Viacom at the time, after it affiliated with UPN in 1997 through the reversal of a 1995 affiliation switch with CBS affiliate [[KIRO-TV]] (which also kept its news department as a UPN affiliate), and KMAX-TV/Sacramento, which joined UPN after being acquired by Viacom in 1998 and began producing newscasts shortly after its 1995 affiliation with The WB. KSTW and WTOG's news departments were shut down in 1998 due to cost-cutting measures mandated by Viacom; newscasts would briefly return to KSTW via a news sharing agreement with KIRO-TV between 2003 and 2005.<ref>{{cite news |title = News not Paramount |url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53395671.html |first = Dan |last = Trigoboff |periodical = Broadcasting & Cable |date = December 7, 1998 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924155349/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-53395671.html |archive-date = September 24, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = WTOG to Shutter News Operation |url = https://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/1998/07/06/daily5.html |newspaper = [[American City Business Journals|Tampa Bay Business Journal]] |date = July 7, 1998 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20040723143446/http://www.bizjournals.com/tampabay/stories/1998/07/06/daily5.html |archive-date = July 23, 2004 }}</ref>

Not all of UPN's news-producing stations were owned by the two companies that formed the nuclei of the network's affiliate group; [[WUAB]]/[[Cleveland]], which started its news department in 1988, also continued its 10:00&nbsp;p.m. newscast as a UPN affiliate (it would begin producing newscasts for sister station [[WOIO|WOIO-TV]] in February 1995, after that station became a CBS affiliate; though WOIO eventually took over production of the newscast by 2002). [[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania|Harrisburg]] affiliate [[WXBU|WLYH-TV]] briefly continued its newscasts after switching to UPN from CBS in 1995, until [[WHP-TV]] began operating the station under a [[local marketing agreement]] that fall. [[WFTC]]/Minneapolis continued to produce a late evening newscast after [[Fox Television Stations]] (which acquired KMSP-TV through the Chris-Craft purchase, and converted it into a Fox O&O) acquired the station from [[Clear Channel Communications]] and switched the station to UPN – it was moved to 10:00&nbsp;p.m. to avoid competing with KMSP's 9:00&nbsp;p.m. newscast until the WFTC newscast was canceled in June 2006.<ref>{{cite web |title = WFTC Drops Newscast at 10; KMSP Adds It |url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-146555564.html |first = Deborah |last = Caulfield Rybak |newspaper = [[Star Tribune]] |location = Minneapolis |date = June 2, 2006 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924135521/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-146555564.html |archive-date = September 24, 2015 }}</ref>

With the exception of KPTV and KMSP, both of which are now Fox stations, none of the former UPN affiliates that produced newscasts during their affiliation with the network continue to maintain an independent news department – despite license requirements imposed by the station's 1983 transfer of its license to Secaucus, New Jersey from New York City to cover New Jersey issues, WWOR-TV, which continued to produce news programming after coming under common ownership with Fox O&O [[WNYW]], shut down its news department in July 2013 and replaced its lone 10:00&nbsp;p.m. newscast with an outside produced program called ''Chasing New Jersey'', a move that resulted in calls by state politicians for the FCC to revoke Fox's license to operate the station.<ref>{{cite news |title = Fox Ends MY9 News, Will Replace it with an Interview Show |url = https://www.nj.com/business/2013/07/fox_ends_my9_news_will_replace.html |first = Alexi |last = Friedman |newspaper = [[The Star-Ledger]] |location = Newark, New Jersey |date = July 3, 2013 |access-date = July 4, 2013 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20130705174357/http://www.nj.com/business/index.ssf/2013/07/fox_ends_my9_news_will_replace.html |archive-date = July 5, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = Criticism Continues over WWOR's Cancellation of N.J. Newscast |url = https://www.nj.com/news/2013/07/criticism_continues_over_wwors_cancellation_of_nj_newcast.html |first = Peggy |last = McGlone |newspaper = The Star-Ledger |location = Newark, New Jersey |date = July 9, 2013 |access-date = July 11, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = 'Chasing New Jersey' News Show Fails to Win over Channel 9 Critics |url = https://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20130709/NJNEWS/307090041/-Chasing-New-Jersey-news-show-fails-win-over-Channel-9-critics?nclick_check=1 |first = Sergio |last = Bichao |newspaper = [[Courier News]] |location = Somerville, New Jeersey |date = July 9, 2013 |access-date = July 10, 2013 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20141229235444/http://www.mycentraljersey.com/article/20130709/NJNEWS/307090041/-Chasing-New-Jersey-news-show-fails-win-over-Channel-9-critics?nclick_check=1 |archive-date = December 29, 2014 }}</ref> [[KTTV]] took over production of sister station KCOP's newscasts in 2007, before discontinuing news programming on that station in 2013.<ref>{{cite news |title = KCOP Cutting News from its Lineup |url = https://www.adweek.com/tvspy/kcop-cutting-news-from-its-lineup/101140/ |first = Kevin |last = Eck |website = [[AdWeek|TVSpy]] |date = August 9, 2013 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150922183955/http://www.adweek.com/tvspy/kcop-cutting-news-from-its-lineup/101140 |archive-date = September 22, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title = KCOP to Drop News from the Lineup |url = http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2013/08/kcop_to_drop_news_from_th.php |first = Kevin |last = Roderick |newspaper = LA Observed |date = August 10, 2013 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131010103647/http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2013/08/kcop_to_drop_news_from_th.php |archive-date = October 10, 2013 }}</ref> KMAX's news department has since been merged with that of KOVR although it still produces a morning newscast separate from that station. WKBD shut down its news department (which was later shared with [[WWJ-TV]]) in December 2002, with its 10:00&nbsp;p.m. newscast continuing to be produced by ABC affiliate [[WXYZ-TV]] until its eventual cancellation in 2005.<ref>{{cite web |title = CBS Drops News in Detroit |url = https://www.nexttv.com/news/cbs-drops-news-detroit-94621 |first = Dan |last = Trigoboff |periodical = Broadcasting & Cable |date = November 24, 2002 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924111804/http://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/news-articles/cbs-drops-news-detroit/94621 |archive-date = September 24, 2015 }}</ref> CBS re-launched a news operation for both WWJ and WKBD under the umbrella title of ''CBS News Detroit'' in January 2023.

=== Children's programming ===
{{Main|UPN Kids|Disney's One Too}}
When the network launched in January 1995, UPN introduced a weekend morning cartoon block called ''[[UPN Kids]]'' (later called "The UPN Kids Action Zone" during the 1998–99 season). In 1997, UPN added two teen-oriented series to the lineup with reruns of the syndicated ''[[Sweet Valley High (TV series)|Sweet Valley High]]'' (based on the young adult book series by [[Francine Pascal]]) and a new series, ''[[Breaker High]]'' (which co-starred a then-unknown [[Ryan Gosling]]); both shows filled the weekday morning block for the 1997–98 season, while they were also included alongside the animated series on Sunday mornings. Unlike other networks, UPN gave its affiliates the option of running its weekend children's program block on either Saturdays or Sundays. In January 1998, the network entered into a deal with [[Saban Entertainment]] to program the Sunday morning block (with shows such as ''[[The Incredible Hulk (1996 TV series)|The Incredible Hulk]]'', ''[[X-Men: The Animated Series|X-Men]]'' and ''[[Spider-Man (1981 TV series)|Spider-Man]]'' joining the lineup).<ref>{{cite web |title = Marvel, Saban Set Kids Shows for UPN |url = https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/marvel-saban-set-kids-shows-for-upn-1117467216/ |last = Katz |first = Richard |work = Variety |date = January 29, 1998 |access-date = August 21, 2009 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131212115808/http://variety.com/1998/tv/news/marvel-saban-set-kids-shows-for-upn-1117467216/ |archive-date = December 12, 2013 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = UPN Serves up Superheroes |url = https://variety.com/1998/tv/news/upn-serves-up-superheroes-1117468038/ |last = Katz |first = Richard |work = Variety |date = February 24, 1998 |access-date = August 21, 2009 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094918/http://variety.com/1998/tv/news/upn-serves-up-superheroes-1117468038/ |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref>

There were rumors that UPN then entered into discussions with then-corporate sister [[Nickelodeon]] (both networks were owned by [[Viacom (1952–2006)|Viacom]]) to produce a new block.<ref name="Disney talks called off">{{cite news |title = UPN Kids Pick Nick, not Mouse |url = https://variety.com/1998/biz/news/upn-kids-pick-nick-not-mouse-1117467104/ |first = Jenny |last = Hontz |work = Variety |date = January 27, 1998 |access-date = February 19, 2022 }}</ref>

In 1999, UPN contracted the rights to the network's children's programming lineup to [[The Walt Disney Company]]; as a result, the teen-oriented and animated series were replaced with a new block called ''[[Disney's One Too]]'', which debuted on September 6, 1999, and featured select programs seen on ABC's ''[[ABC Kids (TV programming block)#Disney's One Saturday Morning|Disney's One Saturday Morning]]'' lineup (such as ''[[Recess (TV series)|Recess]]'' and ''[[Sabrina: The Animated Series]]'').<ref>{{cite web |title = Mouse Brands UPN Kidvid |url = https://variety.com/1999/tv/news/mouse-brands-upn-kidvid-1117743063/ |last = Pursell |first = Chris |work = Variety |date = July 19, 1999 |access-date = August 17, 2009 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150402212916/http://variety.com/1999/tv/news/mouse-brands-upn-kidvid-1117743063/ |archive-date = April 2, 2015 }}</ref> Many UPN affiliates at the network's launch were already airing [[The Disney Afternoon]], a block supplied by Disney-owned syndication distributor [[Disney–ABC Domestic Television|Buena Vista Television]]; however, that block would be discontinued in August 1997. The addition of ''Disney's One Too'' expanded UPN's children's program block back to two hours, running on Sunday mornings and weekday afternoons. In September 2002, ''[[Digimon: Digital Monsters]]'' moved to UPN from [[Fox Kids]], due to Disney's acquisition of Fox's children's program inventory as well as the Fox Family Channel, which was renamed [[History of Freeform (TV channel)#ABC Family|ABC Family]] (now Freeform) the past year. At the same time, the "One Too" branding was dropped from on-air usage due to the rebranding of ABC's Saturday morning lineup from ''One Saturday Morning'' to ''ABC Kids'' (although the block was unofficially referred to as ''Disney's Animation Weekdays'' outside the network). UPN subsequently chose not to renew its contract with Disney, with the network dropping all children's programming after August 31, 2003.<ref>{{cite news |title = Disney Drops UPN Programming Deal |url = https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2003-feb-14-fi-rup14.6-story.html |agency = Associated Press |newspaper = Los Angeles Times |date = February 14, 2003 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = live |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151015094902/http://articles.latimes.com/2003/feb/14/business/fi-rup14.6 |archive-date = October 15, 2015 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title = UPN to Ax Disney Kids Shows in Fall |url = http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1473784.html |newspaper = [[Chicago Sun-Times]]   |date = February 15, 2003 |access-date = September 2, 2015 |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20150924184808/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1473784.html |archive-date = September 24, 2015 }}</ref> This left UPN as one of only two major broadcast networks that did not air a children's programming block, the other being Pax TV, which discontinued its ''Pax Kids'' lineup in 2000, before returning children's programming as [[Ion Television]] through the 2006 launch of [[Qubo]] (as a 24/7 network, it was pulled off the air in 2021). Incidentally, UPN's successor The CW carried over the [[Kids' WB]] Saturday morning lineup from fellow predecessor The WB, resulting in UPN affiliates that joined The CW in September 2006 carrying network-supplied children's programming for the first time since the ''One Too'' block ended.

Some Fox stations that declined to carry [[4Kids TV]] passed on that block to an affiliate of UPN or The WB, or an [[Independent station (North America)|independent station]], in order for the Fox affiliate to air general entertainment programming or local newscasts on Saturday mornings (for example, [[WFLD]] in [[Chicago]] moved the 4Kids TV schedule to co-owned then-UPN affiliate [[WPWR-TV]], while WFLD aired infomercials).

=== Television films ===
{{Main|List of television films produced for UPN}}
During the late 1990s, UPN produced a number of [[television film]]s under the umbrella brand ''Blockbuster Shockwave Cinema'', in conjunction with sponsor (and then-sister company) [[Blockbuster LLC|Blockbuster Video]], almost all of which were [[science fiction film|sci-fi film]]s.

From UPN's inception until 2000, the network also offered a hosted movie series called the ''UPN Movie Trailer'' to its stations. The weekend block featured mostly older theatrically released action and comedy films, often those from the [[Paramount Pictures|Paramount]] film library. The ''Movie Trailer'' block was discontinued in 2000 to give stations that opted for them room for a two-hour block of select UPN series that aired in primetime during the past week. There were also three Paramount-branded blocks that aired on Viacom's UPN owned-and-operated stations between 1995 and 2000: the ''Paramount Teleplex'' as the main brand for movies at any given timeslot, the ''Paramount Prime Movie'' for primetime features, and the ''Paramount Late Movie'' for films airing in late night timeslots. From 2002 to 2006, UPN offered a movie block (airing on Saturdays or Sundays depending on the affiliates) called ''Hot Weekend Movie'', which carried movies (theatrical, made-for-TV and direct-to-video) from the [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer]] (MGM) library.