CW... Meet Fox 2

Two weeks ago, the television world was rocked with the unanticipated news of the merger of The WB and UPN into a new entity called The CW.

Today, the second shoe in the network shuffle dropped, with the announcement by Fox that it will be launching an "alternative national programming service" this Fall. This news of a "Fox 2" had been rumored since the announcement of The CW, but it is big news nonetheless.

This new "programming service" is still very much a work in progress, and therefore its final form could take many different shapes, including a schedule featuring stripped programming in prime time.

So, what does all this mean to the television landscape? Basically, it means that Fox will be creating a new broadcast television network, designed to rival that other new kid on the TV block, The CW. Goodbye UPN and WB, hello CW and Fox 2.

The genesis of this new "programming service" was the creation of The CW network, and the subsequent stripping of UPN affiliations from several Fox-owned stations, including WWOR in New York. These Fox station suddenly found themselves with the prospect of no more prime-time network programming come the Fall.

The first blow to The CW at "Fox 2's" expense could come in the form of Fox-owned stations that were supposed to become CW affiliates turning the tables on The CW by dropping their CW affiliation in favor of the new "Fox 2" service. In fact, today Fox Television Stations president Jack Abernathy went on record as saying that Fox-owned stations affiliating with The CW "makes no sense." He cites limited sales inventory, money losses, fewer growth opportunities, and station-brand confusion.

Sorry CW, but this story is just getting started. Stay tuned...