Escape (TV network)
 | |
| Type | Digital broadcast television network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Availability |
Nationwide via OTA digital TV (85% U.S. coverage)[1] |
| Founded |
April 3, 2014 by Jonathan Katz |
| Slogan | Slip Away. |
| Headquarters | Atlanta, Georgia |
| Owner | Escape Media, LLC |
| Parent | Katz Broadcasting |
Key people | |
Launch date | August 18, 2014 |
Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Affiliates | List of Escape affiliates |
Official website |
escapetv |
Escape is an American digital multicast television network that is owned by Katz Broadcasting. The network, which is targeted at women between the ages of 25 and 54 years old, primarily focuses on feature films, but also carries some true crime documentary series.
The network is available in several media markets via the digital subchannels of broadcast television stations and on the digital tiers of select cable providers through a local affiliate of the network. Although the network mainly competes with digital multicast networks such as This TV, Movies! and GetTV, the network's gender-targeted format is similar to that of cable channels such as Lifetime and Oxygen.
Originally, Katz sold the network to affiliated TV stations via ad split, but by October 2015 had moved to paying carriage fees in exchange for the network ad inventory.[3]1 Escape used direct response advertising as a meter of viewers before switching to Nielsen rating C-3.[3]3
History
Katz Broadcasting announced the formation of Escape and sister network Grit on April 3, 2014, with a formal launch scheduled for that summer. When the network was first announced, Katz Broadcasting entered into an affiliation agreement with Univision Communications, which planned to launch Grit in 22 markets served by a station owned by the group or operated through local marketing agreements with Entravision Communications – giving Grit affiliates in 17 of the 20 largest U.S. television markets (including markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth). The network immediately sought carriage on the digital subchannels of television stations owned by other broadcasting companies.[4] On June 17, 2014, Katz signed group deals to carry Escape on stations owned and/or operated by Raycom Media in six markets.[5]
On August 11, 2014, Katz announced that the two networks would launch simultaneously on August 18. Escape launched at 12:00 p.m. Eastern Time on that date,[6] with the 1981 film Body Heat as the network's inaugural broadcast.[7]
Katz estimated, based on direct response advertising business by September 2015, the network has close to 250,000 prime time viewer. At that time, Escape along with its brother network, Grit, were signing up for national ratings from Nielsen.[8]
Programming
Escape mainly features a mix of theatrically released feature films focusing on the crime drama and mystery genres, as well as off-network reality-based crime re-enactment series. Katz Broadcasting president and CEO Jonathan Katz based the demographic-targeted concept of Escape and Grit after Bounce TV, a network Katz co-founded with Martin Luther King III and Andrew Young in 2011 that is targeted at African American audiences; Katz stated Escape and Grit are "the country's first ever male-centric and female-centric broadcast networks," featuring different programming from other classic television multicast networks that Katz referred to as "generic brands with generic names, created by studios to serve the studios."[9]
Movies
Escape's program schedule relies primarily on an extensive library of films through multi-year program licensing agreements with several major film studios, Warner Bros. Pictures (distributed through Warner Bros. Television Distribution),[10] Universal Pictures (through NBCUniversal Television Distribution),[11] Paramount Pictures (through Trifecta Entertainment & Media)[12] and Sony Pictures Entertainment.[13]
Television series
The majority of Escape's schedule consists of off-network reality-based crime re-enactment series. Shortly before the network's launch, on August 1, 2014, Escape acquired the syndication rights to three true crime series – Forensic Files, Snapped and the Dennis Farina run of Unsolved Mysteries – through respective deals with Trifecta Entertainment & Media, NBCUniversal Television Distribution and Cosgrove/Meurer Productions for its initial schedule.[14][15]
Affiliates
At introduction in August 2014, Escape had current or pending affiliation agreements with television stations in 33 media markets encompassing 19 states (including stations in 23 of the 50 largest Nielsen markets), covering approximately 50% of the United States. As of May 2015, Escape has affiliates covering over 60% of the US TV market.[16]
On July 17, 2014, Katz announced affiliation deals with the Cox Media Group to carry Escape on 2 stations; as well as a deal with PMCM TV, LLC to carry Escape and Grit in the Philadelphia market, and Citadel Communications for 2 stations. It also expanded its affiliation deal with Univision Communications to add stations in 3 stations to the network's originally announced Univision-owned charter affiliates.[17][18]
On November 16, 2015, Katz announced new affiliation deals with Media General and Tribune Media adding the network to eight more markets.[19]
On June 15, 2016, Katz announced new affiliation deals with Nexstar Broadcasting Group and Cordillera Communications KVOA [20]
List of current affiliates
| City of license/market | Station[21] | Virtual channel |
Owner | Notes † |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | WUOA-LD | 46.3 | DTV America Corporation | Launched July 1, 2016 |
| Dothan | WDHN | 18.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 1, 2015 |
| Huntsville | WZDX | 54.4 | Launched August 23, 2016 | |
| Montgomery | WALE-LD | 17.3 | Woods Communications Company | Launched August 11, 2015 |
| Flagstaff | KFPH-DT | 13.4 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Green Valley (Tucson) | KUVE-DT | 46.4 | ||
| Phoenix | KASW | 61.4 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 2016 |
| KFPH-CD | 35.4 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 | |
| Tucson | KVOA-TV | 4.3 | Cordillera Communications | |
| Fort Smith | KFTA-TV | 24.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 19, 2016 |
| Harrison (Springfield, Missouri) | K26GS-D | 26.3 | Reynolds Media | |
| Little Rock | KLRT-TV | 16.2 | Mission Broadcasting (operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group) | Launched August 23, 2016 |
| Bakersfield | KBTF-CD | 31.3 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Hanford (Fresno) | KFTV-DT | 21.3 | Launched August 18, 2014 | |
| Modesto (Sacramento) | KUVS-DT | 19.4 | Launched August 18, 2014 | |
| Ontario (Los Angeles) | KFTR-DT | 46.3 | Launched August 18, 2014 | |
| San Francisco–Oakland–San Jose | KDTV-DT | 14.4 | Launched August 18, 2014 | |
| Boulder (Denver) | KTFD-DT | 14.4 | Univision Communications (operated by Entravision Communications) | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Hartford | WFSB | 3.2 | Meredith Corporation[22] | Launched April 15, 2015 |
| Wilmington (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) | KJWP | 2.2 | PMCM TV, LLC | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Cape Coral (Fort Myers) | WFTX-TV | 36.2 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched January, 2016 |
| Melbourne (Orlando) | WOTF-DT | 43.4 | Univision Communications (operated by Entravision Communications) | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Miami | WLTV-DT | 23.3 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Orlando | WFTV | 9.3 | Cox Media Group | Launched August 1, 2016 |
| Panama City | WMBB | 13.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 15, 2016 |
| Tampa | WFTT-DT | 50.4 | Univision Communications (operated by Entravision Communications) | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Wabasso (West Palm Beach) | WXOD-LD | 33.3 | DTV America Corporation | Launched January, 2016 |
| Athens (Atlanta) | WUVG-DT | 34.4 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Columbus | WXTX | 54.3 | American Spirit Media (operated by Raycom Media) | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Macon | WMGT-TV | 41.4 | Morris Multimedia | Launched March 18, 2016 |
| Honolulu | KGMB | 5.3 | Raycom Media | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Nampa (Boise) | KIVI-TV | 6.3 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched July 1, 2015 |
| Twin Falls | KSAW-LD | 51.3 | ||
| Aurora (Chicago) | WXFT-DT | 60.3 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Peoria | WMBD-TV | 31.4 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 15, 2016 |
| Rock Island (Davenport, Iowa) | WHBF-TV | 4.4 | Launched August 30, 2016 | |
| Rockford | WQRF-TV | 39.3 | Launched September 1, 2016 | |
| Springfield (Champaign) | WCIX | 49.3 | Launched August 23, 2016 | |
| Evansville | WTVW | 7.3 | Mission Broadcasting (operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group) | Launched August 23, 2016 |
| Fort Wayne | WEDX-LD | 29.2 | DTV America Corporation | TBD |
| Indianapolis | WRTV | 6.4 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched June 16, 2015 |
| South Bend | WSJV | 28.2 | Quincy Media | TBD |
| Terre Haute | WTWO | 2.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | |
| Ames (Des Moines) | KCWI-TV | 23.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 24, 2016 |
| Ottumwa | KYOU-TV | 15.3 | American Spirit Media | |
| Sioux City | KCAU-TV | 9.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 7, 2015 |
| Lawrence (Kansas City, Missouri) | KMCI-TV | 38.3 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched April 15, 2015 |
| Topeka | KTMJ-CD | 43.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | |
| Wichita | KGPT-CD | 26.4 | Great Plains Television Network, LLC | Launched December 2014 |
| Bowling Green | WCZU-LD | 39.6 | DTV America Corporation | Launched September 23, 2016 |
| Lexington | WTVQ-DT | 36.5 | Morris Multimedia | Launched June 2016 |
| Louisville | WKYI-CD | 24.3 | New Albany Broadcasting Company | Launched November 5, 2015 |
| Alexandria | WNTZ-TV | 48.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 2, 2016 |
| Baton Rouge | WBXH-CD | 39.2 | Raycom Media | Launched August 30, 2015 |
| Crowley (Lafayette) | K18JF-D/K36MG-D/K43MS-D/K47NC-D | 18/36/43/47 | DTV America Corporation | Station Currently off air/Scheduled Launch Mid-2017 on two of these four stations. |
| New Orleans | WGNO | 26.3 | Tribune Broadcasting | Launched February 1, 2016 |
| Shreveport | KSHV-TV | 45.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 2016 |
| West Monroe | KTVE | 10.4 | Launched September 12, 2016 | |
| Portland | WPXT | 51.3 | Ironwood Communications | Launchede November 7, 2016 |
| Hagerstown | WHAG-TV | 25.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 27, 2016 |
| Salisbury | WGDV-LD | 32.4 | Marquee Broadcasting | Launched October 1, 2016 |
| Boston | WFXT | 25.2 | Cox Media Group | Launched May 2016 |
| Marlborough (Boston) | WUTF-DT | 66.4 | Univision Communications (operated by Entravision Communications) | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| New Bedford (Providence, Rhode Island) | WLNE-TV | 6.3 | Citadel Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Detroit | WMYD | 20.3 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched July 1, 2015 |
| Escanaba (Marquette) | WJMN-TV | 3.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 13, 2016 |
| Grand Rapids | WXSP-CD | 15.3 | ||
| Lake City (Traverse City) | WMNN-LD | 26.4 | Freelancer Television Broadcasting | |
| Jackson | WLBT | 3.3 | Raycom Media | Launched January 2, 2015 |
| Joplin | KSNF | 16.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 25, 2016 |
| St. Louis | KTVI | 2.3 | Tribune Broadcasting | |
| Springfield | KOZL-TV | 27.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 20, 2016 |
| Billings | KSVI | 6.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 2016 |
| Lincoln | KLKN | 8.3 | Citadel Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Omaha | KMTV-TV | 3.3 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched January 18, 2016 |
| Las Vegas | KVVU-TV | 5.3 | Meredith Corporation | |
| Newark | WFUT-DT | 68.4 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 Operates as satellite of WFTY-DT |
| Albuquerque | KASY-TV | 50.2 | Tamer Media | Launched January 11, 2016 |
| Binghamton | WIVT | 34.4 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 19, 2016 |
| Buffalo | WKBW-TV | 7.3 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched April 28, 2015 |
| Elmira | WETM-TV | 18.4 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 1, 2016 |
| Rochester | WROC-TV | 8.4 | Launched August 2016 | |
| Smithtown (New York City) | WFTY-DT | 67.4 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Utica | WFXV | 33.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 3, 2016 |
| Watertown | WWTI | 50.4 | Launched August 27, 2016 | |
| Fayetteville (Raleigh–Durham) | WIRP-LD | 27.3 | DTV America Corporation | Launched January 4, 2016 |
| Kannapolis (Charlotte) | WAXN-TV | 64.3 | Cox Media Group | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Lexington (Greensboro) | WCWG | 20.2 | Lockwood Broadcast Group | Launched July 1, 2015 |
| Manteo (Norfolk, Virginia) | WSKY-TV | 4.2 | Launched March 2015 | |
| Wilmington | WECT | 6.3 | Raycom Media | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Fargo/Valley City | KRDK-TV | 4.7 (38) | Major Market Broadcasting | Launched April 1, 2015 |
| Cincinnati | WCPO-TV | 9.2 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched April 15, 2015 |
| Cleveland | WQHS-DT | 61.4 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Dayton | WDTN | 2.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched December 31, 2015 |
| Portsmouth (Huntington, West Virginia) | WTZP-LD | 50.4 | Eagle Broadcasting Group | Launched December 1, 2015 |
| Toledo | WUPW | 36.3 | American Spirit Media (operated by Raycom Media) | Launched November 18, 2014 |
| Tulsa | KOKI-TV | 23.3 | Cox Media Group | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Oklahoma City | KAUT-TV | 43.3 | Tribune Broadcasting | Launched January 2016 |
| Portland | KPDX | 49.2 | Meredith Corporation[22] | Launched October 8, 2015 |
| Altoona (Johnstown) | WTAJ-TV | 10.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 26, 2016 |
| Erie | WJET-TV | 24.2 | Launched August 28, 2016 | |
| Red Lion (Harrisburg) | WGCB-TV | 49.4 | NRJ TV | |
| Scranton | WYOU | 22.2 | Mission Broadcasting (operated by Nexstar Broadcasting Group) | Launched August 27, 2016 |
| Culebra (San Juan) | W46EO-D | 45.2 | DTV America Corporation | Launch date TBD |
| Greenville | WHNS | 21.3 | Meredith Corporation[22] | Launched April 15, 2015 |
| Chattanooga | WDEF-TV | 12.3 | Morris Multimedia | |
| Jackson | WJKT | 16.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 8, 2016 |
| Kingsport (Johnson City) | WKPT-TV | 19.4 | Glenwood Communications Corporation | |
| Memphis | WHBQ-TV | 13.2 | Cox Media Group | Launched June 1, 2016 |
| White House (Nashville) | WKUW-LD | 40.3 | DTV America Corporation | Launched January 27, 2016 |
| Abilene | KTAB-TV | 32.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 25, 2016 |
| Amarillo | KCIT | 14.3 | ||
| Blanco (San Antonio) | KNIC-DT | 17.2 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Brownsville (Harlingen) | KVEO-TV | 23.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 2016 |
| El Paso | KTSM-TV | 9.3 | Launched September 13, 2016 | |
| Garland (Dallas–Fort Worth) | KUVN-DT | 23.3 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Killeen (Austin) | KAKW-DT | 62.4 | Launched August 18, 2014 | |
| Lubbock | KAMC | 28.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 20, 2016 |
| Midland-Odessa | KMID | 2.4 | Launched September 2016 | |
| Rosenberg (Houston) | KXLN-DT | 45.3 | uUnivision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| San Angelo | KSAN-TV | 3.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 25, 2016 |
| Tyler | KQKT-LD | 21.1 | DTV America Corporation | Launch date TBD |
| Waco | KZCZ-LD | 34.4 | ||
| Wichita Falls | KJTL | 18.4 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 1, 2016 |
| Provo (Salt Lake City) | KUTH-DT | 32.4 | Univision Communications | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Ogden (Salt Lake City) | KUCW | 30.4 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 2, 2016 |
| Burlington | WFFF-TV | 44.2 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 23, 2016 |
| Arlington (Washington, D.C.) | WFDC-DT | 14.4 | Univision Communications (operated by Entravision Communications) | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Richmond | WWBT | 12.3 | Raycom Media | Launched August 18, 2014 |
| Roanoke | WFXR | 27.4 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 30, 2016 |
| Seattle (Seattle-Tacoma) | KCPQ | 13.3 | Tribune Broadcasting | Launched January 28, 2016 |
| Clarksburg | WBOY-TV | 12.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched September 15, 2016 |
| Huntington-Charleston | WOWK-TV | 13.2 | Launched September 1, 2016 | |
| Wheeling | WTRF-TV | 7.4 | Launched September 2016 | |
| Appleton (Green Bay) | WACY-TV | 32.3 | E. W. Scripps Company | Launched August 11, 2015 |
| Chippewa Falls (Eau Claire-La Crosse) | WEUX | 48.3 | Nexstar Broadcasting Group | Launched August 30, 2016 |
List of former affiliates
| City of license/market | Station[21] | Virtual channel |
Owner | Dates of affiliation | Notes † |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Smith | KFLU-LD | 20.3 | DTV America Corporation | September 19 - October 26, 2016 | |
| Paragould (Jonesboro) | KPMF-LD | 26.1 | June 23 - October 26, 2016 | ||
| Live Oak (Jacksonville) | WKBJ-LD | 20.2 | DTV America Corporation | February 17 - November 13, 2016 | |
| Savannah | WDID-LP | 26.4 | Regal Media | January 4 - August 20, 2016 | |
| Charleston | WBSE-LP | 20.2 | Regal Media | January 4 - September 3, 2016 | |
| Crossville (Knoxville) | WBXX-TV | 20.2 | Gray Television | April 15, 2015 - October 31, 2016 | |
| Milwaukee, Wisconsin | WTSJ-LP | 38.3 | DTV America Corporation | May 5 - October 26, 2016 | |
References
- ↑ Buckman, Adam (July 26, 2016). "Diginets Keep Growing, Despite Auction Cloud". TVNewsCheck. NewsCheck Media. Retrieved November 7, 2016.
- ↑ "Cox, Naar named Grit, Escape Programmers". TVNewsCheck. July 22, 2014. Retrieved August 11, 2014.
- 1 2 Jessell, Harry A. (October 13, 2015). "OTA The Bedrock of Katz's Growing Diginets". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved October 15, 2015.
- ↑ Lafayette, Jon (April 3, 2014). "Exclusive: Bounce TV Exec Plans Two New Channels". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
- ↑ "Raycom To Carry New Escape, Grit Diginets". TVNewsCheck. June 17, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "New Grit and Escape Networks Set For August 18 Launch". August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Grit, Escape Diginets To Launch Aug. 18". TVNewsCheck. August 11, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ Lafayette, Jon (September 15, 2015). "Diginets Grit and Escape Sign Up for National Ratings". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media. Retrieved October 30, 2015.
- ↑ Guider, Elizabeth (June 18, 2014). "Classic TV Diginets Make The Old New Again". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ Kevin Downey (June 10, 2014). "Grit, Escape Diginets In Warner Bros. Deal". TVNewsCheck. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Grit & Escape Add 157 NBCU Movies To Library". TVNewsCheck. June 24, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Paramount Movies Added to Escape, Grit Networks". Broadcasting & Cable. July 22, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Grit, Escape Add Sony Pictures Films". TVNewsCheck. September 3, 2014.
- ↑ "Escape Acquires Rights to More Than 500 Episodes of Three Popular True Crime Television Series". The Futon Critic. August 1, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ "Escape Adds Three True Crime Series". TVNewsCheck. August 1, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/85403/scripps-in-multinet-deal-for-katz-diginets
- ↑ "Escape, Grit Diginets Expand Market Reach". TVNewsCheck. July 17, 2014. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ Kondolojy, Amanda (July 17, 2014). "Cox, Univision & Others to Launch New Networks Escape and Grit in Major Markets". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- ↑ http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/katz-broadcasting-announces-major-distribution-agreements-with-media-general-and-tribune-media-300179251.html
- ↑ http://www.tvnewscheck.com/article/95521/katz-bounce-boost-diginet-distribution
- 1 2 "Stations for Network - Escape". RabbitEars.info. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
- 1 2 3 Lafayette, Jon (March 20, 2015). "Meredith To Carry Grit, Escape, LAFF Networks". Broadcasting & Cable. NewBay Media, LLC. Retrieved March 24, 2015.