ECW Hardcore TV ECW Hardcore TV was the weekly professional wrestling television program of Philadelphia - based promotion Extreme Championship Wrestling ( ECW ) . Even after ECW gained a nationally - available television program on The Nashville Network , " Hardcore TV " was considered the flagship program for ECW . The rights to the show now belong to World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ) . Format . " Hardcore TV " ( which began as " Eastern Championship Wrestling " on April 5 , 1993 , then became simply " ECW " with its August 29 , 1994 broadcast and changed again to " Hardcore TV " following the debut of " ECW on TNN " on August 27 , 1999 ) was edited from footage of ECW ' s events ( both from the ECW Arena and house shows elsewhere ) and backstage promos & vignettes , which were not shown to the live crowd or included on home video releases of the events . A segment called " Hype Central " advertised upcoming events and ECW merchandise in a tongue in cheek manner . On occasion , music videos from major musical acts were shown , interspersed with footage detailing the history of current feuds , as well as spectacular spots . Frequently , the ending of the show would feature a montage of several different promos , with Dick Dale ' s cover of " Misirlou " as background music . These became known as " " Pulp Fiction " promos " . This was used to circumvent their limited airtime to keep the fans up to speed with all of the storylines going on at that time . In keeping with ECW ' s unconventional approach , episodes were not structured with a build toward a main event . Any given week ' s program could feature any number or type of matches . Heyman ' s intent was to keep things fresh by providing variety for the viewers . Censorship and content . " Hardcore TV " showed graphic violence ( including blood ) , sexual frankness ( including occasional displays of lesbianism between the promotion ' s female talent , which was made up primarily of strippers and pornographic actresses and models ) , and harsh language , all of which were key elements of the ECW product itself . Due to the late night time slots , many times expletives and violence were not edited out of the early broadcasts , helping to get ECW noticed . This was a major difference between the syndicated " Hardcore TV " and the more " mainstream " " ECW on TNN " program . TNN censored a great deal of the latter program , despite the violence and raunchiness being the signature ingredients that made ECW unique . TNN didn ' t want the ECW theme song ( " This is Extreme ! " by Harry Slash & The Slashtones ) because according to Paul Heyman ( owner of ECW ) , it sounded " too demonic . " TNN also didn ' t want any references to " hate " ( they preferred " intense dislike " ) and wanted no music videos on the ECW program . TNN ' s restrictions angered Paul Heyman to the point that he actively tried to get ECW thrown off that network , and thus kept " Hardcore TV " as a backup . ( See the " ECW on TNN " article for more info . ) Broadcast history . Philadelphia market . In addition to being syndicated , " Hardcore TV " aired in permanent time slots in ECW ' s home territories , Philadelphia and New York City . Shows were broadcast on a Philadelphia local cable sports station ( SportsChannel America ' s local affiliate , SportsChannel Philadelphia ) on Tuesday evenings . After SportsChannel Philadelphia went off the air in 1997 , the show moved to WPPX - TV 61 . It later moved to a former independent broadcast station WGTW 48 in Philadelphia on either Friday or Saturday nights at 1 or 2 a . m . Chicago / Northwest Indiana market . In the Chicago / Northwest Indiana market , the show traded back and forth among WCIU 26 at 2 a . m . Saturdays . Then , UPN station WPWR broadcast in both Chicago and Gary on Channel 50 , at 10 p . m . on Fridays , a week behind . Meanwhile , KBS Chicago ( a Korean station that also carried Big Japan shows at midnight ) would broadcast " Hardcore TV " at 11 p . m . on Fridays . Orlando market . WRBW in Orlando , Florida aired " Hardcore TV " at 1 : 00 a . m . on Saturday nights ( early Sunday mornings ) . The rest of Florida received ECW Hardcore TV on regional sports network Sunshine Network ( now known as Sun Sports ) which aired the program at 3 : 00 a . m . on Friday nights ( early Saturday mornings ) . WRBW did invoke syndex , so ECW was blacked out in the Orlando market on Sunshine . Other markets in the United States . Shows were also aired on the MSG Network in New York City on Friday nights ( early Saturday morning ) at 2 a . m . , KJLA in Los Angeles on Saturday nights at 11 p . m . , WUNI in Worcester - Boston on Friday nights ( early Saturday morning ) at 1 : 00 a . m , WBVC TV - 61 in Traverse City , Michigan Friday Nights at 12 : 00 am , WUCT TV - 52 in Dayton , Ohio on Saturday afternoons and late - night , and WPTT TV 22 ( later WCWB , now WPMY ) in Pittsburg ] on Saturday nights at 12 : 00 a . m . It also aired on SportsSouth on Friday night / Saturday mornings in Georgia , Alabama , Mississippi , Tennessee , Kentucky , North Carolina , and South Carolina . Episodes available online for download . Episodes were also available online for download at various points , from the websites of some affiliate stations .