WTV (TV channel)

**WTV** is a American specialty channel owned by WTV, Inc. Its programming consists of original live action and animated television series, movies, and third party programming from Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network, as well as other distributors. WTV operates two time shifted feeds, running on both Eastern and Pacific Time Zone schedules.

## History

The channel was licensed by TBD in 1989. Launched on August 30, 1990 at 7:00 p.m. EST with a preview special by John Candy.

In 1998, WTV began to use a Nickelodeon-style "gross-out" factor in its branding, with much less slime, and began using the slogan "Keep It Weird". Over the years, WTV used a number of different on-air logos, featuring the same arrangement of white letters on various bizarre and imaginative creatures. The logo used on production credits features this arrangement on a red screen of a stylized purple television set.

In the fall of 2005, a new post-6:00 p.m. advertising style was developed for older audiences, which used a much simpler logo and sleeker packaging with reduced gross-out tactics. In the spring of 2006, the simple logo first appeared on WTV's promos and even appeared on credits of newer original programming. In 2007, this look was adopted for the entire channel. In September 2009, the logo was changed slightly: it featured new colours, and the background was simplified. Variations to the bumpers were reduced. Instead, there are large, opaque digital on-screen graphics telling viewers which programs are coming next, and promotions of the programs. In September 2012, the logo was changed aesthetically.

On October 6, 2014, the channel underwent a brand refresh, with new graphics and bumps created by Eloisa Iturbe Studio. In addition, the channel updated its logo by having it face upwards to the left instead of directly to the audience.

## Programming

Main article: List of programs broadcast by WTV

WTV's schedule primarily features both children and teen-oriented programming, with target audiences ranging from pre-teens to young teenagers.

### Programming blocks

#### Current programming blocks

* ***The Zone*** - Airing weekday afternoons from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. EST, *The Zone* features both animated and live action TV series; it is hosted by TBD.
* ***The Zone Weekend*** - A weekend morning version of *The Zone* hosted by TBD; airing from 7:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST.
* **WTV News** - This series was a 30-minute news program aimed at children; it aired on Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays, and was advertised as being the only national, youth-oriented television newsmagazine. "WTV News" was hosted by TBD, who covered many stories from American elections to world issues. Viewers of "WTV News" were encouraged to create their own news editorials about themselves and send them in to be broadcast
* **Big Fun Movies** - A movie block that airs films Monday to Thursdays 7:00 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., and weekends at both 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. EST. It is hosted by TBD on Sundays.

#### Seasonal programming blocks

* **Mucho Marcho** - This block airs movies every March.
* **Fang-Tastic** - This block airs Halloween specials and movies every October.
* **Merry Everything** - This block airs holiday specials and movies all December long. It was previously known as "Big Fun Holidays" from 2009 to 2011, and "Merry 6mas" from 2012 to 2016.

#### Former programming blocks

* **The Treehouse** - This block was a daily programming block aimed at preschoolers; it was hosted by TBD, and featured puppets known as The Fuzzpaws. This block aired shows such as *Wishbone*, *Bananas in Pyjamas*, *Tales of the Riverbank*, *The Big Comfy Couch*, *The Adventures of Dudley the Dragon* and *Fraggle Rock*. This segment originally did not have a specific name, and ran from 10:00 a.m. EST until switching over to *The Afterschool Zone*.
* **The Alley** - This was the original weekend morning programming block, which was hosted by TBD from the weekday segments, along with the Grogs.
* **The Breakfast Zone** - This aired in a morning time slot. It was co-created and produced by TBD. Originally hosted by TBD, the block was intended as a morning version of *The Zone*, but functioned more as a long-running single program than an actual block. Programs started at much more arbitrary times as the banter between the live action hosts became more of a central focus than mere filler material. The block was later rebranded as the "B-Zone", hosted by TBD, and then rebranded again under the same name, instead hosted by TBD, a curious creature from outer space (performed by puppeteer TBD).
* **The Vault** - This Saturday night block launched in 1997 with WTV's push towards an older demographic. "The Vault" was aimed towards teens with its visual aesthetic, which played heavily on metal, machinery, shock imagery, and electronics. Programming on the block included *ReBoot*, *Transformers: Beast Wars, Are You Afraid of the Dark?* and *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*.
* **WTV Shift** - This primetime block aired programs such as *ReBoot*, *Are You Afraid of the Dark?*, *Transformers: Beast Wars*, and *Goosebumps*. "WTV Shift" was hosted by TBD.
* **Brainwash** - A weekend programming block that aired on Saturday and Sunday mornings. It was hosted by TBD from a colourful set featuring pipes and video screens. The concept was created and originally produced by TBD, "Brainwash" had many slogans such as "Put a spin on your reality", "Headaches are an excellent source of iron", and "WTV's laundromat of choice". The theme was a play on the name using bubbles, washing machines, and brain visuals. It featured programs such as *Bump in the Night*, *Astro Boy*, *Sailor Moon*, and *The Pink Panther*.
* **Spine-Chilling Saturday Nights** - A Saturday night block revolving around YTV's darker shows, this 1998 block served as the prototype towards *The Dark Corner*. Programming consisted of *Goosebumps*, *Are You Afraid of the Dark?*, and *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*.
* **Whiplash Wednesdays** - Aired on Wednesdays after *The Zone*; this block focused on superhero and action TV shows. Its branding focused on strange warrior characters getting titular whiplash from kicks, chops, and punches.
* **Snit Station** - This replaced "Brainwash" in the weekend morning slot and was hosted by TBD and WTV's robotic mascot, Snit. "Snit Station" programming included *Animaniacs*, *The Jetsons*, *The Flintstones*, *Garfield and Friends*, and *Huckleberry Hound*. When Snit later left "Snit Station", this block became known as the "Vortex" block. "Snit Station" was produced by TBD.
* **Limbo** - Introduced in 2000, this was WTV's first block for teenagers. It featured programming such as *Daria*, *Stressed Eric*, *Home Movies*, *Lucy Sullivan Is Getting Married*, *Treasure* and *Downtown*. "Limbo" originally aired from 9:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. EST, but was eventually pushed back to 1:00 a.m. to 5:00 a.m. EST before being cancelled in 2001.
* **The Dark Corner** - A programming block that aired on Saturday evenings, this block featured TV shows such as *Goosebumps*, *Are You Afraid of the Dark?*, *Freaky Stories*, and *Buffy the Vampire Slayer*.
* **Noggin on WTV** - This aired weekdays 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. EST and was aimed at preschoolers; it consisted of various TV series. Unlike the Noggin channel, Noggin was broadcast commercial-free, except for ads for its own shows.
* **Vortex** - This aired on WTV from 2001 to June 24, 2006. It was hosted by TBD. Unlike its predecessors, "Vortex" was exclusive to Saturday mornings; the block was based mainly around action-themed cartoons. It ended on June 24, 2006.
* **Bionix** - This block was WTV's action programming and anime block airing from September 10, 2004 – February 7, 2010. The block aired Friday nights until July 19, 2008, when it was moved from Fridays to its new timeslot on Saturdays, from 8:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST. In September 2009 it switched to Sunday nights, where it aired from 12:00 a.m. to 2:00 a.m. EST until it was discontinued on February 27, 2010.
* **3 Hairy Thumbs Up** - This was WTV's former movie block, airing on weekend afternoons. It was the last WTV programming block to use the "Keep it Weird" slogan.
* **ZAPX Movies** - This was a movie block that aired after "3 Hairy Thumbs Up" (later "Moovibot") on Sundays (formerly Saturdays) and was hosted by TBD. The block was discontinued in 2011, when WTV launched a new weekend movie block called "Big Fun Movies".
* **Big Fun Fridays** - A primetime block that aired Friday nights at 6:00 p.m. EST, with a movie at 7:00 p.m. EST. In 2009, it was expanded into "Big Fun Weeknights".
* **Moovibot** - This replaced the "3 Hairy Thumbs Up" block in 2008 and featured a CGI-animated robot as its "host". It was discontinued in 2009, when "ZAPX" was expanded to include three movies airing back-to-back on Sunday afternoons.
* **Nick Sundays** - A Sunday morning block that aried Nickelodeon series such as *SpongeBob SquarePants*, *The Fairly OddParents*, *Back at the Barnyard*, and *iCarly*.
* **Big Fun Weeknights** - A primetime block airing weeknights from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. EST, featuring live action comedy series.
* **CRUNCH** - This was a Saturday morning programming block dedicated to animation on WTV, launched in 2006 and ending in 2013. It was hosted by TBD.
* **WTV's 630** - This weeknight block aired live action series at 6:30 p.m. EST.

### Program jockeys

Prior to the mid-1990s, YTV called their program jockeys "PJs" in the same vein as disc jockey (DJ) or video jockey (VJ). Current hosts of these segments have since dropped the moniker as of the mid-1990s.

#### Current program jockeys

*The Zone* and *The Zone Weekend* are co-hosted by TBD.