Austin Network (TV Channel)

**Austin Network** is a TV channel that launched January 1, 2021 to replace PAW Patrol channel.

On March 16, 2023, Austin Network revealed their new logo at 5:59AM just before Austin Network Breakfast News.

## History

In the late half of 2017, it was announced that PAW Patrol channel would replace PawPatrolFan Main Channel at midnight on December 31, 2017.

   In the first few months, popularity increased. The channel peaked at 5.9 million in mid-2019 but by December 2019, the viewership of PAW Patrol channel started declining though it did reach almost 5 million viewers during the New Year's Eve Fireworks. The endless loop of Paw Patrol broadcasts are the cause of this decline and in November 2020, it was announced that a TV channel version of Austin Network would launch at midnight on January 1, 2021 to replace PAW Patrol channel. Ultimately, PAW Patrol channel closed at midnight on January 1 and was replaced by the TV channel version of Austin Network. The final PAW Patrol episode to air before its closure was "Pups Save the Marooned Mayors" and "Pups Save the Game Show", broadcasting at 11:30pm before the farewell video is played which follows with the launch of Austin Network.

It was announced on September 11 that a youth-oriented channel for children would launch on October 1, 2021. This channel is Austin Network Cartoons and it launched on October 1 as a kids channel.

On 23 March 2023, Austin Network had allied with AustinAspen Network to bring Island Life back on the Austin Network TV channel after AustinAspen Network had noticed views diminishing. While AustinAspen Network were reluctant to give their allied rival network the copies of the Island Life episodes, Austin Network had said that the copies were not to be destroyed this time as Austin (owner of Austin Network & CEO of AustinAspen Network) requested that each episode remains intact. However, in May, they had decided to cut ties with AustinAspen Network again as the Island Life episodes were not earning views they had expected. In June, Austin Network had decided to create a subsidiary to keep Island Life as a going concern after AustinAspen had made the final decision to cut funding of Island Life from mid-July 2023. The rising costs of production with diminishing views is not viable for AustinAspen Network with the then-allocated funding to be invested in more American programming. Austin Network have made a new subsidiary to fund Island Life once Island Life Productions secures a sponsorship deal with them in June 2023, to take effect from July 15, 2023.

## Programming

Most of Austin Network programming is imported by international networks. However, one show is locally made and it is Sam Wilkes Sr.'s Island Life show. Although it is still ongoing, Island Life was moved to AustinAspen Network before an agreement was made to share the series on both channels with AustinAspen Network broadcasting the new episodes first and Austin Network broadcasts the pre-October 2021 episodes up until Austin Network cut ties with AustinAspen in May 2023 after views on Austin Network weren't at targeted expectations. However, the program is returning in mid-September 2023 to first broadcast the unaired AustinAspen Network episodes.

### Current Programming

#### ***Acquired Programming***

* Before/After I met Big Bubby.
* Passions
* Several Psycho Dad Films
* Thomas Blazier's videos (pre-October 2021 videos)

#### ***Local Programming***

* Island Life (June 2020 - September 2021; Mid-September 2023-; shared with AustinAspen Network briefly in April - May 2023)