Beech Tree News Network

Pop TV was launched in 1981.  It did not start out as Pop TV, however.  From ’81-’88, the channel was called the Electronic Program Guide.  From ’88-’93 it was called Prevue Guide.  From ’93-’99 it was called Prevue Channel.  It was then TV Guide Channel from ’99-’07, TV Guide Network from ’07-’13, TVGN from ’13-’15 and, finally, its current incarnation as Pop TV.  Its sister channels are CBS, CW, Showtime, The Movie Channel, Flix, Smithsonian Channel, CBS Sports Network, Paramount Network, Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, TV Land, Logo, MTV, VH1, CMT and BET.  

The rebranding to Pop TV took place January 14, 2015.  Of the 400 hours of original programming after the rebrand, were reality show New Kids On The Block and a little award-winning Canadian sitcom you might’ve heard of called Schitt’s Creek.  Creek was the first program from Pop to receive Primetime Emmy Award nominations including Outstanding Comedy Series.  

On March 12, 2019, CBS acquired Lion’s Gate’s 50% stake in Pop, making Pop a part of the CBS cable networks.  It then became a part of Viacom CBS Domestic Media Networks on December 4, 2019 when CBS merged with Viacom.  Under the latter’s management, it was merged into Viacom’s existing cable unit with corresponding job losses due to redundancies.  

Along with a few original series’, Pop shows a lot of older shows and older episodes of current shows..  Lately, I’ve been watching repeats of Scorpion on Pop.  They also house Beverly Hills, 90210(the original ‘90’s show), The Goldbergs, Two and a Half Men, E.R, NCIS New Orleans and Charmed.  

Hard to believe the place that houses all your favorite comedies used to be a TV Guide channel.