Freeform (TV channel)

Freeform (previously known as ABC Family) is an American basic cable and satellite television channel owned by the Disney–ABC Television Group division of The Walt Disney Company. The network primarily features programming aimed at teenagers and young adults (with some programming skewing towards young women) between the ages of 14 and 34, a target demographic designated by the channel as "becomers"; its programming includes off-network syndicated reruns and original series, feature films, and made-for-TV original movies.

The network was founded in 1977 as the CBN Satellite Service, an extension of televangelist Pat Robertson's Christian television ministry, and eventually evolved into a family-focused entertainment network as The Family Channel by 1990. In 1998, it was sold to News Corporation subsidiary Fox Family Worldwide. and renamed Fox Family. On October 24, 2001, Fox Family Channel and Fox Family Worldwide were sold to The Walt Disney Company, in a sale that also included Saban Entertainment, because of the 35% audience decline; the channel altered its name to ABC Family on November 10 of that year. On October 6, 2015, Disney–ABC Television Group announced that the network would rebrand as Freeform, a change that took effect on January 12, 2016.

History of Freeform (TV channel)

The American cable and satellite television network Freeform was originally launched as CBN Satellite Service in 1977, and has gone through several different owners (as well as six different name changes) during its history. This article details the network's existence from its founding by the Christian Broadcasting Network in April 1977 to its current ownership under The Walt Disney Company, which renamed ABC Family as Freeform in January 2016.

CBN Satellite Service/Cable Network

The network was founded by Pat Robertson as the CBN Satellite Service, an arm of his television ministry, the Christian Broadcasting Network. When the channel launched on April 29, 1977, it became the first basic cable channel to be transmitted via satellite from its launch. Initially, the network offered only religious programs aimed at a Christian audience. The offerings on the CBN Satellite Service during its early years included CBN's flagship news/talk show, The 700 Club (which aired three times per day every Monday through Friday in the late-morning and at night), along with programs from many well known and lesser-known television evangelists. As a result, a few televangelists began to produce stripped programs to air on the network each weekday. The CBN Satellite Service grew its subscriber base to 10.9 million households by May 1981.

Fox family

Fox Family or Fox family may refer to:

In genealogy:

In media:

Other:

Robin Fox (theatrical agent)

Robin Fox MC (15 July 1913 – 20 January 1971) was an English actor, theatrical agent, and chairman of the English Stage Company, best remembered as the founder of a family of actors. His sons are James, Edward, and Robert Fox. His grandchildren include Emilia, Laurence, Freddie, and Lydia Fox.

Early life

Fox was born in the parish of St George's, Hanover Square, Westminster, the son of Arthur William Fox and Hilda Louise Fox (formerly the actress Hilda Alcock, a member of Herbert Beerbohm Tree's theatrical company), and was the grandson of Samson Fox (1838–1903), a British engineer, industrialist, and philanthropist, principal founder of the Royal College of Music. His mother and his aunt Lily Hanbury were first cousins of Julia Neilson, mother of Phyllis and Dennis Neilson-Terry. Julia Neilson was married to Fred Terry, brother of Dame Ellen Terry. Altogether seven of his cousins were actors.

Life and career

During the Second World War, Fox became an officer cadet and in August 1940 was commissioned into the Royal Artillery. In February 1945, he was awarded the Military Cross. He rose to the rank of acting major.

Fox family (English aristocracy)

The Fox family is a noble family of England that held the title of Baron Holland (now extinct) and still holds the title of Earl of Ilchester.

Princess Marie of Liechtenstein, the adopted daughter of the last Baron Holland, was a member of the family.

Family tree

Family Channel

Family Channel, branded as Family (stylized family) since 1999, is a Canadian English-language Category A cable and satellite television channel that is owned by DHX Media. Originally positioned as a family-oriented network, by the late 1990s, Family had shifted its focus towards a predominantly youth audience, catering towards children and teenagers between 8 and 14 years of age with mainly children's television series, as well as some theatrically released and made-for-television movies targeted towards the demographic.

Although it is licensed as a premium television service, the channel is carried on the basic tiers of most Canadian subscription television providers, and is also carried by Flow Cable in Jamaica and on Cable Bahamas in The Bahamas. Family is headquartered in the Brookfield Place office complex, near the Financial District of Downtown Toronto. It has transmitted from Corus Quay since at least 2014.

As of March 2013, Family Channel is available to approximately 6 million pay television households in Canada; it also has the highest total viewership among Canada's children's television channels. It transmits three feeds: Eastern Time Zone feeds in both standard definition and high definition, and a Pacific Time Zone feed solely in standard definition.