Pop culture fans now have a designated TV network to celebrate their favorite fandoms, TV shows and movies.
TVGN (formerly TV Guide Network) will rebrand as "POP" beginning as soon as January 2015. The channel will offer over 400 hours of "fan-fueled original programming," and provide a multi-platform destination for entertainment fans.
CBS Corporation and Lionsgate have owned the channel jointly since last year, and it reaches 80 million homes. It began as a television listings channel in the 1980s, and has made several transitions since, such as new names and the addition of original programming.
"POP is an exciting new chapter for a cable network that has made great progress and generated significant ratings momentum over the past year," said CBS President and CEO Leslie Moonves and Lionsgate CEO Jon Feltheimer in a joint statement. "Our new brand not only positions the channel for continued growth but reflects its identity, focus and fan base."
The channel will feature new original series such as "Rock This Boat: New Kids on the Block," which chronicles the boy band's biggest fans. "The Story Behind" will go behind the scenes of TV's greatest hits and most iconic shows and show how they got started. POP will also air syndicated shows like "Beverly Hills, 90210" and "7th Heaven," and carry over TVGN reality series "Big Brother: After Dark."
"The inspiration for POP is simple - When something stands out from the rest, it pops," Brad Schwartz, POP's president of entertainment and media, said in the statement. "It's what everyone is talking about. It's an exceptional talent. It's a one-of-a-kind maverick. When something is so good that it earns a culture of fandom, that's POP - and that's what we want our change to symbolize, a fresh new media personality that puts us firmly alongside the audience."
The channel will announce a slate of new projects in the coming weeks. The programs could include entertainment news and after-shows, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
