Trio (TV network)

American television network

Television channel

Trio

Trio logo

Country| United States
Broadcast area| National
Programming
Picture format| 480i (SDTV)
Ownership
Owner| Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (1994–2000)
Power Corporation of Canada (1994–2000)
USA Network/NBC Universal (2000–2006)
Sister channels| Newsworld International
History
Launched| June 1, 1994 (1994-06-01)
Closed| January 1, 2006 (2006-01-01) (11 years and 7 months)
Replaced by| Sleuth

Trio (stylized as TR!O) was an American cable and satellite television network.

Trio went on the air in 1994, then originally owned and operated jointly by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation and Power Broadcasting Inc. (a subsidiary of Power Corporation of Canada) along with 24-hour international news channel Newsworld International. The channel served as a venue for airing the CBC's arts, culture and entertainment programming in the United States. It was sold to USA Networks in 2000,[1] and was subsequently transferred to Vivendi Universal and later NBC Universal.

With the slogan, "pop, culture, TV", Trio programming under Vivendi/NBC Universal ownership focused on television as a cultural tool and art form.

In January 2005, Trio was dropped from DirecTV, eliminating about two-thirds of the homes that could receive the network. On November 21, 2005, NBC Universal announced that the Trio brand would be transferred to a broadband Internet TV initiative under the Bravotv.com banner on January 1, 2006. Cable and satellite providers still carrying Trio were offered a new NBC Universal cable network instead, called Sleuth, which was renamed Cloo in 2011 and continued on until its sudden closure on February 1, 2017.

## Notable Trio programs

[edit]

### Original

[edit]

* The N-Word, Peabody Award–winning documentary starring Whoopi Goldberg, Samuel L. Jackson and many other African American celebrities discussing the origin and power of the word nigger.[2]
* Outlaw Comic: The Censoring of Bill Hicks, documentary hosted by Janeane Garofalo, focusing on his David Letterman appearances, especially his last one, where he was cut from the program.
* The Award Show Awards Show, examination of America's obsession with awards
* The Christmas Special Christmas Special
* Film Fanatic, cinema, hosted by Amy Sedaris
* Flops 101: Lessons from the Biz
* TV's Most Censored Moments, a documentary about censorship in television.
* The Blockbuster Imperative, a documentary about Hollywood's obsession with blockbuster movies.
* Saturday Spin Theatre, feature films like Leon the Pig Farmer and The Legend of the North Wind.

### Reruns

[edit]

* Adrenaline Junkies (a.k.a. Medivac) (1999–2002)
* Airline (1999–2002)
* All Saints (1999–2002)
* Battle of the Network Stars (2003–04)
* Black Harbour (1998–2004)
* Blue Heelers (1996–2004)
* Brides of Christ (1993–96)
* Bugs (1999–2002)
* Coming Home (1999–2001)
* Coronation Street (1999–2004)
* Counterstrike (1994–1999)
* Cracker (1999–2002)
* The Dame Edna Experience (2002–04)
* The Damnation of Harvey McHugh (1999–02)
* Deepwater Black (1998–2000)
* Degrassi (1994–2004)
* Dog House (1996–99)
* The Dreamstone (1994–96)
* Duggan (1999–2002)
* EGG, the Arts Show (2003–04)
* E.N.G. (1994–98)
* The Fifth Estate (1994–99)
* Flightpath (Canadian TV series) (1998–2004)
* Good Guys, Bad Guys (1999–2002)
* Hot Type (1999–2004)
* Judy Garland Show Christmas Special (1994–96, 2003–04)
* Kath & Kim (2002–04)
* Late Night with David Letterman (1994–96, 2003–04)
* The Little Flying Bears (1997–2000)
* The Littlest Hobo (1995–1999)
* London's Burning (1997–2004)
* Madison (1996–2004)
* Max Glick (1996–99, 2001–02)
* McCallum (1998–2003)
* MediaTelevision (1998–2004)
* Mercury (1997–2003)
* Mr. Dressup (1994–2000)
* Mysterious Island (1996–2000)
* Nancherrow (1999–2001)
* The Nature of Things (1994–1998)
* New York Undercover (2001–02)
* North of 60 (1995–2004)
* Northwood (1994–99)
* Once Upon a Hamster (1996–2000)
* Pink Lady (1994–1996, 2003–04)
* Queen for a Day (1994–96)
* The Raccoons (1995–99)
* Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In (2001–04)
* SCTV (1994–99, 2003–04)
* The Secret Rulers of the World (1994–96)
* Sessions at West 54th (2001–04)
* Spaced (2002–04)
* Street Legal (1995–2004)
* Taggart (1994–2002)
* Traders (1998–2002)
* Undercurrents (1995–04)
* A Very British Coup (1994–96)
* Young People's Concerts (1994–96)

### Brilliant But Cancelled

[edit]

This was the umbrella title under which Trio aired repeats of series that had very short lives on mainstream broadcast television, yet were still considered to be programming that "broke the mold" of what was normally expected from the "Big Three" networks. Series that appeared under the Brilliant But Cancelled umbrella included:

* Action
* Bakersfield P.D.
* Brideshead Revisited
* Charlie Cobb: Nice Night for a Hanging
* Diner (pilot)
* East Side/West Side
* The Ernie Kovacs Show
* EZ Streets
* Fargo (pilot)
* God, the Devil and Bob
* Johnny Staccato
* Kolchak: The Night Stalker
* L.A. Confidential (pilot)
* Lookwell (pilot)
* Now and Again
* Parenthood
* Profit
* The PJs
* United States

Brilliant But Cancelled was later used by Universal as a title for a series of DVDs that feature samples of short-lived series. Two of these have been released—one being a sampler of short-lived crime drama series, while the other was selected episodes of EZ Streets.

### Flops

[edit]

Special airing of shows that flopped.

* Cop Rock
* My Mother the Car
* Pink Lady and Jeff

(The Secret Diary of Desmond Pfeiffer was supposed to air, but was pulled due to the controversial nature of the program, which played for laughs the relationship between a black nobleman and President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War).

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Power Broadcasting Inc. And CBC Sell Trio and Newsworld International to USA Cable". Archived from the original on 2004-12-12. Retrieved 2005-01-08.
2. ^ 64th Annual Peabody Awards, May 2005.

## External links

[edit]

* Variety Review of TV's Most Censored Moments
* Variety Review of The Award Show Awards Show

* v
* t
* e

Canadian Broadcasting Corporation television services

English networks|

* CBC Television
* CBC North
* CBC News Network
* Documentary Channel

French networks|

* Ici Radio-Canada Télé
* Ici RDI
* Ici ARTV
* Ici Explora

Defunct channels|

* CBC Country Canada
* CBC Parliamentary Television Network
* Newsworld International
* Trio

Proposed channels|

* CBC-2
* Télé-2

Facilities|

| Master control|

* Toronto
* Montreal

|

Regional|

* Ottawa
* Vancouver

Brands and assets|

* Hockey Night in Canada

See also|

* TV5 Québec Canada
* TV5Monde
* Unis

Site: CBC.ca

* v
* t
* e

NBCUniversal

A division of Comcast

Predecessors|

* MCA Inc.
* PolyGram
* RCA
* Seagram Company Ltd.
* Vivendi Universal

Executives|

* Dick Ebersol
* Bonnie Hammer
* Donna Langley
* Steve Burke
* Pearlena Igbokwe
* Noah Oppenheim
* Cesar Conde

Studio Group|

| Universal Filmed
Entertainment Group|

* Universal Pictures
* Back Lot Music
* DreamWorks Animation
* Focus Features
* Illumination
* Illumination Studios Paris
* NBCUniversal Entertainment Japan
* United International Pictures*
* Universal Pictures Home Entertainment
* Universal Animation Studios
* Working Title Films
* Amblin Partners
* Amblin Entertainment
* DreamWorks Pictures

|

Universal
Studio Group|

* Universal Television
* Universal Content Productions
* Universal International Studios
* Carnival Films
* Matchbox Pictures
* DreamWorks Animation Television
* DreamWorks Classics
* Big Idea Entertainment
* Bullwinkle Studios*
* Harvey Entertainment

Destinations
& Experiences Group|

| United States|

* Universal Studios Hollywood
* CityWalk
* Universal Orlando
* Universal Studios Florida
* Islands of Adventure
* CityWalk
* Epic Universe
* Universal Kids Resort
* Universal Horror Unleashed

|

International|

* Universal Studios Japan
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* Universal Studios Beijing
* Universal Studios Delhi (planned)
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Media Group|

| Television networks|

* NBC
* Bravo
* E!
* Syfy
* USA Network
* Oxygen

|

Streaming|

* Hayu
* Peacock
* PictureBox Films
* Fandango Media (70%)
* Fandango at Home

NBC
Sports Group|

* NBC Olympics
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* part owner
* MLB Network
* NHL Network
* Regional Networks
* Bay Area (45%)
* Boston
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* SNY (8%)

International
Networks|

* v
* t
* e

NBCUniversal International Networks

A division of NBCUniversal

Asia|

* DreamWorks Channel
* Golf Channel (Indonesia)
* Studio Universal (Philippines)

Australia & New Zealand|

* Bravo
* New Zealand
* Australia
* Universal TV
* Australia
* New Zealand

Europe, Middle East
and Africa|

* 13th Street
* France
* Germany
* Spain
* Poland
* DreamWorks
* Diva
* E!
* Golf Channel
* Movies 24
* Syfy
* France
* Germany
* Poland
* Balkans
* Portugal
* Spain
* Studio Universal
* Telemundo Africa
* Universal TV Germany

Latin America & Brazil|

* Universal TV
* E!
* Golf Channel
* Studio Universal
* USA Network
* Telemundo Internacional
* DreamWorks Channel
* Universal+ (outside of Brazil)

Canada (licensed)|

* Bravo
* E!
* Oxygen
* USA Network

Defunct|

* 13th Street Netherlands and Flanders
* 13th Street Australia
* Diva TV
* Diva Universal Italy
* Diva Asia
* E! Asia
* E! Australia and New Zealand
* Hallmark Channel International
* Hallmark Channel Benelux & Scandinavia
* KidsCo
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* Steel
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* Syfy Netherlands and Flanders
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* Syfy Asia
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* Universal Channel Greece
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Other assets|

* Distribution
* Domestic
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Telemundo Enterprises|

* Telemundo
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Local Group
O&Os|

| NBC Owned
TV Stations|

* KNBC
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|

Telemundo
Station Group|

* KASA-TV/KTEL-CD/KUPT
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* Other properties: TeleXitos

Other units|

* Affiliate relations
* NBC
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* EMKA, Ltd.
* International Media Distribution

News Group|

| Main divisions|

* NBC News
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|

CNBC global channels|

* CNBC
* Africa (licensee)
* Asia
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* Europe
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CNBC Europe branches|

* Class CNBC (20%)
* CNBC-e
* Africa (licensee)
* Arabia

CNBC Asia branches|

* CNBC TV18
* CNBC Awaaz
* CNBC Indonesia
* JKN-CNBC
* Nikkei CNBC

Former/defunct
properties|

* 13th Street (Australia)
* A&E Networks (A&E)*
* Canal+ Group
* Castle Films
* Chapman Entertainment
* Chiller
* Chiller Films
* CIC Video
* Cloo
* Comcast Network
* Craftsy
* Diva
* Diva Universal (Italy)
* E! (Asia)
* Entertainment Rights
* Esquire Network
* Fearnet
* Filmation
* FilmDistrict
* G4
* Good Machine
* Gramercy Pictures
* Hallmark Channel (international)
* ITC Entertainment
* Interscope Communications
* Miss Universe*
* Multimedia Entertainment
* NBBC
* NBCSN
* NBC Sports (Chicago (25%)
* Northwest)
* NBC Weather Plus
* October Films
* Olympic Channel
* Pacific Data Images
* Peacock Productions
* PolyGram Filmed Entertainment
* Propaganda Films
* Savoy Pictures
* SBS CNBC
* Shift
* Seeso
* Spencer Gifts
* Style Network (Australia)
* Syfy (Asia)
* Syfy (Australia)
* Tell-Tale Productions
* The Entertainment Channel*
* Total Television
* UPA
* Universal Channel (Asia)
* Universal Channel (Greece)
* Universal Channel (Japan)
* Universal Channel (Poland)
* Universal Kids
* Universal TV (UK and Ireland)
* Universal Interactive
* Universal Music Group
* Universal Channel (Turkey)
* Vivendi Universal Games
* Walter Lantz Productions
* Western Publishing
* Gold Key Comics
* Whitman Publishing
* Golden Books Family Entertainment
* Golden Book Video
* Woodland Animations
* ZGS Communications

Related|

* History of NBC
* History of NBC Sports
* Report on Chain Broadcasting (1941)
* National Broadcasting Co. v. United States (1943)

* Denotes joint ventures

Authority control databases |

* VIAF

|

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