Bravo (US TV channel)

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This article is about the U.S. cable network. For other uses, including the unrelated TV channels in Canada and in the UK, see Bravo.

Bravo

Launched	December 7, 1980
Owned by	NBC Universal
Slogan	Watch What Happens
Headquarters	New York City, U.S.
Sister channel(s)	NBC, USA Network, Sci Fi, CNBC, MSNBC
Website	BravoTV.com
Availability
Satellite
DirecTV	Channel 273
Dish Network	Channel 129, 880
Cable
Available on many cable systems	Check local listings for channels

Bravo is a cable television network owned by NBC Universal. It is currently seen in more than 79 million homes and was the first service dedicated to film, drama, and the performing arts when it launched in December 1980. In the early 2000s it switched from covering performing arts, drama, and indie film to being focused on pop culture like reality shows, fashion shows, makeovers, celebrities, and so forth. Bravo's programming schedule includes feature films (primarily from the Universal catalogue). Bravo also airs reruns of series from parent network NBC, and produces original reality content, most popularly Project Runway, Inside the Actors Studio, Kathy Griffin: My Life on the D-List, Queer Eye, Top Chef and Step It Up and Dance.

1 Ownership
2 Positioning
3 Target audience
4 Distribution
5 Promotion
6 Programming
7 Originals
8 High definition
9 Canadian Bravo!
10 See also
11 External links
12 References

[edit] Ownership

Bravo TV was originally a service of Cablevision's Rainbow Media. Between 1999 and 2001, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer had a 20% stake in the channel (in addition to fellow Rainbow networks AMC and WE). In 2001, a stake of Bravo was acquired by NBC, buying the entire channel in 2002. Today, it is owned by NBC Universal. Its corporate offices are at Rockefeller Center in New York. Other cable networks owned by NBC Universal include: CNBC, MSNBC, mun2, Sci-Fi Channel, ShopNBC, Telemundo, Sleuth TV, Chiller, Universal HD, and USA Network, as well as some partial ownership of international cable channels such as CNBC World, CNBC Europe, and CNBC Asia.

[edit] Positioning

According to NBC Universal’s Bravo fact sheet, "Bravo is the cable network that plugs people into arts, culture and pop culture with original programming, movies and by showing a whole different side of celebrities." They cultivate an arts and pop culture focused image including original niche reality programs. Their new positioning statement, "Watch what happens," is a reference to the network's current focus on original reality programming.

[edit] Target audience

Bravo has strong recognition among the young and homosexual population in the United States. A study released in May, 2008 ranked Bravo as the most recognizable brand among gay consumers^[1]. Bravo's age demographic is people 18-54, according to Cabletelevision Advertising Bureau's cable television profiles ^[2].

[edit] Distribution

According to NBC Universal's Bravo fact sheet, Bravo is currently available in more than 79 million homes. Some sources including Bravo's Programming Highlights for this year put the number at closer to 78 million.

[edit] Promotion

Bravo gives substantial advertising to both their original and off-network programming. Heavily promoted original content includes Inside the Actors Studio, Project Runway, Top Chef, and Celebrity Poker Showdown. Queer Eye for the Straight Guy, which Bravo now produces in-house, was once an example of the off-network shows aired by Bravo, such as The West Wing.

[edit] Programming

Bravo utilizes block programming for both new shows and successful existing ones. Bravo has also had great success with programming franchises. These include their "100 Greatest..." TV and the film retrospectives, based upon the concept of AFI's 100 Years... 100 Movies; Project Greenlight and Project Runway; Showbiz Moms & Dads and Showdog Moms & Dads; Party/Party and a handful of successful gay-themed dating and reality shows (i.e. Queer Eye, Project Runway, which contains several gay contestants, and Workout, which features a lesbian lead) a niche which had yet to be filled by the reality-heavy networks.

[edit] Originals

[edit] High definition

A high definition version of the channel launched on October 3, 2007 on DirecTV. This is the second version of Bravo HD; the current Universal HD launched as Bravo HD+ in August 2003.

Bravo HD

[edit] Canadian Bravo!

Bravo! (with the exclamation mark) is a Canadian English language cable television specialty channel owned by CTV Limited a division of CTVglobemedia. It uses the "Bravo" name under licence from NBC Universal. However, aside from the name and the interview series Inside the Actors Studio, there has been essentially no connection between the two channels since 2001, when the American Bravo network (then under the ownership of Cablevision's Rainbow Media) changed its direction away from focusing on performing arts towards a general programming direction. Many of Bravo's original programming now airs in Canada on the Alliance Atlantis Communications slate of specialty channels, namely Slice, Food Network, and HGTV.

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Official Website

[edit] References

^ Bravo tops survey of gay-friendly companies The Hollywood Reporter May 13, 2008
^ http://www.cablemediasales.com/pages/nets/?cp=nets&sp=info&net=brav TimeWarner Media Sales - Network Information: Bravo

v • d • e NBC Universal, Inc. (a subsidiary of General Electric and Vivendi)

Universal Studios	Focus Features • Islands of Adventure • Rogue Pictures • United International Pictures¹ • Universal Animation Studios • Universal Studios Home Entertainment • Universal Playback • Universal Orlando Resort • Universal Pictures • Universal Studios Hollywood Theme Park • Universal Studios Florida Theme Park • Universal Studios Japan • Universal Studios Singapore • Universal Studios Theme Parks • Universal CityWalk

Broadcast TV assets	NBC • Telemundo • NBC News • NBC Sports

NBC Universal Cable	A&E Television Networks (25%) • Bravo • Chiller • CNBC • MSNBC² • Mun2 • NBC Weather Plus • Oxygen • Sci Fi Channel • ShopNBC • Sleuth • Sundance Channel (co-owned with Robert Redford and CBS Corporation) • Telemundo Internacional • Telemundo Puerto Rico • Trio • Universal HD • USA Network

CNBC global channels	CNBC (US) • CNBC World • CNBC Latin America • CNBC Europe • CNBC Asia • CNBC Africa

CNBC Europe branches	Class CNBC (20%) • CNBC-e • CNBC Arabiya (according to CNBC Europe) • CNBC Nordic • CNBC Africa • TVN CNBC Biznes

CNBC Asia branches	Nikkei CNBC • CNBC-TV18 • CNBC Awaaz • CNBC Pakistan • CNBC Australia • CNBC Hong Kong • CNBC Singapore

NBC Universal global networks	SCI FI Channel • 13th Street • Universal Channel • Hallmark Channel • Movies 24 • KidsCo⁷ • Diva TV • Studio Universal • Das Vierte •

Sci Fi global channels	US • UK • Germany • France • Australia • Spain • Benelux • Poland • Romania • Russia • Latin America

NBC Universal Television Group	NBC Studios • NBC Universal Television Distribution • Telemundo Television Studios • Telemundo of Puerto Rico Studios • Universal Media Studios

NBC O&Os	KNBC • KNSD³ • KNTV • KXAS³ • WCAU • WMAQ • WNBC • WRC • WTVJ⁸ • WVIT⁸

Telemundo O&Os	KBLR • KEJT-LP • KHRR • KDEN • KNSO • KTAZ • KTMD • KVDA • KSTS • KVEA • KXTX • WKAQ • WNEU⁶ • WNJU • WSCV • WSNS

ShopNBC O&Os	WWDP

Spanish independent TV stations	KWHY

Internet ventures:	msnbc.com² • NBBC⁴ • iVillage • Television Without Pity • OUTzoneTV.com • getTRIO.com • BrilliantButCancelled.com • calamitygame.com • Hulu

Other assets:	qubo⁵ • EMKA, Ltd.

50%, with Viacom's Paramount Pictures. Co-owned with Microsoft in a joint venture (82% owned by NBC, 18% owned by Microsoft). The stations are co-owned with LIN TV in a joint venture (76% owned by NBC, 24% owned by LIN). A joint venture between NBC Universal and its broadcast affiliates. Co-owned with Corus Entertainment, Classic Media, Scholastic Books and ION Media Networks The station is owned by NBC Universal, but is controlled by ZGS Broadcast Holdings. Co-owned with Corus Entertainment and DiC Entertainment. These stations have been put up for sale by NBC Universal. Buyer(s) are anonymous or unannounced at this time.