TrueReal: Difference between revisions

| name = TrueReal

| owner = [[Katz Broadcasting|Katz Broadcasting, LLC]]<br>([[E. W. Scripps Company]])

| closed_date launch_date = {{endstart date and age|20232021|37|271}}

| type = [[Digital multicast television network]]

| country = United States

| logo = TrueReal logo.png

| logo_size = 200px

| headquarters = [[Atlanta, Georgia]]

On March 2, 2021, Scripps announced that it would launch two new multicast networks—Defy and TrueReal—in the wake of its acquisition of [[Ion Media]] and television transmitters across the United States.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |date=2021-03-02 |title=E.W. Scripps Co. to Launch Doozy and Defy TV Multicast Networks |language=en-US |work=Variety |url=https://variety.com/2021/tv/news/doozy-defy-tv-scripps-multicast-1234919677/ |access-date=2021-07-04}}</ref> The channels are part of Scripps's strategy to increase penetration among [[cord cutter]]s that do not have traditional pay-TV packages.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Roettgers |first=Janko |date=2021-06-02 |title=Scripps's response to cord cutting: Launch new TV networks |language=en |work=Protocol |url=https://www.protocol.com/scripps-defy-truereal-cord-cutting |access-date=2021-07-04}}</ref> The tentative name for the network before launch was '''Doozy''', but the name was later changed to TrueReal, clarifying the network's content.

The services launched on July 1 with 92% national coverage, mostly onthrough Ion transmittersTelevision stations, but also on subchannels of some Scripps local TV stations and by agreement with other station groups.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Jon |first=Lafayette |date=July 1, 2021 |title=New Scripps Networks Defy TV, TrueReal Launch in 92% of U.S. |language=en |work=Broadcasting & Cable |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/new-scripps-networks-defy-tv-truereal-launch-in-92-of-us |access-date=July 3, 2021}}</ref>

On March 10, 2023, Scripps announced that TrueReal would shut down on March 27, merging its programming with that of Defy TV. After its closure, Scripps willbegan leaseleasing the open spectrum it created on its owned and operated stations to [[Jewelry Television]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lafayette |first=Jon |date=2023-03-10 |title=E.W. Scripps Folding TrueReal Digital Network Into Defy TV |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/ew-scripps-folding-truereal-digital-network-into-defy-tv |access-date=2023-03-10 |website=Broadcasting Cable |language=en}}</ref> Defy TV and its schedule would be wound down on June 30, 2024 to make way for a re-launch of [[Ion Plus]] over-the-air, with the A&E library moved to a new network, also called Defy TV, under the management of [[Free TV Networks]].