View source for YTA TV

{{short description|American television network}}
{{Redirect|Youtoo|the toy company|Youtooz}}
{{Infobox television channel
| name         = YTA TV
| logo         = YouToo America logo.png
| logo_size    =
| launch_date  = {{Start date and age|February 1, 1985}}
| owner        = Center Post Media
| headquarters = [[Arlington, Texas]]
| former_names = {{ubl|Nostalgia Channel (1985–90)|Nostalgia Television (1990–97)|Nostalgia Good TV (1997–98)|GoodLife TV Network (1998–2005)|AmericanLife TV Network (2005–11)|Youtoo TV (2011–2014)|Youtoo America (2014–2020)}}
| replaced     = [[America One]] (2014 merger)
| website      = {{URL|ytatv.com}}
}}
'''YTA TV''' (an [[initialism]] for its former full name, '''Youtoo America'''; commonly referred to as just '''YTA''') is an American [[television network]] which originally launched in February 1985 as a cable channel.<ref name="Los Angeles Times">{{cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1990-07-29-tv-1703-story.html|title=Film Appreciation : Basic and Pay Cable Channels Are Building Libraries of Classics For You To Check Out|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=July 29, 1990|access-date=June 3, 2012}}</ref> Unusual for a network of its type, it has had multiple identities, programming directions, and brandings, along with owners, and after merging with the minor broadcast network [[America One]] in 2014, also began to air on [[Terrestrial television|free over-the-air]] television. It is owned by Center Post Media, which also owns Biz Television.
Approximately 41 million households have reception of YTA TV in some manner through cable or over-the-air reception. It is also available through streaming apps on various [[digital media player]]s, and on its website.
== Background ==
===Nostalgia Channel===
[[File:The Nostalgia Channel logo.jpg|right]]
The channel was originally launched as a cable channel in February 1985 as The Nostalgia Channel through the efforts of former ''[[Our Gang]]'' child star [[George McFarland|George "Spanky" McFarland]].<ref name="Los Angeles Times"/><ref name=vty>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2007/tv/features/american-life-tv-targets-baby-boomers-1117966145/|title=American Life TV Targets Baby Boomers|author=Dempsey, John|work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]|date=June 1, 2007|access-date=October 9, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.tcm.com/tcmdb/person/127210%7C141571/Spanky-Mcfarland#biography|title=TCM: Spanky McFarland|work=[[Turner Classic Movies]]|access-date=April 8, 2013}}</ref> The channel featured vintage movies, similar to [[AMC (TV network)|American Movie Classics]], which debuted five months earlier as a premium channel broadcasting only during the afternoon and nighttime hours, and [[Turner Classic Movies]], which would launch nine years later. Many of the films were in the [[public domain]].<ref name="Los Angeles Times"/>
Michael E. Marcovsky was hired as network head in early 1990. He changed the channel's name to Nostalgia Television, removed movies with poor quality prints (primarily public domain movies), and added lifestyle series as well as vintage TV programs. Also, 100 movies were programmed from the eclectic [[Janus Films|Janus Collection]]. At this time, movies were 25% of the programming.<ref name="Los Angeles Times"/>
===Unification Church===
In December 1993, [[ABC Family Worldwide|International Family Entertainment, Inc.]] was bidding against a partnership of Florida-based [[MOR Music TV]] Inc. and Arizona-based Gen-She Inc., and {{frac|1|3}} owner Concept Communications (owned by Unification Church) for the network.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Lippman|first1=John|title=Robertson May Open Bidding Battle for Network|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-12-07-fi-65009-story.html|access-date=January 13, 2016|work=Loas Angeles Times|date=December 7, 1993}}</ref> Nostalgia Television changed its name to Nostalgia Good TV in 1997.
Nostalgia licensed the Goodlife trademark and changed its name to Goodlife TV in 1998 when [[Unification Church]] purchased the rest of the company. In 2004, Goodlife TV announced that it would sign a licensing agreement and partnership with [[Warner Bros. Television Studios|Warner Bros. Domestic Television Distribution]] to broadcast its classic television shows on the channel.<ref>{{cite press release|url=https://www.warnerbros.com/news/press-releases/goodlife-tv-network-announces-3-year-programming-deal-warner-bros-domestic-cable|title=GoodLife TV Network Announces 3-Year Programming Deal With Warner Bros. Domestic Cable Distribution And New Fall Programming Line-Up|publisher=Warner Bros.|date=September 20, 2004|access-date=April 1, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201205150225/https://www.warnerbros.com/news/press-releases/goodlife-tv-network-announces-3-year-programming-deal-warner-bros-domestic-cable|archive-date=December 5, 2020}}</ref> Following the expiration of the Goodlife licensing agreement in 2005 with no renewal, the channel changed names again to American Life TV (ALTV).<ref name=vty/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/goodlife-becomes-americanlife-105521|title=GoodLife Becomes American Life|magazine=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=January 9, 2005|access-date=April 1, 2024|via=NextTV}}</ref>
According to a June 2007 story in ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'', the network was a consistent money-loser, although the church's [[tax-exempt status]] made it easier to absorb the losses. The channel charged providers one of the lowest carriage fees in the industry (between 5-10¢), but despite this, was only available in 10 million households at that time. Comcast refused to carry the channel, citing the lack of quality programming (at that time, made up mainly of [[public domain]] programming and anachronistic sitcoms and dramas in barter arrangements, long dropped from higher-profile networks) and dropped it from the systems it acquired in the [[Adelphia Communications Corporation|Adelphia]] bankruptcy as soon as contractually possible. Despite improving the quality of their programming by picking up the [[Steven Bochco]] series ''[[L.A. Law]]'', ''[[Hill Street Blues]]'', ''[[St. Elsewhere]]'' and [[Equity (finance)|equity]] for carriage, both [[DirecTV]] and [[Dish Network|Dish]] continued to refuse carriage.<ref name=vty/>
In 2001, ALTV broadcast the Unification Church-sponsored film ''[[Inchon (film)|Inchon]]'' (1982), one of the few times it has been seen since its initial theatrical run.<ref>Hall, Phil (February 20, 2009). "The Bootleg Files: Inchon". Film Threat. www.filmthreat.com. Retrieved 2009-10-30.</ref> In 2007 the network broadcast [[George Clooney]]'s documentary, ''A Journey to Darfur''.<ref name=vty/><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20070505051224/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/time100/article/0,28804,1595326_1615754_1615880,00.html "The Time 100: George Clooney"].</ref><ref>[https://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/11/ap/entertainment/mainD8MJ771O0.shtml "Clooney's Docu on Darfur to Air Monday"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081101030249/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/01/11/ap/entertainment/mainD8MJ771O0.shtml |date=November 1, 2008 }}.</ref> It released the film on [[DVD]] in 2008 and announced that proceeds from its sale would be donated to the [[International Rescue Committee]] for its humanitarian efforts in [[Darfur]].<ref>[http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Americanlife-Tv-838350.html "AmericanLife TV Network (ALN) Donates Proceeds from ''A Journey to Darfur'' DVD to the International Rescue Committee"] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113181149/http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/Americanlife-Tv-838350.html |date=January 13, 2009 }}.</ref> In 2007, ALN made a [[video on demand]] deal with [[TVN Entertainment Corporation]] to offer up to 20 hours of programming per month to more than 100 cable affiliates.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6473613.html|title=AmericanLife Launches New VOD Offering|work=[[Multichannel News]]|date=September 2, 2007|access-date=October 9, 2007}}</ref>
===ComStar===
In May 2009, the network was acquired by [[ComStar Media Fund]], an organization chaired by [[Robert A. Schuller]], son of [[Crystal Cathedral]] founder [[Robert H. Schuller]]. Schuller said that the network would concentrate on "family-values programming that speaks to all generations." On November 29 Schuller's new program ''[[Everyday Life (TV show)|Everyday Life]]'' was first seen on ALTV.<ref>[http://www.ocregister.com/news/schuller-221292-wyatt-story.html "Robert A. Schuller's TV Series Premieres Sunday"].  November 25, 2009.</ref>
Chris Wyatt, ComStar's chief executive officer and founder of religious [[website]] [[Godtube]], commented: "We are not creating another religious network but rather a family-values channel. We've tapped into a huge underserved market and have the opportunity over time to increase distribution to exceed 40 million homes." Media reports indicated that the network's on-air presentation would change and that other syndicated series would be targeted for acquisition.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/266355-GodTube_Founder_Buys_AmericanLife_TV_Network.php|title=GodTube Founder Buys AmericanLife TV Network|work=[[Broadcasting & Cable]]|date=May 27, 2009|access-date=May 27, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite press release|url=http://www.christiannewswire.com/news/5334010491.html|title=Dr. Robert A. Schuller and Chris Wyatt's Comstar Acquires AmericanLife TV Network|work=[[ChristianNewsWire]]|date=May 27, 2009|access-date=May 27, 2009}}</ref>
On December 1, 2009, ALN announced that it would start airing episodes of [[Chuck Norris]]' ''[[World Combat League]]'', previously seen on the [[Versus (TV channel)|Versus]] network.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/chuck-norris-world-combat-league-to-air-on-americanlife-tv-networktm-78216367.html "Chuck Norris' World Combat League to Air on AmericanLife TV Network(TM)"]. December 1, 2009.</ref> ComStar also has access to a library of classic television programing including ''[[Happy Days]]'' and ''[[My Three Sons]]''.<ref>[http://www.ocregister.com/news/schuller-223015-family-network.html "Schuller Media Company Expands Its Reach"]. December 8, 2009.</ref>  Some of the older television shows moved from ALN to its sister network, [[FamilyNet]] on March 1, 2010,<ref>[http://www.sitcomsonline.com/blog/2010/01/familynet-march-2010-schedule-removes.html "FamilyNet March 2010 Schedule"].  January 27, 2010.</ref> when it was spun out into its own company with [[Robert A. Schuller]] as the chairman.<ref>[http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/celebrated-televangelist-robert-schuller-named-chairman-of-familynet-tv-118514864.html "Celebrated Televangelist Robert Schuller Named Chairman of FamilyNet TV"].  March 23, 2011.</ref>
===Youtoo===
On September 27, 2011, ALN was rebranded as '''Youtoo TV''' with a focus on mobile devices; as of that date, all links to the website redirected to a page inviting viewers to sign up for the new service at youtoo.com. The only "retro" programs remaining on the schedule are ''[[Batman (TV series)|Batman]]'', ''[[The Green Hornet (TV series)|The Green Hornet]]'', and ''[[The X-Files]]''.
Executives claim Youtoo TV to be a [[social television]] service, allowing viewers to participate in television programming using personal electronic devices. Interactive features include the ability for viewers to create and submit 15-second videos, called "Fame Spots", commenting on a variety of subjects, which will air.
In addition, the network will carry programming such as ''[[Howcast]]'' and [[Christopher Coppola]]'s ''Digivangelist Show''. Also on the network will be new TV versions of Web series including ''[[GeekBeat.TV]]'', ''Koldcast'', and ''Rooftop Media''. The network also will have interactive programs including ''Say Yes & Marry Me'', which will offer viewers the opportunity to propose marriage on-air via Fame Spots.<ref name=rebrand>[http://www.multichannel.com/article/474458-Social_Media_Focused_Youtoo_TV_Replaces_AmericanLife_Net.php Social-Media Focused Youtoo TV Replaces AmericanLife Net] ''Multichannel News'' September 27, 2011</ref> Re-purposed programming from [[Revision3]] was removed from the network after that provider's sale to [[Discovery Communications]] in 2012.
One of the creators of Youtoo TV is producer [[Mark Burnett]], through his own social media project, by content marketing studio VIMBY.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/mark-burnett-youtoocom-launch-first-241698|title=Mark Burnett and YouToo.com Launch First Social Television Network|work=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=September 28, 2011}}</ref>
It was reported in September 2014 that Youtoo TV had acquired [[America One]], its network of terrestrial (mostly [[low-power broadcasting|low-power]]) affiliates, and most of its remaining, non-sports programming. (Prior to this, only one terrestrial affiliate, [[WBQP-CD]], carried Youtoo over the air.) The merger was finalized in Spring 2015, with the resulting network becoming "Youtoo America". Over the course of late 2019 and early 2020, it began using the shortened branding of YTA, presumably due to confusion with [[YouTube]] and its similarly named [[YouTube TV]] streaming service, and [[channel drift]] away from the 2011 social television model.
==Carriage==
The network is available on [[Time Warner Cable]] and [[Comcast]], among other providers. [[Charter Communications]] previously carried the channel until November 15, 2011, when the channel was dropped from Charter's lineups; this decision was made before the re-brand of ALN, as the channel received carriage under that provider's "faith and values"/religious tier of networks and no longer carried religious or family-appropriate programming for a majority of the broadcast day.<ref name=rebrand/> At the launch of Youtoo, the network offered up to $200 in bill credits to viewers who switched to a provider that offered the network.<ref name=rebrand/> As per an email sent to its subscribers, [[Verizon FiOS]] dropped the channel on December 31, 2012, along with [[MAVTV]], and Blue Highways TV.
YTA TV offers a live feed of its programming on the Internet, along with some on-demand programming behind a soft [[paywall]].
==Programming==
YTA TV currently provides 20 hours of programming every day from 6:00&nbsp;a.m. to 2:00&nbsp;a.m. Eastern Time, with overnight hours being occupied by a simulcast of the shopping channel [[Shop LC]].
Programming on YTA TV includes:<ref name="programlist">{{cite web |title=Shows |url=http://ytatv.com/shows/ |website=YTA TV |access-date=9 April 2022}}</ref><ref>https://ytatv.com/schedule/</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
* ''The 900 Series''
* ''[[Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog]]''
* ''Alive & Well TV''
* ''The Big Biz Show''
* ''Bloom''
* ''[[Championship Wrestling from Hollywood]]''
* ''[[Charlie Moore (television personality)|Charlie Moore: No Offense]]''
* ''Chasing Down Madison Brown''
* ''The Chef's Kitchen''
* ''Coffee with America''
* ''Crazy in Texas''
* ''[[Mitch English|The Daily Flash]]''
* ''[[Daytime (U.S. TV program)|Daytime]]''
* ''[[Forensic Files]]''
* ''[[Heartland Poker Tour]]''
* ''Hiring America''
* ''In This Corner''
* ''[[Jack Hanna's Animal Adventures]]''
* ''[[Jack Hanna's Into the Wild]]''
* ''[[Jimmy Houston|Jimmy Houston Outdoors]]''
* ''[[The Jet Set (TV program)|The Jet Set]]''
* ''[[Kong: The Animated Series]]''
* ''[[Laura McKenzie's Traveler]]''
* ''[[Jimmy Durante Presents the Lennon Sisters]]''
* ''Life of Cards''
* ''Macabre Theatre''
* ''[[Motorz TV|Motorz]]''
* ''Nature Knows Best''
* ''OVW Wrestling''
* ''[[Pawn Stars]]''
* ''[[Planet X Television|Planet X]]''
* ''[[Popeye the Sailor|Popeye]]''
* ''[[Positively Paula]]''
* ''Put Some Colour in Your Life''
* ''Raceweek''
* ''Reel Animals Fishing''
* ''[[Ron Hazelton|Ron Hazelton's House Calls]]''
* ''[[Small Town Big Deal]]''
* ''Sport Compact TV''
* ''Sport Fishing with Dan Hernandez''
* ''[[Sports Stars of Tomorrow]]''
* ''Steel Dreams''
* ''The Suki and Scott Show''
* ''Talk! with Audrey''
* ''Talking Pictures''
* ''[[Weird but True!]]''
* ''[[Xploration Awesome Planet]]''
* ''[[Xploration Station|Xploration Outer Space]]''
{{div col end}}
==Affiliates==
===Arizona===
* [[Kingman, Arizona|Kingman]] – [[KKAX-LD]] 36.1
* [[Lake Havasu City, Arizona|Lake Havasu City]] – [[K23BJ-D]] 23
===Arkansas===
* [[Clarksville, Arkansas|Clarksville]] – K04RA-D 32.1
* [[Searcy, Arkansas|Searcy]] –  KTWN-LD 18.1
* [[Texarkana, Arkansas|Texarkana]] - KTEV-LD 19.1
===California===
* [[Victorville, California|Victorville]]/[[Lucerne Valley, California|Lucerne Valley]] – KVVB-LD 33.1
===Colorado===
* [[Dove Creek, Colorado|Dove Creek]] – K48BK-D 48.1
===Florida===
* [[Oldsmar, Florida|Oldsmar]] – [[WZRA-CD]] 48
* [[Perry, Florida|Perry]] – WSFD-LD 15.1
===Georgia===
* [[Atlanta]] – WEQT-LD 9.5
* [[Dublin, Georgia|Dublin]] – W35BB-D 35.1
===Illinois===
*[[Aurora, Illinois|Aurora]] - [[WAUR-LD]] 29.1
===Indiana===
* [[Jasper, Indiana|Jasper]] – WJTS-CD 27.1
* [[Martinsville, Indiana|Martinsville]] – [[WREP-LD]] 15.1
===Kansas===
* [[Liberal, Kansas|Liberal]] – KLKT-LP 41
===Louisiana===
* [[Morgan City, Louisiana|Morgan City]] – [[KWBJ-CD]] 22.80
===Minnesota===
* [[St. James, Minnesota|St. James]] – K40BU-D 40.1
===Missouri===
* [[Joplin, Missouri|Joplin]] – [[KGCS-LD]] 21.1
===New York===
* [[Glens Falls, New York|Glens Falls]] – [[WNCE-CD]] 8.1
* [[Gloversville, New York|Gloversville]] - [[WFNY-CD]] 16.4
* [[Southampton, New York|Southampton]] – [[WVVH-CD]] 50.1
===North Carolina===
* [[Elizabeth City, North Carolina|Elizabeth City]] – W18BB-D 18.1
* [[Tarboro, North Carolina|Tarboro]] – [[WNCR-LD]] 41.1
===Oregon===
* [[Dallas, Oregon|Dallas]] – [[KWVT-LD|KSLM-LD]] 17.1
* Portland – [[KWVT-LD]] 17.1
* [[Salem, Oregon|Salem]] – KORS-CD 16.2
* Salem – [[KWVT-LD]] 49.1
===Pennsylvania===
* [[Hazleton, Pennsylvania|Hazleton]] – [[WYLN-LP]] 35.1
* [[Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania|Pittsburgh]] - [[WBPA-LD]] 12.6
===South Carolina===
{{empty section|date=May 2024}}
===Texas===
* [[Amarillo, Texas|Amarillo]] – KBEX-LP 6
* [[Corpus Christi, Texas|Corpus Christi]] – KHCC-LP 35
===Utah===
* [[Salt Lake City]] – KPDR-LD 19.1<ref>[http://www.rabbitears.info/search.php?request=network_search&network=YouToo+America List of Youtoo America Affiliates]. Rabbitears.info.</ref>
==References==
;Notes
{{Reflist|30em}}
==External links==
* {{Official website|http://ytatv.com/}}
{{Broadcast Television}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:YTA TV}}
[[Category:Television networks in the United States]]
[[Category:English-language television stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Television channels and stations established in 1985]]
[[Category:1985 establishments in the United States]]