The Universal Pictures Debut Network, or simply the Debut Network, was a syndicated movie package that MCA Television sold to independent stations. The service reached agreements with ten stations in larger American markets such as New York City, Los Angeles and Chicago by late 1984. The Debut Network was a precursor of sorts to the Action Pack, which was also a syndicated package created by Universal Television.
Background
MCA TV (also known as MCA Television Enterprises) was founded in 1951, several years before parent MCA's purchase of American Decca (in 1959) and Universal Pictures (in 1962). For more than four decades, it was one of the most active syndicators of television programming. During the 1980s, it distributed both off-network reruns of shows like Kate & Allie and Gimme a Break!, as well as original syndication product like the animated action series Bionic Six (co-produced with TMS Entertainment), The Morton Downey Jr. Show (taped at then-MCA owned WWOR-TV in Secaucus, NJ), The Munsters Today (a revival of the Universal sitcom), and Pictionary, based on the popular board game.
MCA Television attempted several branded TV packages in 1985 to 2001 including an ad hoc film network, a broadcast network and a few syndicated programming blocks. The company launched the Universal Pictures Debut Network, an ad hoc film network with plans to launch in two stages beginning in September 1985.
MCA's motivation for launching the Debut Network was to attempt to make up for lost revenue from the "big three networks", who were at the time, preferring cheaper made for TV movies. Independent stations were specifically targeted since they needed many more hours to fill. MCA set up a barter agreement, wherein each movie featured on the Debut Network would be edited down to 95 minutes, including the credits. (A notable exception was Rear Window, which, with commercials, was given a 2.5 hour block instead of the normal 2 hour block.) Of the 22 minutes for commercials, MCA received , with the local outlets keeping minutes. The remaining three minutes would be devoted to promotion spots for one thing or another.
The end of the Debut Network
MCA TV and Paramount Domestic Television had formed Premier Advertiser Sales, a joint venture created for the sale of advertising for their existing syndicated programs in September 1989. As a possible outgrowth of this sales joint venture, MCA and Paramount began plans for a new network, Premier Program Service. When Premier Program Service halted, MCA teamed up with Chris-Craft TV for a syndicated programming block, Hollywood Premiere Network, that only lasted for the 1990–1991 season. The Universal Family Network syndicated programming block was launched by the company in the fall of 1993 with a single weekly half hour show, Exosquad, as a counter to The Disney Afternoon.
List of films featured
Beginning in September 1985, affiliated Debut Network stations could program 24 features from the Universal Pictures library on an advertiser supported basis. One feature would debut each month over the course of at least two years, and each month, the stations would be allowed to air the movie twice; usually once in prime time and a rerun in late night hours. At the end of their barter run, these features would revert to the Debut Network stations for additional cash runs with no interim pay cable window.
Frequently, the versions prepared for broadcast would contain alternate takes and scenes originally cut from the theatrical edits, usually to replace footage deemed unsuitable for television. These new edits were prepared on standard definition video, and sent to TV stations via satellite. However, when the films were resent to the affiliated stations for their cash runs, in most instances, the original theatrical versions were provided instead of the Debut Network recuts, in 16mm prints or on 1 inch videotape, and the stations would edit the films as they chose for the individual standards of their markets.