America's CW network prepares to launch

The CW has begun its launch marketing blitz in earnest, just hours before its scheduled debut tonight (Wednesday).

The new American terrestrial TV network replaces The WB and UPN, with parent companies Time Warner and CBS having chosen to merge the two netlets into what they hope will be a larger force in the US TV marketplace.

Both of The CW's predecessor networks have already shut down, with The WB re-airing pilot episodes from its most popular shows as its weekend swan song. UPN had already largely disappeared as of last week, having been replaced by MyNetworkTV in major markets where the UPN affiliated stations were owned and operated by Fox TV Stations Group.

The CW will make its debut with a two-hour season premiere of America's Next Top Model. Adverts have been taken out on popular social networking site MySpace, and between 3pm-4pm Eastern, all ads on Yahoo! except for the home page will promote the new network's programming.

The emphasis on marketing is partly because some viewers will have to tune to a different channel to find the WB and UPN shows that made the cut for carriage on The CW. Many ex-UPN stations now carry MyNetworkTV or are independent; in some parts of the US, stations that were neither WB or UPN-affiliated are now carrying The CW. As such, a map of the US has pride of place on The CW's schedule page, inviting readers to find out which station in their market is carrying the 30 hours per week of CW shows.

Stay with Digital Spy for more coverage of The CW's launch over the coming days.