PRISM (TV network)
| PRISM | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | September 1, 1976 |
| Closed | October 1, 1997 |
| Owned by |
Spectacor/20th Century Fox (1976–1981) Spectacor (1981–1983) Rainbow Media/The Washington Post Company (1983–1985) Rainbow Media/The Washington Post Company/CBS (1985–1987) Rainbow Media (1987–1997) |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area |
Philadelphia metropolitan area Eastern Pennsylvania parts of South Central Pennsylvania |
| Headquarters | Bala Cynwyd, Pennsylvania |
| Replaced by | Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia |
| Sister channel(s) | SportsChannel Philadelphia (1989–1997) |
PRISM (Philadelphia Regional In-Home Sports and Movies) is a defunct American regional premium cable television channel in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania metropolitan area. Launched in September 1976, PRISM was primarily distributed through area cable systems, although it was also available through a scrambled over-the-air signal on WWSG-TV (channel 57, now WPSG) from 1983 to 1985.
The channel's programming consisted primarily of theatrically released motion pictures, although it was better known for its telecasts of sporting events, particularly those featuring Philadelphia's Major League Baseball, NHL and NBA sports franchises. Due to broadcasting restrictions imposed by the three major sports leagues, as a cable channel, the network limited its distribution to within 125 miles (201 km) of Philadelphia proper (covering an area extending from west of Harrisburg to as far north as Scranton).
PRISM launched at 5:30 p.m. Eastern Time on September 1, 1976; it debuted with a message by announcer Hugh Gannon: "Good evening, everyone. PRISM, the pay-television network, is on the air." Following this was the first movie to be broadcast on PRISM, the 1975 film The Wind and the Lion. Ten days later on September 10, the channel aired its first sports telecast: a Major League Baseball game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Chicago Cubs. At its launch, PRISM only had six subscribers, all located in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania.
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