Pivot (TV network)
| Pivot | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | August 1, 2013 |
| Closed | October 31, 2016 |
| Owned by | Participant Media |
| Slogan | It's Your Turn |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | United States |
| Headquarters | Los Angeles, California |
| Replaced | |
Pivot was an American digital cable and satellite television network owned by Participant Media. The channel, targeted at young adults between 18 and 34 years old, debuted on August 1, 2013. The channel ceased operations on October 31, 2016.
The launch of Pivot was announced on March 27, 2013, and is described as a "disruptive TV" service, focusing on social advocacy. The channel took over the space held by two Participant Media–owned channels, Halogen TV and the Documentary Channel, giving Pivot an initial subscriber base of about 40 million cable and satellite television homes. The channel launched on August 1 at 6 a.m. with a rendition of the song that launched MTV in 1981 (coincidentally, also on August 1), "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles, by several indie music artists, followed by a brief introduction to Pivot by Participant Media founder Jeffrey Skoll, and the first program, the 2010 documentary ReGeneration.
With the launch, Pivot became the first television channel to offer broadband-only subscriptions that allows live streaming of the linear channel and video on demand offerings without requiring a subscription to a pay television service. It was later announced that NeuLion had been selected to design and deliver the new cable network's downloadable interactive app which allows Pivot's content to be delivered to multiple digital devices. It offers its entertainment programming, live and on-demand, to authenticated pay TV subscribers and broadband-only subscribers.
On August 17, 2016, Participant Media announced that the channel would cease broadcasting by early 2017, citing low ratings, small viewing audiences, and an overall shift away from television by Participant under current CEO David Linde; the channel's last day of operation was later confirmed to be on October 31st. The channel shut down on October 31st at 6 am Eastern Daylight Time; the last programs on the network were five consecutive showings of the film Good Night, and Good Luck from 7PM on the 30th onward until the shuttering (the film choice was likely a nod to the final words spoken on Pivot's half-predecessor, Documentary Channel.) No signoff message was given at the end (other than a commercial thanking viewers for watching and telling them what they watch does make a difference, having been run over the last few weeks of the channel's broadcast, being shown as a split screen during the film's end credits); rather, the channel merely faded to black after the end of the film, shortly after replaced with a slide from the cable services notifying viewers of the closure.
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