SuperTV
| SuperTV | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Launched | 1981 |
| Closed | 1986 |
| Owned by | Subscription TV of Greater Washington, Inc. |
| Picture format | 480i (SDTV) |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Broadcast area | Washington, D.C., Capital and central regions of Maryland and northern Virginia |
SuperTV is a defunct American subscription television service that was owned by Subscription TV of Greater Washington, Inc. It was an early form of subscription television that was offered to prospective subscribers as either a standalone service to those that did not have access to cable television-originated premium services (such as HBO and Showtime), or as an additional viewing alternative thereto.
Prior to the foray of home videocassettes and discs into the home entertainment market, SuperTV, like its competitors (ONTV, SelecTV and Spectrum) served as the only means available to watch recent movies, various music specials and late-night adult entertainment presented unedited and without commercial interruption. The service originated in the Washington, D.C. market in November 1981 on independent station WFTY (channel 50, now CW affiliate WDCW).
Unlike other over-the-air subscription television services, SuperTV maintained a part-time schedule throughout its entire existence, never switching to a 24-hour schedule; it broadcast Monday through Fridays from 7:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. and from 3:00 p.m. to 1:00 a.m. on weekends. Subscribers received a 12x12-inch brown decoder box and a dedicated UHF antenna, which was installed atop a roof or on a balcony and aimed toward the station's transmitter. When attached to a television, the box would unencrypt the SuperTV programming. In July 1982, SuperTV expanded into the Baltimore market, affiliating with independent station WNUV (channel 54, also a CW affiliate).
Each evening, subscribers could view a host of features that were scheduled to air at that time. The service carried a wide variety of films from the 1970s and 1980s; these included The China Syndrome, Ordinary People, Private Benjamin, 9 to 5, The Exorcist, Diner, Flashdance, On Golden Pond, Ran, 48 Hrs. and Poltergeist). The service also incorporated foreign and independent films, as well as an occasional horror film, however SuperTV primarily stayed away from carrying films within the slasher horror genre that was enormously popular at the time.
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