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UPN Becomes Paramount |
UPN46 will soon undergo a name change, becoming “Paramount 46” or some version thereof later this year. UPN President & CEO Dean Valentine announced last week that the United Paramount Television Group will drop the “U,” referring to former partner Chris-Craft, Inc., so the network can take advantage of the marketability of the Paramount name. Capitol Broadcasting’s UPN affiliate, WJZY in Charlotte, will undergo the logo change either this fall or in early 2001.
 Duncan Brown
UPN46 Promotion Manager |
UPN46 Promotion Manager Duncan Brown will be a vital part of the national changeover. He was approached by UPN Affiliate Marketing to be one of the seven Paramount creative committee members to formulate guidelines for the use of the new logo. They will begin meeting via Teleconference this week.
WJZY Station Manager Mark Gray is excited about the change. He said, “What’s great about the move is that now WJZY will be able to take advantage of the 75+ years of brand equity in the Paramount name . . . equity
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that we have been arguing for UPN to make use of for over five years.” Gray also looks forward to the particular visibility the name will have in Charlotte because of the nearby Paramount’s Carowinds themepark.
UPN formed in 1995 from a partnership of Viacom Inc.’s Paramount Television Group and the TV stations of Chris-Craft Inc. Chris-Craft recently agreed to sell its interest. Valentine thinks the new name will be symbolic of the turnaround UPN has been undergoing recently, having better ratings and a 47% higher revenues overall this season. He said, “We think it [the new name] more accurately reflects who we are.”
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 Mark Gray
WJZY Station Manager |
