Grit (TV network)
| Company type | Division |
|---|---|
| Industry | Television network |
| Founded | August 18, 2014 |
| Founder | Jonathan Katz |
| Headquarters | United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Jonathan Katz (founder, former CEO of Katz Broadcasting) |
| Products | Classic Western television shows and movies |
| Owner | E. W. Scripps Company (via Scripps Networks) |
| Parent | Scripps Networks |
| Website | www |
Grit (styled as GRIT) is a United States-based free-to-air television network owned by Scripps Networks, a division of the E. W. Scripps Company. The channel focuses primarily on classic Western television shows and movies.
Nationwide distribution of Grit occurs via digital subchannels of free-to-air stations and through select cable providers affiliated locally. Initially, founder Jonathan Katz marketed the network to stations with advertising revenue splits; however, by October 2015, Grit transitioned to paying carriage fees while maintaining control over its advertising sales.
Audience measurement for Grit utilizes Nielsen's C-3 ratings system, having moved away from direct response advertising metrics. The network is also accessible on prominent platforms such as Dish Network, DirecTV Stream, Sling TV, U-verse TV, and Frndly TV.
History
On April 3, 2014, Katz Broadcasting announced the launch of Grit alongside its sister channel Escape, with an original launch date set for summer 2014 on stations owned by Univision Communications. Katz later confirmed on August 11, 2014, that both networks would debut simultaneously on August 18, 2014. Grit premiered at noon Eastern Time featuring the 1952 film High Noon, initiating a week-long John Wayne movie festival.
By September 2015, Katz reported that Grit reached an audience exceeding 250,000 prime time viewers and was available in approximately 91 million households, covering 81% of the U.S. market. At this stage, both Grit and Escape began subscribing to national Nielsen ratings. Advertising and sponsorship sales remained managed by Marathon Ventures following this change.
After Scripps acquired Ion Media on January 7, 2021, an existing contract to broadcast Grit on subchannels owned by Univision Communications was terminated. By March 1, 2021, Grit had transitioned to subchannels operated by Ion Media and Inyo Broadcast Holdings, replacing channels such as Ion Plus, Shop Ion, and Qubo.
Programming
Grit’s schedule emphasizes Western-themed content including series like Death Valley Days, Laramie, The Life and Legend of Wyatt Earp, The Lone Ranger, Zorro, and Tales of Wells Fargo, alongside a variety of Western motion pictures.
Jonathan Katz, CEO of Katz Broadcasting, developed both Escape and Grit with targeted demographics in mind after co-founding Bounce TV in 2011—a network designed for African-American viewers. Katz characterized Grit and Escape as "the country’s first ever male-centric and female-centric broadcast networks," providing unique programming distinct from other classic television multicast channels he described as "generic brands with generic names" created mainly to benefit studios.
Movies
Grit’s film offerings include an extensive collection obtained through multi-year licensing deals with major studios such as Warner Bros. Pictures, Universal Pictures, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Shout! Factory, and Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (including titles from 20th Century Fox).
Grit Xtra
Grit provides Grit Xtra, a FAST streaming platform dedicated to classic Western films and television shows.
Affiliates
By June 2016, Grit had secured affiliation agreements reaching approximately 78% of the U.S. audience and is also accessible on Frndly TV alongside other networks owned by Scripps.
Grit initially collaborated with Univision Communications to debut in 24 markets, including 12 of the top 20 U.S. TV markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Katz Broadcasting further broadened its distribution through partnerships with broadcasters like Raycom Media (now part of Gray Television), Cox Media Group, Press Communications, and Citadel Communications, thereby adding crucial markets including Orlando, Tulsa, Philadelphia, Providence, Lincoln, Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Phoenix.
In October 2014, Sinclair Broadcast Group agreed to carry Grit across 47 markets; nonetheless, between February 2017 and early 2018, Sinclair replaced Grit on their stations with their co-owned rival network, Charge!.
Additional growth came through affiliation agreements with Media General in late 2015 and with Nexstar Broadcasting Group plus Cordillera Communications's KATC-TV in mid-2016.
After Scripps acquired Ion Media in January 2021, numerous subchannels—including Grit—were transitioned to stations owned by Ion.
List of affiliates
... [List continues in similar format for other states and markets] ... }See also
External links
| Media market | State/District | Station | Channel |
|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | Alabama | WIAT-DT2 | 42.2 |
| WPXH-DT3 | 44.3 | ||
| Dothan | WDFX-DT3 | 34.3 | |
| Huntsville | WAFF-DT3 | 48.3 | |
| Montgomery | WSFA-DT3 | 12.3 | |
| Mobile | WFNA-DT4 | 55.4 | |
| Anchorage | Alaska | KDMD-DT4 | 33.4 |
| Fairbanks | KATN-DT6 | 2.6 | |
| Phoenix | Arizona | KASW-DT3 | 61.3 |
| KTVW-DT3 | 33.3 | ||
| Tucson | KWBA-DT2 | 58.2 | |
| Fayetteville | Arkansas | KNWA-TV | 51.3 |
| Jonesboro | KJBW-LD | 35.3 | |
| Little Rock | KARK-TV | 4.3 | |
| Fresno | California | KSEE | 24.3 |
| Los Angeles | KFTR-DT | 46.4 | |
| Monterey–Salinas | KMMD-CD | 39.3 | |
| Sacramento | KTXL | 40.3 | |
| KTFK-DT | 64.4 | ||
| San Diego | KGTV | 10.3 | |
| San Francisco | KFSF-DT | 66.4 | |
| Santa Barbara | KPMR | 38.5 |