Audience

Audience was an American pay television network owned and operated by AT&T. The service originated on DirecTV on November 25, 1999, under the name Freeview, when it carried a continuous loop of concerts and other events on channel 103. It was included in DirecTV subscription packages and initially functioned more as an event and promotional channel than as a conventional general-entertainment network. In 2005, the service moved to channel 101 and was renamed The 101 Network, a change that marked a broader programming strategy and a stronger emphasis on original productions. Under the 101 identity, the network developed a distinctive role within the DirecTV ecosystem. It commissioned and acquired scripted series, documentaries, sports-related programming, concerts, specials, and films. Unlike many traditional cable networks, it promoted itself as a commercial-free service and generally presented programming without the edits associated with broadcast television. The network's programming strategy combined exclusive first-run content with acquired shows whose original outlets had canceled them or whose rights holders wanted an additional distribution platform. The channel's acquisitions included the soap opera Passions, which moved from NBC to The 101 in 2007; Friday Night Lights, whose third through fifth seasons premiered on DirecTV before later NBC broadcasts; and Damages, which DirecTV rescued after its cancellation by FX. It also carried acquired programs such as Wonderland, General Hospital: Night Shift, The Nine, Sleeper Cell, Oz, Deadwood, The Wire, Trailer Park Boys, Underbelly, Call Me Fitz, Rake, The Slap, The Shadow Line, and Hit & Miss. These deals helped position the network as a premium-style outlet despite its close connection to a satellite distributor. On June 1, 2011, The 101 Network was rebranded Audience Network, usually shortened to Audience. The new name accompanied a continued focus on original and acquired entertainment, documentaries, international programming, live music, and sports-adjacent specials. Audience remained primarily associated with DirecTV, but its distribution expanded after AT&T acquired DirecTV in 2015. The channel was subsequently added to AT&T U-verse and was included in AT&T's later streaming initiatives, including AT&T TV and the lower-cost AT&T WatchTV service for eligible AT&T Mobility customers. By 2019, the network reportedly reached approximately 26 million subscribers, although it remained a specialized component of AT&T's broader video portfolio rather than a mass-market advertising network. Audience also served as a platform for events and branded programming. Its offerings included the Celebrity Beach Bowl, a celebrity flag-football event connected with DirecTV's NFL Sunday Ticket promotion; live coverage associated with the South by Southwest festival; Farm Aid programming; basketball discussion programming; music performances; and documentaries such as More Than a Dream, focused on the U.S. civil rights movement, and The Volunteers, about people who joined the fight against ISIS in Syria. The mix reflected AT&T and DirecTV's interest in using exclusive content to strengthen subscriptions and differentiate distribution services. AT&T announced in January 2020 that Audience would end its existing network operation and transition toward a promotional channel for HBO Max, which launched on May 27, 2020. Existing programming continued for a period while the company finalized the shutdown. The network officially closed at midnight Pacific time on May 22, 2020, following a broadcast of the documentary Black Sabbath: The End of the End. Audience is therefore a defunct television-network brand whose history spans DirecTV's evolution from a satellite distributor into a broader entertainment and streaming company.

Audience began as Freeview on November 25, 1999, on DirecTV channel 103. Its initial role was to provide a continuous loop of concerts and other events to subscribers. In 2005, DirecTV moved the service to channel 101 and renamed it The 101 Network. The rebrand accompanied an expansion into original programming, beginning with the announcement of CD USA in late 2005. The 101 Network gradually became a vehicle for DirecTV's investment in exclusive entertainment. It carried original series, acquired shows, documentaries, films, sports-related specials, and live event coverage. The network's commercial-free format and relatively unedited presentation gave it a premium-oriented identity. Its programming strategy also emphasized series rescued from other broadcasters. Passions moved from NBC to The 101 in 2007, while Friday Night Lights used a first-run DirecTV window followed by a later NBC broadcast. DirecTV also acquired Damages after FX canceled it and financed two additional seasons. The network supplemented original content with reruns and acquisitions from U.S. and international producers. Its schedule included programs from HBO, Showtime, FX, ABC, CBS, NBC, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. This made the channel a distribution outlet for both recognizable library titles and series that might not otherwise have received broad U.S. exposure. It also aired cultural and sports-related events, including the Celebrity Beach Bowl, South by Southwest concert coverage, Farm Aid programming, and documentary projects. On June 1, 2011, The 101 Network adopted the Audience Network name. AT&T's acquisition of DirecTV in 2015 expanded the channel's distribution to AT&T U-verse. Audience later appeared within AT&T's streaming initiatives, including AT&T TV and AT&T WatchTV. The network remained primarily a subscription and platform-differentiation service rather than an advertiser-supported channel. AT&T announced in January 2020 that Audience would end its established programming operation and become a promotional outlet connected with HBO Max. Although some reports initially indicated an earlier closure, the channel continued airing older content until the company notified customers that it would shut down at midnight Pacific time on May 22, 2020. Its final scheduled program was Black Sabbath: The End of the End. The closure ended the brand's twenty-year existence across the Freeview, The 101 Network, and Audience identities.

• 2020

  Network closes

  [1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  Audience ends operations on May 22 as AT&T reorganizes its premium video and streaming portfolio around HBO Max.

• 2015

  Expands to AT&T U-verse

  [1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  Following AT&T's acquisition of DirecTV, Audience becomes available on AT&T U-verse.

• 2011

  Rebrands as Audience Network

  [1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  The 101 Network changes its name to Audience Network, continuing its mix of original, acquired, and event programming.

• 2008

  Friday Night Lights adopts a DirecTV-first window

  [1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  The third season of Friday Night Lights premieres on The 101 before receiving a later NBC broadcast.

• 2007

  Passions moves from NBC

  [1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  New episodes of Passions begin airing exclusively on The 101 after the series leaves NBC.

• 2005

  Rebrands as The 101 Network

  [1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  The service moves to DirecTV channel 101 and adopts a broader original-programming strategy.

• 1999

  Launches as Freeview

  [1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  DirecTV launches Freeview on channel 103 as a service carrying continuous loops of concerts and other events.

A commercial-free, premium-style entertainment network designed to provide exclusive and acquired programming for DirecTV and later AT&T video customers.

• Television programming · 2005

  Original scripted series

  Audience and its predecessor, The 101 Network, used exclusive scripted programming to distinguish DirecTV's subscription television service. The network's strategy included commissioning original projects and giving additional seasons or first-run windows to series acquired from other broadcasters.

• Television programming · 2007

  Acquired television series

  The channel acquired and reran a broad range of U.S. and international series. Notable examples included Passions, Friday Night Lights, Damages, Trailer Park Boys, Underbelly, Call Me Fitz, Rake, The Slap, The Shadow Line, Oz, Deadwood, and The Wire.

• Documentary and event programming · 1999

  Documentaries and specials

  Audience presented documentary projects, live cultural events, music broadcasts, and sports-related specials. Examples included More Than a Dream, about the civil rights movement, The Volunteers, about foreign volunteers fighting ISIS in Syria, South by Southwest coverage, and Farm Aid programming.

• 2007Celebrity Beach Bowl

  United States

  DirecTV used the annual celebrity flag-football game and following concert during Super Bowl week to promote its NFL Sunday Ticket package. Audience carried the event as part of the network's sports and entertainment identity.

  Outcome. The event became a recurring promotional property associated with DirecTV and Audience.

  Source

• 2020

  Close the network and repurpose the channelStrategy

  Background

  AT&T was consolidating its video strategy around newer streaming products, including HBO Max.

  Action taken

  AT&T announced that Audience would end its existing programming service and transition toward a promotional channel for HBO Max before ultimately shutting down.

  Aftermath

  Audience ceased broadcasting on May 22, 2020.

  Source

• 2011

  Adopt the Audience Network brandStrategy

  Background

  The 101 Network had expanded beyond its original DirecTV channel identity into a wider mix of original and acquired programming.

  Action taken

  DirecTV renamed the service Audience Network on June 1, 2011.

  Aftermath

  Audience continued operating as a premium-style, commercial-free channel within DirecTV and later AT&T distribution systems.

  Source

• 2005

  Expand Freeview into The 101 NetworkStrategy

  Background

  The original Freeview service primarily carried continuous event loops and had a limited programming role.

  Action taken

  DirecTV moved the service to channel 101, renamed it The 101 Network, and began building an original-programming schedule.

  Aftermath

  The service developed into a more conventional exclusive entertainment network and later adopted the Audience name.

  Source

• 2020

  Audience Network is announced for closure[1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  AT&T announced that Audience would cease operating in its existing form and would transition into a promotional channel associated with the forthcoming HBO Max service.

• 2020

  Audience Network shuts down[1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  Bankruptcy · Leadership change

  Audience officially closed on May 22, 2020, after AT&T continued carrying legacy programming for several weeks during the transition.

• 2010

  DirecTV revives Damages for two additional seasons[1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  Product launch

  After FX canceled Damages, DirecTV acquired the series and commissioned two additional seasons. The fourth season premiered on the rebranded Audience Network in 2011.

• 2008

  Friday Night Lights receives a DirecTV-NBC distribution arrangement[1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  The 101 Network became the first-run outlet for the third season of Friday Night Lights, after which NBC aired the season in a second-run broadcast window. The arrangement was later extended for two more seasons.

• 2007

  The 101 Network acquires Passions from NBC[1]Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org

  Other

  DirecTV and NBC Universal announced that new episodes of Passions would move from NBC to The 101 Network beginning in September 2007, giving the soap opera an exclusive continuation on DirecTV.

1. 1Audience (TV network)en.wikipedia.org