Sportsman Channel is a television speciality channel dedicated to hunting

Hunting

Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...

, shooting

Shooting

Shooting is the act or process of firing rifles, shotguns or other projectile weapons such as bows or crossbows. Even the firing of artillery, rockets and missiles can be called shooting. A person who specializes in shooting is a marksman...

 and fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 programming. It launched in 2003.

History

Sportsman Channel was started in 2003 by C. Michael Cooley and Todd D. Hansen of Muskego, Wisconsin

Muskego, Wisconsin

Muskego is a city in Waukesha County, Wisconsin, United States. As of the 2000 census, the city had a population of 21,397. Its 2006-2008 estimated population was 22,851. Muskego is the fifth largest community in Waukesha County. The name Muskego is derived from the Potawatomi Indian name for the...

. In June 2007, the channel was purchased by the InterMedia Outdoors

InterMedia Outdoors

InterMedia Outdoors is an outdoors magazine publishing group in the United States. They publish 17 hunting, fishing and shooting magazines, and own The Sportsman Channel specialty channel, which was purchased from its founders in June 2007...

 Holdings group, a division of private equity group InterMedia Partners

InterMedia Partners

InterMedia Advisors, LLC, also known as InterMedia Advisors is a private equity investment firm focused on leveraged buyout and growth capital investments in the media sector....

.

In August 2008, InterMedia Outdoors acquired Barrett Productions, one of the preeminent producers of outdoors, adventure and sports television programming, which extended the company's depth and breadth of programming assets targeted toward American sportsmen.

In March 2009, Sportsman Channel brought on board InterMedia Outdoors Executive Vice President, Willy Burkhardt, as the new President for the network. The appointment brings the company's full range of television content resources under the direction of one person, further integrating IMO and Sportsman Channel.

Programming

The channel has announced it will have up to 100 original shows starting in the fourth quarter of 2009. The channel features many popular shows, including Arrow Affliction.

Sportsman Channel HD

On January 19, 2010, the channel announced it would launch in 1080i

1080i

1080i is the shorthand name for a high-definition television mode. The i means interlaced video; 1080i differs from 1080p, in which the p stands for progressive scan. The term 1080i assumes a widescreen aspect ratio of 16:9, implying a frame size of 1920×1080 pixels...

 high definition in the first quarter of 2010.
On February 10, 2010, Dish Network

Dish Network

Dish Network Corporation is the second largest pay TV provider in the United States, providing direct broadcast satellite service—including satellite television, audio programming, and interactive television services—to 14.337 million commercial and residential customers in the United States. Dish...

 became the first provider to launch the channel in HD. In June 2011 it began to be added to Cablevision and Comcast

Comcast

Comcast Corporation is the largest cable operator, home Internet service provider, and fourth largest home telephone service provider in the United States, providing cable television, broadband Internet, and telephone service to both residential and commercial customers in 39 states and the...

 systems.

Carriage

DirecTV

DirecTV

DirecTV is an American direct broadcast satellite service provider and broadcaster based in El Segundo, California. Its satellite service, launched on June 17, 1994, transmits digital satellite television and audio to households in the United States, Latin America, and the Anglophone Caribbean. ...

 added the channel on January 21, 2009. Dish Network added it on February 10, 2010. It is also available on Verizon FiOS

Verizon FiOS

Verizon FiOS is a bundled Internet access, telephone, and television service which operates over a fiber-optic communications network. It is offered in some areas of the United States by Verizon Communications. Verizon was one of the first major U.S...

, AT&T U-verse, Sky Angel

Sky Angel

Sky Angel U.S. LLC. describes itself as a "Christian-owned and operated multi-channel television service specializing in Christian and family-friendly TV and radio programming." It is one of the first niche-oriented television providers in the United States....

, and many other cable systems.

List of former affiliates

Call-sign	Channel (analog/digital)	City of license City of license A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator.... /Market Media market A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...	Owner	Current affiliation	Notes
WLLZ-LP WLLZ-LP WLLZ-LP is the low-powered MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the northern Lower Peninsula of Michigan that is licensed to Cedar. It broadcasts an analog signal on VHF channel 12 from a transmitter west of downtown Traverse City near Harris and Cedar Run Roads...	12/none	Traverse City, MI	P & P Cable Holdings P & P Cable Holdings P & P Cable Holdings, also known as NTN Saginaw, is a corporation in the United States that owns several low-power television stations. The company started in Michigan with one television station, W54DA . Since then, the company has expanded to fifteen stations...	Dual-affiliation of My Network TV and America One America One America One is an over-the-air television network in the United States. The network serves over 170 LPTV, Class A, Full Power, Cable and Satellite affiliate stations...  (TSC formerly overnight)	TSC replaced with Retro TV Retro Television Network The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...
WMKG-CA	38/none	Muskegon, Michigan	Kelley Enterprises	Dual-affiliation of FamilyNet FamilyNet FamilyNet is a broadcast television network owned by ComStar Media Fund and based in Atlanta, Georgia. The network was founded in 1979 as the National Christian Network, and took the name FamilyNet in 1988 under the ownership of Jerry Falwell. The channel was acquired by InTouch Ministries in...  and Pursuit Channel Pursuit Channel Pursuit Channel is a specialty television channel that airs programming geared to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. It is based in Luverne, Alabama and launched on DirecTV April 23, 2008. It gained additional coverage on cable and broadcast systems before launching on DISH in Jan 2011. Its...	Now affiliate of My Family TV My Family TV My Family TV is a United States general entertainment television network jointly owned by ValCom and Luken Communications, and based in Chattanooga, Tennessee.-History:...
WHSV-DT2 WHSV-DT2 The Valley's FOX is the Fox-affiliated television station for Harrisonburg, Virginia. The station is a second digital subchannel of ABC affiliate WHSV-TV which is owned by Gray Television....  and -DT4 WHSV-DT4 My Valley is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Harrisonburg, Virginia. The station is a fourth digital subchannel of ABC affiliate WHSV-TV which is owned by Gray Television....	none/3.2 and 3.4	Harrisonburg, Virginia	Gray Television Gray Television Gray Television, Inc. is a communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with administrative offices in Albany, Georgia.Established in 1946 by James H...	FOX Fox Broadcasting Company Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...	Removed, formerly aired overnight
KJLR-LP KJLR-LP KJLR-LP is a low-power TV station based in Little Rock, Arkansas, currently broadcasting programming from AMGTV. It was once an affiliate of Urban America Television prior to that network suspending its operations indefinitely. Currently, the station is the only one operating in Little Rock that...	28/none	Little Rock, Arkansas	Cowsert Family, LLC	AMGTV AMGTV AMGTV is an American family-oriented television network, featuring programming including sitcoms, lifestyle programs, sports, films and more...	Removed, formerly secondary affiliation
KDCG-LP KDCG-LP KDCG-CD, Channel 22 in Opelousas, Louisiana, is a Class-A television station affiliated with the Retro Television Network. It was previously affiliated with the America One network, along with programming from the The Sportsman Channel...	none/22.1	Opelousas, Louisiana	Acadiana Cable Advertising	Retro Television Network Retro Television Network The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...	Removed, former dual-affiliation with America One. Also a Class-A Digital station
KSDI-LP KSDI-LP KSDI-LP is a low-power television station in Fresno, California, owned and operated by Cocola Broadcasting. The station broadcasts six streams of video. KSDI Channel 33.1 broadcasts the Pursuit Channel during the daytime and Gems TV airing the overnight hours...	33/none	Fresno, California	Cocola Broadcasting Cocola Broadcasting Cocola Broadcasting is a broadcasting company based in Fresno, California. Founded in the early-1980s by Valley broadcasting veteran Gary Cocola, Cocola owns full-power digital television stations KGMC in Fresno and KKJB in Boise, Idaho, and several low-power television stations in Central...	Pursuit Channel Pursuit Channel Pursuit Channel is a specialty television channel that airs programming geared to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. It is based in Luverne, Alabama and launched on DirecTV April 23, 2008. It gained additional coverage on cable and broadcast systems before launching on DISH in Jan 2011. Its... /AMGTV AMGTV AMGTV is an American family-oriented television network, featuring programming including sitcoms, lifestyle programs, sports, films and more...	Removed, replaced with Pursuit Channel
KXGN-TV KXGN-TV KXGN-TV channel 5 is a television station in Glendive, Montana, a primarily agricultural region in eastern Montana, which is the smallest of the 210 US Nielsen-designated broadcast television market areas in the United States; the market serves a total potential home-market audience of a mere five...	none/5	Glendive, Montana	Marks Radio Group Stephan Marks Stephan Marks, a Maryland native, is owner and operator of radio and television stations in three small United States markets.-Television:* KXGN-TV channel 5 , Glendive, Montana...	Dual-affiliation of MTN Montana Television Network The Montana Television Network is a network of CBS affiliates in Montana, all but one owned by the Evening Post Publishing Company.MTN was founded by Montana broadcasting pioneer Joseph S. "Joe" Sample. He signed on KOOK-TV in Billings, Montana's second television station, in 1953. He bought...  (CBS CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of... ) and NBC NBC The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...	Removed, formerly aired overnight
KXII-DT2 KXII-DT2 KXII-DT2 is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for the Texoma region of Texas and Oklahoma. The station is a second digital subchannel of CBS affiliate KXII that is owned by Gray Television. Over-the-air, it broadcasts a digital signal on VHF channel 12.2 from KXII's transmitter located...	none/12.2	Sherman, Texas	Gray Television Gray Television Gray Television, Inc. is a communications company headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, with administrative offices in Albany, Georgia.Established in 1946 by James H...	My Network Television	Former secondary affiliation, removed
KXPX-CA KXPX-CA KXPX-CA, channel 14, is a television station in Corpus Christi, Texas, USA. It is an affiliate of Retro Television Network, It was originally a Pax affiliate from 1998-2003 The Sportsman Channel from 2003-2009...	14/none	Corpus Christi, Texas	GH Broadcasting	Retro TV Retro Television Network The Retro Television Network is a system of television stations that airs classic television shows as well as more recently produced programs...	Former affiliate, replaced with Retro Television
WONS-LP WONS-LP WONS-LP channel 25 is a low-powered television station located in Olean, New York, owned by Colonial Radio Group, also owners of several radio stations in the market.-History:...	25/none	Olean, New York	Choice Television	Unknown	Primary affiliation after 2006.
W43BR W43BR W43BR is a Television station based in Baraboo, Wisconsin. It is located within Madison's television market but only serves the Baraboo and Wisconsin Dells areas. Its transmitter is located on the Baraboo Range near Devil's Lake State Park co-located with WOLX, W290AL, WRPQ, weather radio station...	43/none	Baraboo, Wisconsin	Baraboo Broadcasting	America One	Former TSC/America One dual-affiliate, now full-time America One affiliate

Competitors

Channels with content similar to The Sportsman Channel include Pursuit Channel

Pursuit Channel

Pursuit Channel is a specialty television channel that airs programming geared to hunting, fishing, and outdoor recreation. It is based in Luverne, Alabama and launched on DirecTV April 23, 2008. It gained additional coverage on cable and broadcast systems before launching on DISH in Jan 2011. Its...

, Versus

Versus (TV channel)

Versus is a sports-oriented cable television channel in the United States. It was previously known as Outdoor Life Network and was launched on July 1, 1995, focusing on fishing, hunting, and other outdoor sports...

, and Outdoor Channel.

External links

• Intermedia Outdoors