NBCU Shuts Down Cloo Network

By R. Thomas Umstead
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

NBCUniversal has dropped yet another network from its portfolio, pulling the plug on its crime-themed channel Cloo.

The network, which launched in 2006 as Sleuth channel, aired mostly reruns of crime procedural dramas such as Law & Order, Monk and Psych. NBCU pulled the plug on the channel Feb. 1 due to lack of MVPD carriage, according to an NBC spokesperson. According to Nielsen universe estimates, Cloo was in about 23 million TV homes. The announcement comes the same day NBCU announced that female-targeted Oxygen network would transition into a true-crime branded channel this summer. The Cloo website redirects to USA Network's home page.

An NBCU spokesperson said that the Oxygen and Cloo announcements were not related and no NBCU employees were affected by the closure.

For the full story go to Multichannel.com.

R. Thomas Umstead
R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.