The Retro Television Network is an American television network made up of over 40 affiliates so far. The Retro Television Network is Equity Media Holdings Corporation's system of television stations primarily airing classic television programming from the 1950s through the 1980s, such as My Three Sons, The Wild Wild West, Gomer Pyle, U.S.M.C., Get Smart, Happy Days, and Laverne and Shirley. Schedules for some markets are customized to avoid conflicts for series with an existing station with a contract to air a program in that market. The network is specifically designed to air on a digital subchannel for a local broadcast station, allowing channels an easy way to expand their programming options. With the 2009 switch to digital television drawing closer, RTN has added many affiliates.
While RTN's primary strategy is now carriage on digital subchannels of local broadcast stations, it is also seen on a number of stations owned by RTN owner Equity Broadcasting. Some of the Equity stations mix RTN programming with first-run and recent off-network syndicated programming. The myRTN network is not owned by or affiliated CBS, NBC or ABC.
As RTN has customized schedules for some affiliates, some shows are not aired in all markets.
Alphabetical listing of classic shows on myRTN last year
Last year's schedule (2008) may have some programs different on your local affilate:
9:00 am.... Perry Mason starring Raymond Burr (Mon-Fri), childrens programs (Sat)
9:00 am.... Happy Days starring Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley (Sun, Mon-Fri @ 4pm)
10:00 am... Matlock starring Andy Griffith (Mon-Fri, Sun 3pm & 11pm
10:00 am... Bonanza (Lorne Green, Michael Landon, Dan Blocker, Sat-Sun)
11:00 am... Jury Duty (2 episodes, Mon-Fri)
11:00 am... Rawhide (Western TV-series starring young Clint Eastwood)
12:00 pm... Judge Mathis (Mon-Fri)
12:00 pm... Gunsmoke (James Arness, Sat-Sun)
1:00 pm.... Little House On The Prairie starring Michael Landon, Melissa Sue Anderson (Mon-Fri)
1:00 pm.... Wild Wild West (1960s TV-series, Robert Conrad, Ross Martin, Sat-Sun)
2:00 pm.... Love American Style (1970s comedy anthology, Mon-Fri)
2:00 pm.... Twilight Zone (2 eps, Sun & repeated @ 10pm)
2:00 pm.... Various programs (Sat)
2:30 pm.... Get Smart starring Don Adams and Barbara Feldon (Mon-Fri)
3:00 pm.... Lifestyles of the Rich & Famous, hosted by Robin Leach (Mon-Fri)
3:00 pm.... Stargate Atlantis followed by Masterminds & 24 (Sun)
4:00 pm.... Happy Days starring Ron Howard, Henry Winkler, Tom Bosley (Mon-Fri, 9am Sun)
4:30 pm.... Laverne & Shirley, a Happy Days spinoff about 2 single girls on their own (Mon-Fri)
5:00 pm.... Brady Bunch, the classic 1970s family sitcom (Mon-Sat)
5:30 pm.... Mork & Mindy starring Robin Williams, Pam Dawber, with Jonathan Winters (Mon-Sat)
6:00 pm.... Friends (2 eps, Mon-Sat)
7:00 pm.... Family Guy (2 animated eps, Mon-Sat)
7:00 pm.... Mission Impossible (1960s/1970s, Sun)
8:00 pm.... Celebrity Exposé & Meet My Folks (Mondays only)
8:00 pm.... Street Patrol (2 eps) and Jail (2 eps each, Tuesdays)
8:00 pm.... Whacked Out Videos (2 eps, Wed only)
8:00 pm.... Movie (2 hours, Thurs-Sat)
8:00 pm.... The A Team (1980s, Sun)
9:00 pm.... Various programs (Wed)
9:00 pm.... Knight Rider (1970s, Sun)
10:00 pm... South Park (2 eps, Mon-Sat)
11:00 pm... Local programming or news (Mon-Fri, Sun @ 6pm)
11:00 pm... 24 & Without A Trace (Sat)
11:00 pm... Stargate Atlantis & The Untouchables (Sun)
12:00 am... Streets Of San Francisco (Karl Malden, Michael Douglas, Mon-Fri nights)
Equity Media Holdings is a broadcasting company based in Little Rock, Arkansas that owns and operates 31 television stations across the United States. Prior to March 30, 2007, the company was known as Equity Broadcasting, which is now used for its broadcast station subisdary. In late 2005, Equity launched the Retro Television Network, a programming service with a lineup of "classic" shows from the 1950s-1980s which currently airs in part or full in numerous markets. In 2008, RTN was sold by Equity Media Holdings to Henry Luken, the company's largest shareholder for $18.5 million in cash. The network is now owned by Luken Communications, LLC. Following its acquisition by Luken, the network continued to be operated out of Little Rock, Arkansas. On January 4, 2009, a contract conflict between Equity Media Holdings Corporation and RTN interrupted the programming on many RTN affiliates. As a result, Luken restored a national RTN feed from its headquarters in Chattanooga, Tennessee, with individual customized feeds to non-Equity-owned affiliates to follow on a piecemeal basis. Equity owned or operated stations will lose RTN affiliation immediately, though Luken vows to find new affiliates for RTN in those areas. The network had a large content deal with CBS Paramount until its expiration in July 2008, which caused a major schedule shake-up in most markets. RTN also has available a large number of titles from NBC Universal Television Distribution. As RTN has customized schedules for each affiliate, not all shows are usually carried in every market; however, the network has moved towards more coherent schedules as of late.