If you don’t recognize the name Paramount Network, perhaps you know the TV channel by a different name: Spike. Rebranded in 2018, Paramount Network’s new name is a product of the MTV Entertainment Group’s rigorous overhauling of its catalog of television stations during the late ’10s. Interested in checking out what it has to offer? You’re going to need to know the right channel to tune to. Spectrum subscribers can consult the channel guide below to find the right station number for their city and state.
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Pick your choice of ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney Plus. Plans start as low as $4.99/month for ESPN+ only.
Free trial available. Watch 75+ channels, including local channels and special premium channel offers.
Take a 7-day free trial and stream more than 70 channels live. Record your favorites with unlimited DVR.
Paramount Network Channel Guide
| City and State | Paramount Network Channel on Spectrum |
|---|---|
| Albany, NY | 55 |
| Anaheim, CA | 66 |
| Austin, TX | 69 |
| Bakersfield, CA | 38 |
| Birmingham, AL | 64 |
| Buffalo, NY | 40 |
| Charlotte, NC | 44 |
| Cincinnati, OH | 47 |
| Cleveland, OH | 43 |
| Columbus, OH | 13 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | 34 |
| Dallas, TX | 74 |
| Durhan, NC | 40 |
| El Paso, TX | 36 |
| Indianapolis, IN | 24 |
| Kansas City, MO | 38 |
| Lexington, KY | 44 |
| Long Beach, CA | 53 |
| Los Angeles, CA | 45 |
| Louisville, KY | 41 |
| Milwaukee, WI | 51 |
| Montgomery, AL | 54 |
| New York, NY | 36 |
| Raleigh, NC | 40 |
| Reno, NV | 71 |
| San Antonio, TX | 59 |
| San Diego, CA | 38 |
The History of Paramount Network
©viewimage/Shutterstock.com
Though it didn’t officially become the Paramount Network until 2018, the channel formerly known as Spike has a history that stretches back to 1983. Starting out as The Nashville Network (or TNN), the station was initially nothing more than a regional offering that focused on country music and lifestyle shows. (Almost like CMT, in a way.) The Westinghouse Electric Corporation acquired TNN in 1995, along with CBS and CMT. Because CMT was the more popular version of TNN, Westinghouse shifted the lesser network’s focus accordingly.
Westinghouse was acquired by Viacom a few years after shaking up The Nashville Network. With this move, the new ownership changed the station’s name to The National Network and broadened its programming lineup to include more extreme sports. The move was meant to draw in a younger audience than what TNN was previously used to. Combined with an array of classic syndicated television dramas and sitcoms, TNN’s viewership quickly became predominantly male. Viacom leaned into this fact hard, rebranding the network again as Spike in 2003.
Spike’s slogan — “The First Network for Men” — tells you everything you need to know about the kind of shows that played on this station. Spike’s array of original low-brow programs was undoubtedly a product of their time (i.e. the mid-to-late 2000s). Those unfamiliar with the channel today would be shocked to learn the kinds of vulgar shows that aired on Spike back in the day. The current Paramount Network rebrand arrived in 2018. Its goal was to attract a wider audience with a mix of scripted series, movies, and original programming.
Paramount Network Sister Stations
| Showtime |
| CBS |
| Nickelodeon |
| CBS Sports Network |
| MTV |
| MTV2 |
| MTV Classic |
| BET |
| BET Her |
| VH1 |
| Comedy Central |
| TV Land |
| Logo |
| CMT |
| Pop TV |
| Flix |
| The Movie Channel |
| Smithsonian Channel |
Paramount Network Programming
Yellowstone
is Paramount Network’s biggest (and only) original scripted show.©Paramount Global – License
Now that you know the best way to find Paramount Network on your Spectrum guide, let’s go over some of the programs you’re likely to find playing on the station on any given day. From original shows to syndicated broadcasts to hit movies from past and present, these are the types of programs Paramount Network typically plays on an average day. There are bound to be occasional exceptions to this, of course. Nevertheless, this is Paramount Network programming.
Original Shows
As of this writing, Paramount Network has just one original scripted show remaining on the air: Taylor Sheridan’s hit series Yellowstone. Thankfully for Paramount Network, the show is a bona fide hit. This neo-western starring Kevin Costner has taken the station (and the world of American television) by storm since premiering in 2018. Even though it’s rumored to come to an end soon, there are several prequel and sequel series in the works to look forward to.
On the unscripted end, there are similarly slim pickings. Today, there’s only one original unscripted show left on Paramount Network: Bar Rescue. It follows host Jon Taffer as he attempts to save failing bars using his expertise (and a healthy dose of renovations). Paramount Global either canceled former unscripted originals such as Cops, Ink Master, Wife Swap, and Lip Sync Battle or moved them to other networks.
Syndicated Shows
Over on the syndicated side, the Paramount Network has four classic broadcast television programs to choose from. Two and a Half Men reruns have aired in syndication since 2018. The station has aired The Office reruns since 2019. NCIS joined Paramount Network’s syndicated lineup in 2021. Most recently, Law & Order reruns slipped into the mix in 2023. Former syndicated programs like Mom, Friends, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and South Park have all dropped from the lineup.
Movies
Judging by the network’s name, it’s not surprising to see a great mix of movies on Paramount. After all, Paramount is one of the most legendary and notable film studios in the history of the medium. It makes sense for the company to use its synonymous television station as a vehicle for its own library of films. Recent examples include the Men in Black trilogy (1997-2012), Kong: Skull Island (2017), and the Indiana Jones trilogy (1981-1989).
What Is Paramount+?
©Tada Images/Shutterstock.com
The Paramount Network is easy to confuse with Paramount+. Despite their similar names, the two are quite different. You see, Paramount+ is Paramount Global’s original streaming service. Launched in 2021, the streamer is home to exclusive content and classic programs from throughout Paramount’s extensive library of movies and shows. From SpongeBob SquarePants to Star Trek, Yellowstone to Big Brother, the streaming service spans all of Paramount Network’s sister stations, including CBS and Showtime.
Like any streaming service trying to compete with the best of them, Paramount+ has an array of original shows streaming exclusively online. The list includes several Yellowstone prequel spinoffs. There’s 1883, starring Tim McGraw, Faith Hill, and Sam Elliott, and 1923, starring Helen Mirren and Harrison Ford. Paramount Global has aired these spinoffs on Paramount Network before. But, it’s only an attempt to get Yellowstone viewers to subscribe to the streaming service. Both shows ultimately remain Paramount+ Originals.
The image featured at the top of this post is ©Paramount Global.
