Star Television Network

The Star Television Network (commonly branded as Starcast initially, then STN, prior to launch, then Star from its launch up to the network's shutdown) was an attempt, though unsuccessful, at a fifth American television network based in Orlando, Florida. It was notable as the first television network to have featured exclusively direct response commercials and infomercials among standard programming.

Star featured classic, though cheaper and lesser-known, 1950s and 1960s programming, movies and game shows under the TV Heaven slogan, with direct response infomercials rounding out the schedule. The network expected to buy newer programs and originate its own once it became fully-established.

Star was facing competition from the Home Shopping Network and Fox, which went after the bigger markets. In light of this, the network explained that its key advantage is in terms of operating costs for the station, in which a station affiliating with the network could save about 90% on their programming costs, and a national advertiser advertising on the network could pay about 68% of the major network rates.

The network was introduced under the Starcast branding in October 1987 by network founders Harry Handley, Walter Windsor, Cathy Bamberg, & John Tyler as needing $15 million to launch and had just started contacting potential affiliates. The network expected to sign up 30 stations by the April 1989 launch date and have 18 hours of broadcasting a day. After the Black Monday stock market crash in October 1987, Starcast's investors pulled out. By January 1988, the company had 70 stations willing to sign on to the network.

By April 1989 (the projected launch date), the network, now under the STN branding (having changed from Starcast), pushed back their launch to July due to programming negotiations and financing hold ups. 64 stations had provisionally signed on as affiliates in markets like Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Jacksonville, Florida and Orlando to an estimated reach of 40 million households. The network was then in talks with an additional 33 stations. At this time, an affiliation fee ranging from $2,750 to $60,000 annually would be paid by the stations based on their market size instead of the standard network payments to affiliates. 36 minutes a day would be allocated for advertising sold by the network, with the remainder given to its affiliates. STN missed the July launch due to lack of additional funding and set a new September 1 deadline for enough affiliates to sign on for a possible November 1 launch. The network expected to be based at the then-new Universal Studios Florida in Orlando. At this time, the network restructured its affiliate agreement in dropping the annual carriage fee for the addition of some infomercials and a refundable deposit of $1,500 to $175,000 based on the station's size. The number of affiliates at launch and infomercials was a requirement to bring on replacement investor Dale W. Lang, owner of Lang Communications, which then owned several magazines including Success and Working Woman magazine. The infomercials would bring a steady source of income for the network and were mostly to be provided by Quantum Marketing International.

Missing the September 1, 1989 affiliate total deadline, the network, under the Star branding (its second & final name change), pushed back its launch to September 1990. As of August 12, 1990, there were 21 signed stations reaching 13.7 million households. Also, Star moved operations to a rented studio in Winter Park, Florida. Additionally, broadcasting hours were reduced to 8 hours a day, plus 4 hours of infomercials. The network expected to have revenue reach $100 million in its second year of operations. By July 1990, Star had been granted a federal permit for a station in Austin, Minnesota.

Star launched on September 29, 1990 with 10 affiliates reaching 9 million homes, as the additional stations were not ready or failed to receive FCC approval. With fewer stations, the network sold less through the infomercials, thus not meeting company goals. The infomercial companies were having their own problems, and thus unable to produce newer shows. Lang could not add more funding into the company due to difficulties at Lang Communications. Lang and the company sought out other investors, to no avail.

Star ceased operations on Monday, January 14, 1991, at 4:00 a.m. EST. All 25 staffers working for the network were laid off.