Court TV is now truTV. The change was made to signal a move from court-related content to a broader spectrum of programming, built around series that depict true and real-life stories. As American programming concentrates more and more on reality TV (Aren’t we almost done with this fad?), truTV is establishing itself as “the” cable network devoted to real and “istic” stories.
Some in the “naming” business like the name truTV; others think it bland and uninspired. Naming is always a bi-otch. Sometimes it comes easily, most of the time it doesn’t. My wife named our second born (I got to name the first), and I wasn’t a big fan. But I loved the boy and it grew on me. Names, for the most part, are vessels into which you pour meaning. In naming, marketers always look for descriptive and evocative words, but mostly they are just letters tied together waiting a brand plan.
Since cable channels, unlike the big national networks, can segment their content, it should be easy to create and purchase programming for truTV. If they find the right stuff, if it is true to the name, and the programs entertaining, truTV should be a success. (At least, now people will know where to start looking for that British “seal” dude who is always dropped on top of mountains with his knife. If they don’t find him there, they can go to the wilderness channel.)
