When broadcast television networks were told that they had to convert their analog signals into digital ones, it opened up new distribution opportunities on network "subchannel" frequencies. NBC Owned and Operated Networks experimented with news and weather, creating a network called NBC Nonstop. But when that went nowhere, it was rebranded as Cozi TV, a collection of old classic shows and cheap original programming. The ABC O&Os tried a similar path. Their network, called Live Well, a health and lifestyle channel, existed on the ABC sub channel frequency, and like NBC was also carried on cable TV, mainly where its O&O had negotiated channel space with the cable operator. And while both Cozi and Live Well had distribution, they were usually on harder to find channel positions.
For Live Well, the end is near. The network will cease operations the beginning of 2015. Given the growth of other channels, like Me-TV negotiating for carriage and living in the subchannel space, this might offer opportunity for them to expand. Smaller cable networks, like Veria Living, a health and wellness network, have also tried to increase distribution through sub channel carriage. But as Live Well and I'm sure Cozi have found, it is extremely difficult to get discovered, yet alone viewed. Live Well had the national ABC network to offer promotional marketing support, yet it failed to grow in stature. Cozi needs the constant promotional support of NBC for it to stay around, too. Its hard to expect another network to pay for carriage in the subchannel marketplace and attract the necessary eyeballs to charge enough ad dollars to cover all its expenses.
So a fond farewell to Live Well Network. I never actually watched you or knew what channel number to find you on, or what shows you carried, but with so much choice out there, its harder and harder to grow this fragmented audience into a real ratings powerhouse.
