▁made ▁the ▁majority ▁of ▁its ▁independent ▁stations ▁principal ▁char ter ▁affili ates ▁of ▁the ▁network ▁– ▁and ▁former ▁Fox ▁executive ▁Jam ie ▁K ell ner , ▁who ▁served ▁as ▁The ▁W B ' s ▁original ▁chief ▁executive ▁officer ) ▁and ▁UP N ▁( created ▁as ▁a ▁programming ▁partners hip ▁between ▁Chris - C raft ▁Indust ries / Un ited ▁Television ▁and ▁Param ount ▁Television , ▁which ▁had ▁been ▁acquired ▁the ▁year ▁prior ▁by ▁Via com , ▁which ▁would ▁gain ▁full ▁ownership ▁of ▁UP N ▁five ▁years ▁after ▁the ▁network ' s ▁launch ) ▁were ▁launched ▁primarily ▁to ▁comp ete ▁against ▁Fox , ▁target ing ▁the ▁same ▁younger ▁dem ographic ▁( teen agers ▁and ▁young ▁adult s ▁ 1 2 ▁to ▁ 3 4 ) ▁that ▁network ▁had ▁built ▁its ▁success ▁upon ▁during ▁the ▁first ▁half ▁of ▁the ▁de cade . ▁In ▁August ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁P ax son ▁Communic ations ▁( now ▁I on ▁Media ) ▁launched ▁P ax ▁TV ▁to ▁counter program ▁the ▁four ▁larger ▁networks ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁The ▁W B ▁and ▁UP N , ▁with ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁family - orient ed ▁original ▁and ▁acquired ▁programming ; ▁due ▁to ▁under perform ing ▁view ership ▁in ▁its ▁initial ▁format , ▁P ax ▁rela unch ed ▁as ▁i : ▁Independent ▁Television ▁( f oc using ▁more ▁on ▁r er uns ▁and ▁mov ies ▁aim ed ▁at ▁a ▁bro ader ▁audience ) ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁and ▁then ▁as ▁I on ▁Television ▁in ▁September ▁ 2 0