▁the ▁station ▁to ▁broadcast ▁a ▁planned ▁over - the - air ▁subscription ▁service ▁called ▁ON TV . ▁ ▁Following ▁an ▁effort ▁by ▁the ▁Federal ▁Communic ations ▁Commission ▁( F CC ) ▁to ▁promote ▁alternative ▁programming ▁efforts ▁on ▁the ▁U H F ▁broadcast ing ▁spectrum , ▁such ▁as ▁subscription ▁television ▁services , ▁W S NS ▁file d ▁for ▁and ▁received ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁many ▁subscription ▁television ▁lic enses ▁awarded ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁ 3 2 ▁of ▁which ▁went ▁into ▁use ▁at ▁one ▁point . ▁The ▁station ▁then ▁began ▁carrying ▁programming ▁from ▁the ▁new ▁ON TV ▁service . ▁During ▁the ▁late ▁ 1 9 7 0 s ▁and ▁early ▁ 1 9 8 0 s , ▁most ▁major ▁cities ▁had ▁one ▁or ▁two ▁lic ensed ▁subscription ▁television ▁operators . ▁To ▁obtain ▁a ▁subscription ▁television ▁license , ▁the ▁station ▁had ▁to ▁provide ▁the ▁F CC ▁with ▁a ▁proposal ▁detail ing ▁the ▁programming ▁to ▁be ▁offered ▁( us ually ▁first - run ▁mov ies , ▁children ' s ▁shows ▁during ▁the ▁morning ▁hours ▁and ▁late - night ▁adult ▁entertain ment , ▁much ▁like ▁those ▁offered ▁by ▁cable - origin ated ▁pay ▁services ▁such ▁as ▁H BO ▁or ▁Show time ). ▁The ▁station ▁required ▁subscri bers ▁to ▁have ▁a ▁desc r amb ler ▁installed ▁in ▁their ▁home ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁un sc ram ble ▁the ▁station ' s ▁signal ▁during ▁ON TV ' s ▁programming ▁hours . ▁National ▁Sub scription ▁Television ▁subsequently ▁purchased ▁a ▁ 2 4 . 5 % ▁interest ▁in ▁the ▁station ▁from ▁Ess