▁from ▁the ▁U . S . ▁film ▁studio ▁Param ount ▁Pictures ▁( then ▁a ▁unit ▁of ▁G ulf + West ern , ▁now ▁owned ▁by ▁Via com C BS ). ▁It ▁was ▁a ▁for er un ner ▁of ▁the ▁later ▁UP N ▁( the ▁United ▁Param ount ▁Network ), ▁which ▁launched ▁ 1 7 ▁years ▁later . ▁ ▁History ▁ ▁Background ▁P TV S ▁was ▁not ▁Param ount ' s ▁first ▁attempt ▁at ▁launch ing ▁a ▁television ▁network . ▁The ▁first ▁attempt ▁occurred ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 9 ▁with ▁the ▁launch ▁of ▁the ▁Param ount ▁Television ▁Network , ▁which ▁never ▁extended ▁beyond ▁a ▁few ▁stations ▁and ▁fol ded ▁after ▁only ▁a ▁few ▁years . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 , ▁Barry ▁D iller ▁started ▁his ▁ten ure ▁as ▁the ▁Chair man ▁and ▁Chief ▁Executive ▁Officer ▁of ▁Param ount ▁Pictures ▁Corporation . ▁With ▁D iller ▁at ▁the ▁hel m , ▁the ▁studio ▁produced ▁television ▁programs ▁such ▁as ▁La ver ne ▁& ▁Sh ir ley ▁( 1 9 7 6 ), ▁Tax i ▁( 1 9 7 8 ), ▁and ▁Cheers ▁( 1 9 8 2 ). ▁With ▁his ▁television ▁background , ▁D iller ▁kept ▁pitch ing ▁an ▁idea ▁of ▁his ▁to ▁the ▁board : ▁a ▁fourth ▁commercial ▁network . ▁ ▁The ▁plan ▁Param ount ▁Pictures ▁purchased ▁the ▁Hugh es ▁Television ▁Network ▁including ▁its ▁satellite ▁time ▁in ▁planning ▁for ▁P TV S ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 6 . ▁ ▁They ▁also ▁h ired ▁Rich ▁Frank ▁of ▁K CO P - TV