10 TV Networks That Were Huge in the ’80s but Are Forgotten Now

The '80s were a golden age for now-forgotten TV networks, where cable pioneers, quirky channels, and unique programming shaped the landscape, only to fade into obscurity as new eras of media took over.

Alyana Aguja
May 2, 2025
5 min read

10 TV Networks That Were Huge in the ’80s but Are Forgotten Now — Aleks Dorohovich from Unsplash

The 1980s were a colorful, pioneering time for television, with niche channels and cable networks thriving with innovative programming that reflected the cultural mood. PTL, USA, and The Family Channel were familiar names in every home, bringing everything from evangelistic television to pioneering children’s programming and late-night chat shows. However, as consumption of media changed and new networks gained prominence, these popular channels faded away slowly, leaving behind the legacy of hidden gems that represented an age before the dawn of the modern television era.

1. PTL Network

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The PTL (Praise The Lord) Network was among the largest Christian television networks in the ’80s, established by televangelists Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker. It reached millions through a mix of religious programming, entertainment, and opulent fundraising events. With the Bakkers’ tawdry downfall in the late ’80s, PTL fell out of favor and was later sold, much of its content becoming a forgotten relic of the public imagination.

2. Nickelodeon (Pre-’90s Era)

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Prior to its explosion in the ’90s, Nickelodeon was already a fixture for children in the ’80s, but not as we know it today. It was then a combination of cartoons such as Pinwheel and You Can’t Do That on Television, leading the way in children’s programming with an offbeat twist. With the explosion of other cartoon successes and a change in children’s television culture, this original Nickelodeon became a shadow of what it is today.

3. USA Network

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A cable channel with a niche focus initially on classic movies, sports, and music, USA Network was an innovator in the ’80s before becoming a more visible network for original shows in the 2000s. In its earlier period, it was the showcase for wrestling and Up All Night, providing a blend of programming that was edgy and experimental. As its interest became centered on the ’90s, it slowly moved away from the offbeat charm that it had during the ’80s.

4. The Family Channel

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Known for airing wholesome family-friendly shows, The Family Channel gained a lot of traction with its mix of cartoons, sitcoms, and religious programs. During the ’80s, it was the place to watch The 700 Club and popular series like Shalom Sesame. Over time, the network was rebranded into Fox Family and eventually sold and turned into ABC Family (now Freeform), losing the identity it had in its ’80s heyday.

5. TBS (Superstation)

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Back in the ’80s, TBS, or Turner Broadcasting System, was a trailblazer in cable television, offering a wide array of shows, movies, and sports. The network introduced programming that became an integral part of many households, like the early airing of movies, sports broadcasts, and sitcom reruns. As newer, more specialized networks took over, TBS gradually shifted its focus to original content and lost its nostalgic, all-encompassing charm.

6. Lifetime

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Lifetime, “TV for women,” was at its heyday during the ’80s with films and television shows centered on dramatic life moments and female-oriented themes. Its early successes, such as The Division and Unhappily Ever After, provided the network with its cult audience. When it moved towards more reality television content in the 2000s, the network’s ’80s origins seemed to vanish into thin air.

7. Arsenio Hall Network

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While not a network, The Arsenio Hall Show was so powerful in the ’80s that its brand had its own cultural footprint. Syndicated on television, it became a late-night institution with its rowdy and frequently edge-pushing programming, introducing hip-hop culture to the mainstream. While Hall attempted to resuscitate the show in subsequent years, the effect dissipated, and the network-like presence it had in its heyday dwindled as the ’80s came to a close.

8. HBO (Pre-’90s)

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HBO is cable television’s behemoth today, but its stranglehold was still in the process of being forged in the ’80s. During its formative years, it mostly broadcasted movies, boxing events, and sporadic TV specials, thereby positioning itself as a decadent yet niche channel. As it moved towards original programming and high-budget films in the ’90s, its ’80s forgottenness was eclipsed by its modern brand of premium programming.

9. FX (Early Era)

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While FX is now famous for its unapologetic programming, it developed at a more leisurely pace in the late ’80s and early ’90s with an emphasis on reruns of old TV fare and films. It was a part of the cable revolution but didn’t quite keep up with more universal networks. The move toward original, transgressive programming such as The Shield and American Horror Story during the early 2000s made its ’80s roots largely a forgotten thing.

10. WGN America

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WGN began as a local Chicago station, but during the ’80s, it transitioned into a national network, airing sports, reruns of classic television shows, and a little original programming. Programs such as Bozo’s Circus and its mix of local flavor helped make it a favorite station. As the ’80s gave way to the ’90s, WGN rebranded itself as WGN America, with a greater emphasis on national programming and the loss of much of its regional identity.