For all it's world changing influence, one of my favorite things to do on YouTube is watch old TV commercials and broadcasts. In my recent poking around I found a bunch of recordings of the first broadcasts of some cable networks from the 80s and 90s.

First, here's the launch of the Sci-Fi Channel from September 24, 1992. It starts with a news from the future bit then goes into the move Star Wars.

On April 18, 1983 The Disney Channel launched with a little help from the family friendly Donnie Osmond, Chip and Dale and Donald Duck. Then there's a countdown and Micky throws the switch that stared the era of Pooh Corner, Mousercise and old Micky Mouse Club reruns.

It started out as the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network in 1979. A channel of all sports all day? No way! And because it was 1979 it started off with a cheese theme song. The first events shown were a 1979 NCAA football preview and a couple of slow pitch softball games.

A few months after the launch of all sports ESPN, the all news channel CNN debuted on June 1, 1980.

"Ladies and Gentlemen Rock and Roll." Those words launched a juggernaut that gave the world The Jersey Shore and Teen Mom.

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