The Family Channel was an American Cable Television Network. It was owned by International Family Entertainment and broadcast family oriented programming, classic shows, game shows and movies.
News Corporation acquired the channel in 1996, which reoriented its programming towards younger viewers and renamed the channel Fox Family in 1998. After the network began to struggle, News Corporation sold the channel to Disney in October 2001, where it was renamed ABC Family and then later Freeform in 2016.
Cup Series History[]
In the Cup Series, The Family Channel sponsored two teams from 1993 through 1997. In 1993, Family Channel sponsored the AK Racing team with drivers Tommy Kendall and Jimmy Hensley following Alan Kulwicki’s death. After Geoffrey Bodine purchased the team, Family Channel sponsored Bodine while he finished out the 1993 season in the #7 Ford.
In 1994, The Family Channel moved to Roush Racing and the #16 team, where they would stay for four seasons. During all four years, the car was driven by Ted Musgrave and primarily featured a Red-White-Blue paint scheme that resembled the American flag. In 1996 and 1997, Family Channel shared the primary sponsorship of the team with PrimeStar, a satellite television service.