WWE Raw

Format:

Sports type- entertainment

Professional wrestling

Created by: Vince McMahon

Country of origin: United States

 

WWE Raw  is a sports entertainment television program that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States and originally debuted on January 11, 1993. It remained there until 2000, when Raw was moved to TNN, later known as Spike TV In 2005, the show was moved back to the USA Network. Since its launch in 1993, Raw continues to air on Monday nights. Raw is generally seen as the company's flagship program due to its prolific history, high ratings, weekly three-hour live format, and emphasis on pay-per-views.
Since its first episode, WWE Raw has been broadcast live from 197 different arenas in 165 cities and towns in nine different nations (the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Afghanistan in 2005, Iraq in 2006 and 2007 for specials Tribute to the Troops, Germany in 1997, Japan in 2005, Italy in 2007, and Mexico in 2011). The show currently broadcasts on a 3-week tape delay in South Africa on private broadcaster e.tv on Sunday evenings at 5:00pm. As of the show's 1,000th episode, airing on July 23, 2012, Raw has become a three-hour broadcast, a format that had previously been reserved for special episodes.

Show history

1993–2002

Original format

Yokozuna (left) and Mr. Fuji on the very first episode of Monday Night Raw

Beginning as WWF Monday Night Raw, the program first aired on January 11, 1993. It aired on the USA Network for one hour. The original Raw broke new ground in televised professional wrestling. Traditionally, wrestling shows were taped on sound stages with small audiences or at large arena shows. The Raw formula was very different than that of its predecessor, Prime Time Wrestling. Instead of taped matches, with studio voice overs and taped discussion, Raw was a show shot and aired to a live audience, with angles playing out as they happened. The first episode featured Yokozuna defeating Koko B. Ware in the opening match, The Steiner Brothers defeating The Executioners, WWF Intercontinental Champion Shawn Michaels defeating Max Moon and The Undertaker defeating Damien Demento. The show also featured an interview with Razor Ramon and an appearance by Doink the Clown
Raw originated from the Grand Ballroom at Manhattan Center Studios, a small New York City theater, and aired live each week. The combination of an intimate venue and live action proved highly successful. However, the weekly live schedule proved to be a financial drain on the WWF, and taped shows began airing every other week. From early 1994 to September 1999 (and used occasionally in case of Monday being Independence Day, Christmas Eve, or Christmas Day), Raw was shown live on one Monday and then the next day (Tuesday) next Monday's Raw was taped. This meant that Raw was live one week and taped the next.

The storylines and characters during the early years of Raw still had a healthy dose of the old WWF "gimmick-heavy" style. For instance, events occurred such as Irwin R. Schyster tearing up Tatanka's headdress, the various "Undertaker sightings" in mid-1994 and characters like Duke "The Dumpster" Droese, Doink the Clown, or Bob "Spark Plugg" Holly.

To Be Continued............