Home Shopping Network or HSN is an American 24-hour/7 day a week home shopping television network. Based in St. Petersburg, Florida, United States, with former and current sister channels in several other countries, it is televised via cable, satellite, and someterrestrial channels. HSN also has an online outlet at HSN.com. The channel is owned by HSN, Inc. (NASDAQ: HSNI), which also owns catalog company Cornerstone Brands.

History 
The forerunner of HSN was launched by Lowell 'Bud' Paxson and Roy Speer in 1982 as the Home Shopping Club, a local cable channel seen on Vision Cable and Group W Cable inPinellas County, Florida. It expanded into the first national shopping network three years later on July 1, 1985, changing its name to HSN, and pioneering the concept of a televisedsales pitch for consumer goods and services. Its competitor QVC was launched the following year.

The idea for HSN had its roots in a radio station managed by Paxson. In 1977, due to an advertiser's liquidity problem, the company was paid in can openers. Left with having to raise the funds, on-air personality Bob Circosta went on the radio and sold the can openers for $9.95 each. The can openers sold out, and an industry was born. Circosta later became the new network's first ever home shopping host and would eventually sell 75,000 different products in over 20,000 hours of live television.

In 1986, HSN began a second network that broadcast over the air on a number of TV stations it had acquired under the name Silver King Broadcasting. In 1999, the stations were sold to IAC founder Barry Diller and changed its name to USA Broadcasting, with a few of them ending HSN programming outside of overnight hours and taking on a local programming format equivalent to Toronto's Citytv. In 2001, they were sold again, this time to Univision, and all HSN programs ceased on those channels; however, HSN continues to air on low-power stations (One of these is owned in agreement by Univision.) Ventana Television (ventana meaning window in Spanish) has the same street address as HSN, and is the holding company for its broadcast licenses. As of May, 2010, the HSN low power analog channel 60 in the New York City area was converted to low power digital channel 39.5.

In 1999, the company launched HSN.com, which as of 2009 is one of the top 10 most trafficked e-commerce sites. In 2008, HSN also started MySpace and Facebook pages.In an attempt to engage with younger consumers in 2009, HSN produced a 14-episode online video series, Faces of Beautiful You, which follows three young women who find solutions to many of life's problems through HSN's beauty products. The campaign included a Facebook widget, character blogs, and profiles for the three main characters onTwitter, MySpace, and Facebook.

High definition
In August 2009, HSN launched its HDTV channel, broadcasting in 1080i high definition. At launch, it was carried by Time Warner Cable and Verizon FiOS; it has since been added by Comcast and AT&T U-verse. At their HD launch, the network had a different presentation than most HD networks choosing to present content for the standard definition SD 4:3 viewers made from a left cut of the HD image rather than taken from the center of the screen. In February 2013, HSN changed the SD transmission from a 4:3 left cut of the HD image to a letterbox 16:9 format giving the SD viewer the same look as the HD viewer.

HSN2 
HSN launched a companion channel, HSN2, on August 1, 2010. Dish Network has carried it since launch.

America's Store 
America's Store (AS) began in 1988 as the Home Shopping Club Overnight Service, which aired on broadcast stations around the USA from midnight to 9am and, in particular, on WWOR-TV from 3am to 6am in the New York City metro area. In 1989, HSN purchased a number of low-power TV stations and began operating the service 24 hours a day as Home Shopping SPREE. In 1997, the name was changed again to America's Jewelry Store to reflect a switch to selling exclusively jewelry. This incarnation met with limited success, so in 1998, the selection was expanded to include all of HSN's inventory categories, and the word jewelry was removed from the network's name. In 2003, AS was added to the DirecTV lineup.

Hosts 
HSN's hosts work sixty minute to four hour shifts on-air up to five days a week.

Current hosts 
Present home shopping hosts on HSN include:
Adam Freeman (2007–present)
Alyce Caron (2003–present)
Amy Morrison (2005–present)
Anji Corley (2011–present)
Bill Green (1994–present)
Bobbi Ray Carter (1983–present)
Brett Chukerman (2011–present)
Callie Northagen (1999–present)
Carrie Smith (2011–present)
Colleen Lopez (1994–present)
Connie Craig-Carroll (1998–present)
Diana Perkovic (1999–present)
Guy Yovan (August 4, 2009 – present)
Helen Keaney (2008–present)
Kathy Wolf (1992–present)
Lesley Ann Machado (2011–present)
Lynn Murphy (1991–present)
Michelle Sorro (appeared on The Apprentice) (2011–present)
Shannon Smith (1986–present)
Shivan Sarna (1999–present)
Suzanne Runyan (2004–present)
Tamara Hooks (2006–present)
Robin Wall (1995–present)
Marlo Smith (1997–present)
Past hosts 
Past home shopping hosts on HSN and America's Store include:
Rob Brydon
Steve Chaney (deceased)
Ed Purser (deceased)
Bob Circosta (HSN's first host; works at his offices next door to HSN) (regular)
Alice Cleveland
John Cremeans (left HSN after several years)
Bill Duggan (guest product expert)
Todd Newton (also hosted Hollywood Showdown and Whammy! The All-New Press Your Luck on Game Show Network)
Alan Skantz (1991–2011)
Alicia Perez (2008–2011)
Chris Scanlon (1990–2011)
John Creamans (left HSN in 2008)
Maven Huffman (2008–2012)
Mindy McCortney (later a third Serious Skincare guest product expert with Jennifer Flavin-Stallone and Ceceila Stock)
British Ford Hill (1999–2007; returned in 2007 as a guest product expert with Carolyn Strauss Collection and various products)
Rachel Huber (2001-2013)
Two hosts died during HSN's history. Steve Chaney died of a brain tumor, while Ed Purser died of a heart attack.
Guest product experts 
Joe Harrison - computer and electronics expert
Bruce Singer
Brandon Singer
Carrie Parker - Bissell vaccuums
Julie Truster - Hoover vaccuums
Vonabell Sherman www.vonabell.net Vonabell Sherman (home,family,organization expert)
Chef Rick Tarantino - research and celebrity chef
Keri Maletto - culinary product expert www.KeriMaletto.com
Marc Gill - culinary product expert
British Ford Hill
Carolyn Strauss - Carolyn Strauss Fashions
Diane Gilman - Diane Gilman Fashions
Jay King - Mine Finds by Jay King
Laurie Feltheimer - Hot in Hollywood
Kristin McGee - Pilates Power Gym/Flow Form Fitness
Michelle Austin - Fluidity Fitness
Darlene Cahill - Singer sewing products

Volunteers
HSN has a wide variety of volunteers, most of whom are a part of a program called HSN Cares. Current volunteers have included Kim Church, Julie Tello, and Betty Leigh, former hosts on the now-gone Shop at Home Network. Church was also a host on Jewelry Television prior to moving back to Shop at Home. Volunteers who are a part of the HSN Cares program include graduates of Tampa Bay area high schools, students and graduates of St. Petersburg College, the University of South Florida, Pasco-Hernando Community College, Everest University (formerly Florida Metropolitan University), Concord Career Institute, Southwest Florida College, Keiser University, Webster University, Tampa Bay areaITT Technical Institute locations, and Rasmussen College. Volunteers other than those on the HSN Cares program include Megan Polcino, who has substituted for regular host Diana Perkovic during her illnesses and vacations.

Past volunteers 
Past volunteers at HSN included:
Megan Vandergriff (September 9, 2008-August 22, 2009, with the exception of a short period in the spring of 2009 when Sheila Cohen substituted; now a volunteer at WWMI)
Richard Cohen (two weeks in the summer of 2009)
Maggie Cleaver (1982-1987)
Sandy Bernstein (1982-1990)
Ruth Barrett (1982-1988, with the exception of a period from September 23-November 24, 1984)
Maria Kent (December 12, 1982-July 27, 1985)
Megan Fisher (June 1, 2006-March 31, 2010 and September 18, 2011-October 6, 2012)

After her first departure from HSN on March 31, 2010, Megan Fisher continued to reside in St. Petersburg and her first contract with the network expired three days later, on April 4. In July 2011, Megan Fisher signed a second contract with HSN and so she returned on September 18, 2011. Megan Fisher left HSN on October 6, 2012, and her contract with the network expired eight days later, on October 14.

HSN Today 
HSN Today is a morning show that airs weekdays from 6-9am (ET) and weekends from 7-9am (ET). The show is hosted by a rotation of one or two HSN hosts. It started out asCoffee Break then changed its name to Sunrise in 1996 before changing its name to HSN Today on June 2, 2008. Kathy Wolf's first HSN Today aired in 2011.

Fashion Report 
Fashion Report was a Wednesday night show that featured a variety of fashion items on sale, hosted by a different HSN host each week. Fashion Report was cancelled on January 25, 2012 and replaced by Style Report the following week, on February 1.

Style Report 
Style Report was a Wednesday night show that discussed topics on fashion, with Diana Perkovic as host (Carrie Smith joined her in the first few editions). Amy Morrison and Colleen Lopez substituted whenever Diana was unable to host Style Report. The show premiered on February 1, 2012, replacing Fashion Report, which was hosted by a different host each week. Style Report lasted eleven months, and HSN cancelled the show on December 12, 2012.

Beauty Report 
Beauty Report is a Thursday night show that discusses topics on beauty products. The weekly show was originally hosted by a different HSN host each week under the original format. In 2012, the show was revamped with Amy Morrison as host.

Product categories 
Jewelry
Fashion
Beauty
Health & Fitness
Infomercials
For Home Decoration
Kitchen & Dining
Electronics
Crafts & Sewing
Toys
NFL items
Collectibles
Personalized gifts
Outdoors

Music 
HSN has used a wide variety of themes and cues over the years. In 1987, a theme from Home Shopping Club was used as the theme to the short-lived syndicated game showHome Shopping Game and was used as station ID music until the early 1990s.

The current return from commercial music titled "Let's Go Nuts" was heard in a Clairol Nice 'n Easy with ColorBlend Technology commercial from 2009. The track is used for a "coming up" bumper with the host reading the lineup. In some cases, the host does not read the lineup and only the music plays. This is done on some shows that are hosted by Shannon Smith and on different occasions on those hosted by Diana Perkovic. A track with a guitar and xylophone titled "Summer Bash" was used during the summer of 2010, and the first-ever Christmas version of the return from commercial track debuted for the 2010 holiday season.
Other production music tracks (including Christmas tracks and the current Today's Special and Showstopper tracks) are also used on HSN. The Today's Special track is titled "Rock with a Smile". HSN used later Showstopper beds including "Fresh Air", which was replaced by "Cool as Ice" in 2010. When HSN updated its Showstopper graphics, a new Showstopper bed titled "Triple Play" was introduced.

Speer dies 
On August 19, 2012, HSN co-founder Roy Speer died after a long illness. Speer's death was mentioned on HSN host Bobbi Ray Carter's Facebook page, former host Dan Dennis' Facebook page, and HSN's own Facebook page.

Operations 
HSN runs 24 hours a day, although programming hours vary between each region, based upon the local TV provider.

United States 
HSN's U.S. operations are based in St. Petersburg, Florida, which houses its corporate headquarters, studio and broadcasting facilities. Additional call center facilities are located in Roanoke, Virginia. Distribution centers are situated in Roanoke, Piney Flats, Tennessee, and Fontana, California in order to ensure rapid delivery of items.

HSN also operates retail outlet stores in Orlando, Brandon, Bardmoor, Tampa and St. Petersburg (Emplorium). HSN broadcasts 24 hours a day, 364 days a year. On Christmas, a mix of special programming airs from Christmas Eve afternoon until midnight on December 25. For the first twelve years, a looping Yule log was aired from Noon Christmas Eve to Midnight December 26. Several years the show allows members of the staff to go on camera with their families to say hello to relatives back home.

In 1997, HSN formally launched its second nationwide electronic retail venture, a 24 hour network under the America's Store name (it had operated similar concepts of more limited scale since 1988). This station took advantage of HSN's already extensive network of low-power transmitters located in many major metropolitan markets throughout the United States. Eventually, the network was also picked up by some cable and satellite providers. While America's Store closely mirrored HSN's programming strategy and schedule format, it functioned primarily as an outlet for distressed and discontinued HSN merchandise in various categories. Occasionally however, new merchandise would be showcased concurrently on both channels at varying schedules. Like its sister network, America's Store also had a full service internet website that shared most of its functionality with the HSN parent site. In April, 2007, America's Store ceased operating permanently. Most of the America's Store hosts (some of which were already splitting hosting duties between networks) were absorbed into the HSN programming schedule.

In 1998, Home Shopping Network launched its Spanish version Home Shopping en Español on Univision's cable network Galavision. In 2000, the Spanish version re-branded itself as HSE and tapped into low-power stations in the US and Puerto Rico. It also ceased to broadcast through Galavision. In June 2002, HSE ceased to operate.

UK 
HSN had a UK sister network called HSE, which has ceased trading. On the 18 April 2005, the falling price auction channel iBuy, was created by the ex-senior management figure of Auction World.tv, Andy Sheldon.

The iBuy shopping channel closed in May 2007, when 85 jobs were lost. The reasons for the channel's closure were cited to be connected to financial difficulties at the channel, due to their failure to successfully break into a market already dominated by shopping channels such as QVC, sit-up Ltd, Ideal World and Gems TV. It was suggested that there were a growing number of customer complaints over products, and controversy over the channel allegedly selling fake products, in particular Tiffany jewellery.

On 18 March 2007, iBuy Senior Presenter Adam Freeman, revealed while on air, that it was to be his final shift. It was also revealed, that unlike many of the other staff at iBuy, he wasn't to be out of a job. As like the previous iBuy Head of Broadcasting, Andy Sheldon, Freeman will in fact be moving over to HSN for employment in the USA.

On 27 March 2007, it was officially announced on the iBuy website that the channel has now ceased live broadcasting. In its slots, iBuy will be offering a variety of programming over the coming weeks, which include pre-recorded iBuy Unique, and Rye by Post Collectibles.

Germany 
HSN has a sister network in Europe called HSE24.

Japan 
HSN's sister network in Japan is known as The Shop Channel.

Canada 
The Shopping Channel was launched in 1987 as Canadian Home Shopping Network (CHSN), HSN's sister network in Canada. In 1999, the station was sold to Rogers Communications and is no longer affiliated with HSN.

Philippines 
Home Shopping Network is currently aired in the Philippines via Shop TV, a shopping TV channel owned by Solar Entertainment Corporation. It is also aired as a paid advertising block on IBC and most of the channels owned by Solar Entertainment Corporation.

Italy 
Home Shopping Europe was launched in Italy in 2001 as "Home Shopping Europe", replacing "H.O.T. Italia" (when this acronym intended the television channel Home Order Television). In 2003 the frequencies of HSE were sold to Mediaset and the channel was renamed Mediashopping. In 2011 Home Shopping Europe bought the channel back. The channel was renamed in HSE24.

Technology 
Call center 
HSN National started life with a standard rotary phone system that concentrated calls to the front of the queue. This corresponded to the front row of order takers in the HSN Studio at the Levitz Center (so named as the location was a former Levitz furniture store) in Clearwater. After several months, this system was no longer adequate and HSN entered a phase where a phone system from GTE was used. HSN claimed that the systems' inability to handle the high call volumes resulted in a loss of business. HSN sued GTE for $1.5 Billion. In a counter-libel suit, GTE claimed that HSN had slandered the company. GTE won a $100 Million judgment. Both parties settled out of court. In the interim, HSN found another telephone vendor to handle its call volume.

The Rockwell corporation's Galaxy line of switches was used for the current call center (as well as the new locations in St. Petersburg).
HSN has an in house call center in St. Petersburg, Florida which mostly handles customer service calls. HSN also employs several hundred customer service representatives from work at home positions who take calls and place orders via HSN's customer service intranet. HSN also contracts call centers to handle its sales calls especially when HSN is broadcasting shows with highly popular items.

Interactive Voice Response 
HSN was an early adopter of an Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system for order entry. This system allowed customers to place orders through the IVR rather than an agent. The original IVR was a product supplied by Precision Software, Incorporated (PSi) of St. Paul, Minnesota. The product made use of an Intel PC chassis and Dialogic boards for call termination. As the system also needed to communicate with the Burroughs mainframe, it used a serial connection to communicate with the online application. While PSi had off-the-shelf components, it required a great deal of customization to create scripts and interface with the order entry system. Interestingly enough, PSi ran up a high amount of hours and this caused HSN to actually purchase PSi rather than pay their bill. Once released, the system was branded TOOTIE (after the infamous bicycle horn that show hosts used to help excite the audience and was the network's mascot up until the mid 90's).

As the size of HSN's call center kept increasing, it decided to create a new IVR platform that could handle more load. As nothing available on the open market could handle the volume HSN required, the PSi subsidiary started work on a customer platform called the TSP. This platform was installed in HSN's new facility and could handle a large number of T1 lines (each T1 has a capacity of 24 separate callers). This system originally communicated through a Stratus computer (acting as a poll/select terminal gateway) to the mainframe, but this was later changed to a direct TCP/IP connection. This system was dubbed Tootie II internally.

Computer systems 
The original computer system used for the local Home Shopping Channel was an IBM System/36. Once HSN decided to go national, a new mainframe called the "A Series" from Burroughs (now Unisys) was used. This new system, named the A3, went live on July 1, 1985 and by April 1986, HSN was on an A15j (the largest commercial business processor available at the time). The main order entry system was written in a 4GL code generator called the Logic and Information Network Compiler (LINC)—since renamed Agile Business Suite by Unisys. Some controversy existed around the role of the original IBM code's use in the development of the new system. As Pioneer Data Systems provided the software for the HSN local (IBM) operation, the code was licensed to run the national (Burroughs) version. The problem is these systems were not compatible. An IRS court ruled that the code was inspirational to the new system and thus the license agreement was valid for taxation purposes.

Competitors 
Jewelry Television
QVC
ShopNBC
See also 
Ballard Designs
Home shopping host
Shopping channels
WJXR (Jacksonville radio station with a shopping format similar to the pre-HSN roots)
KTOU-LD (Oklahoma City television station with a HSN)
List of Home Shopping Network affiliates