Professional
wrestling television show.
WWF Raw was first broadcast in 1995, to replace the outgoing
WWF Superstars and
WWF Wrestling Challenge shows. From 1995-2000 it was broadcast (nearly) every Monday on the USA Network.
In 1997 it changed its name to
WWF Raw Is War, in line with the
WWF Attitude branding of its product, and as an attempt to counter the rampant
WCW and its
New World Order angle.
As the popularity of wrestling and the
WWF soared, Raw became the highest-rated show on cable, peaking with a mammoth 8.1
rating in the summer of 1999.
Raw is now broadcast on
TNN on Monday nights in the States, and on
Sky Sports on Friday nights in the UK. In the States it was pre-empted for the
Westminster Dog Show once a year (which usually garnered a 0.1 rating or likewise), and sometimes for the Open Tennis. However, it is now the jewel in TNN's crown, and TNN execs have been quoted as saying "that sorta shit ain't gonna happen no more".
TWAJS.
Raw is presented by
Jim Ross and
Paul Heyman.