ABC and UPN, to 'VARIETY' refers to two television networks that were merged in 2001. ABC and UPN were both broadcast networks that were owned by the Walt Disney Company and Viacom, respectively. The merger created a new network called The CW, which stands for 'The Combined Warner Bros.' This new network was a joint venture between the two companies and featured programming from both ABC and UPN. The merger allowed for more VARIETY in programming, as it combined the two networks' offerings into one.