21.   Entertainment executives hunger for a mass audience because it gives them the economic base to finance original programming.

22.   Even without counting movies, USA has more hours of original programming scheduled for next season than either WB or UPN, the fledgling broadcast networks.

23.   For Showtime, a unit of Viacom Inc., there are other bottom-line reasons to create more original programming.

24.   He bought original programming and vastly expanded the number of shows.

25.   He was at his lowest ebb when a friend called him out of the blue with a line on a job as vice president for original programming at MTV.

26.   It is also spending heavily to expand its channels overseas, upgrading the production of original programming and launching new channels.

27.   Later, the venture intends to develop original programming and some new cable networks.

28.   Levine left last week to become executive vice president of original programming at Showtime.

29.   Meanwhile, Showtime seemed to be dabbling in original programming, but without focus and with mixed results.

30.   Meanwhile, the network is building a schedule of original programming in a unique way, by time slots rather than days.