WPXI-TV is bringing back the oldies for its 50th anniversary this fall, when the station will launch a new channel featuring classic television shows and some locally produced programs from the '60s, '70s and '80s.

Retro Television Network (RTN) will offer vintage shows such as "I Love Lucy," "Rockford Files," "Mission: Impossible," "Magnum P.I.," "Happy Days," "Little House on the Prairie," "Laverne & Shirley" and "Family Ties."

Premiering on Oct. 15, the digital RTN channel will be available over-the-air as well as on Comcast Cable (no numbers have been set). WPXI is one of many stations around the country to become an RTN affiliate and as such will provide programming of its own to the station.

"I can't tell you how often viewers call me asking us to bring classic programming back to modern television," said Mark Barash, director of programming at WPXI. He added that RTN would give WPXI the opportunity to dig into its archives for programming such as documentaries on Bruno Sammartino and Bill Cardille, episodes of "Chiller Theater" and Celebrate the Season parades featuring stars such as Christina Aguilera.

WPXI's RTN program lineup will be announced in the near future. RTN is nationally owned and distributed by Equity Media Holdings Corp.

First Published: August 19, 2007, 10:30 p.m.