Final answer:
The CW was formed in 2006 by the merger of The WB Television Network (WB) and United Paramount Network (UPN). This event is part of a larger trend of media consolidation.
Step-by-step explanation:
In 2006, two television networks merged to form what we now know as The CW. These two defunct networks were The WB Television Network (WB) and United Paramount Network (UPN). The merger of these networks was part of a broader trend of consolidation in the media industry, which has seen the rise of a few dominant media conglomerates. These conglomerates, like Viacom, Warner Bros. Discovery, and The Walt Disney Company, control a significant portion of television networks and other media outlets, thus influencing the television landscape enormously.