Back before cable developed the stronghold it now has on TV audiences, subscription TV was an alternative for thousands of households. In Los Angeles, viewers had the option of SelecTV -- which aired in primetime on KWHY-TV Channel 22 -- or ON TV, found on KBSC-TV (now KVEA) Channel 52. A decoder box was necessary (for a monthly fee) to descramble the signals, which featured mostly movies.
SelecTV, launched in 1976, eventually purchased ON TV (started by Jerry Perenchio and Oak Industries in 1977) but disappeared at the end of the 1980s, as cable became widely available. Channels 22 and 52 eventually became full-time Spanish language outlets (and today are both owned by NBC).
Here's an old promo for SelecTV:
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