For the network now known as ION, the road to becoming a viable broadcast network has been more than just bumpy. For the longest time, it seemed to run into a ditch as the network went through a series of rebirths, none of them successful, first as Pax and then as the i network.

But the network may at last be finding its way. Its overall audience is up 24 percent, and on Sunday the network aired its first original movie, “Killer Wave,” to strong numbers.

For sure, ION is still a long way from terrific numbers. At just 630,000 viewers, its primetime audience is about one-fifth the size of the CW’s. Its Sunday movie, while 75 percent above its average for the timeslot, still only pulled a 0.7 household rating.

Yet it's a start, and it reflects the results of a programming strategy that seems to make sense: out with quirky and in with mainstream. That strategy is built around a stable of reruns aimed at drawing a broader audience, such as “Designing Women,” “Wonder Years” and “Who’s the Boss.” That series debuted July 9 and has boosted its 9 p.m. timeslot by 33 percent in the 25-54 demographic.

“We used to have a strong religious orientation in show selection, but we don’t think that’s the right way to go in trying to appeal to a broader audience, and maybe younger,” says Brandon Burgess, president and CEO of ION Media Networks. “Our programmers, within our budget, have had a free hand to pick the shows that better suit our audience. That seems to have paid off quite nicely.”

The network’s target audience these days is comparable to CBS’s older-skewing demographic, adults 25-54. The network’s competitors now include Hallmark Channel, TV Land and Oxygen.

The new strategy is a big departure from where Pax began nine years ago, as a Christian-infused network under Lowell “Bud” Paxson.

In the time since, its ownership has changed as well. For much of its life ION was controlled by Paxson, and for most of that time NBC was a part owner. NBC was out as of January. Paxson stepped down as CEO in 2005 and his 60 UHF broadcast stations, the largest station group in the country, changed hands. ION is about to go private under Citadel Investment Group, with Federal Communications Commission approval expected in a couple of months.

Burgess says ION will retain its family-friendly focus, but he anticipates adding edgier content, mostly with acquired programs but with some original series, too, by fall 2008. It will also continue airing original weekend movies, with up to two dozen originals rolling out each year.

ION started making changes last year with the addition of its Friday afternoon kids’ block, qubo, which is a partnership between ION, NBC Universal, Scholastic and couple of other production companies. Programs on the block include Christian-themed video series “VeggieTales” and the upcoming British import “Postman Pat.”

The network has also been airing martial arts show "Bodog Fight" in late night since last year, but the brawling competition was too much of a departure for the network, says Burgess. It’ll probably go off the air once Bodog’s deal with ION ends in February.

“Our guiding principles are being wholesome and upbeat but contemporary,” says Burgess. “We’re doing that now with a relatively modest budget. That will carry over into more of an investment phase next year, where we’ll do broader deals with independent and better-established studios.”