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Definition of a Network

E

e-dawg

How do you defined a network? I know the big three are considered to be a network. ABC, CBS, & NBC. What about FOX, CW, MyTV, ION, Univision, Telemundo, Telefutura, TBN, Daystar, PBS. Will you considered these to be a network?
 
The first four you mentioned would be considered "major broadcast networks," with the remainder either "minor broadcast networks" or "niche networks".
 
I consider ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox the "Big Four" aka the "TV BCS (Broadcast Championship Series)". Even though Fox doesn't have network nightly news, they do nave a news department that covers breaking news. These networks have been always at the top of the ratings books since the mid 1990s, and go head to head in primetime during the week and on the weekends with sports programming. In theory, Fox is the replacement for the old Dumont network even though it was about 40 years after Dumont went kaput before Fox came around.

The CW, Telemundo and MyNetwork TV would be "Division I mid-majors" (for those of us still stuck in March Madness) mainly because these are offshoots of the big Four. The CW, part owned by CBS/Paramount, is pretty much CBS for young adults, and uses almost the same hour clock. Telemundo, under the NBC Universal umbrella, is basically NBC en Espanol. MyNetwork TV is owned by the same guy who owns 20 Century Fox (hence the Fox network) and about 2 to 5% of the world and up until last year, used to run some Fox reruns.

ION, Univision and Telefutura would be "Division I independents" because they are not connected in any way to the "Big Four", although ION was kind of with NBC in its late PAX/early I days. Even though Univision owns Telefutura, both networks are one in the same when it comes to programming.

Then there's America One, the Retro Television Network, This TV, and any other commercial networks left over. These would be what I call "Division II networks". These networks have to resort to being subchannels (most of the time .2) in behind the regular network on a local station when watching TV on a converter box or being on low power stations.

As far as the non profits PBS, TBN, CTN, Daystar, EWTN, etc...These are "Division III networks" because they can't afford to put on commercials (even though PBS does allow semi-ads before a show) just like NCAA's Division III doesn't offer scholarships.

Hopefully that clears it up for you.
 
soundsandsports said:
I consider ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox the "Big Four" aka the "TV BCS (Broadcast Championship Series)". Even though Fox doesn't have network nightly news, they do nave a news department that covers breaking news. These networks have been always at the top of the ratings books since the mid 1990s, and go head to head in primetime during the week and on the weekends with sports programming. In theory, Fox is the replacement for the old Dumont network even though it was about 40 years after Dumont went kaput before Fox came around.

The CW, Telemundo and MyNetwork TV would be "Division I mid-majors" (for those of us still stuck in March Madness) mainly because these are offshoots of the big Four. The CW, part owned by CBS/Paramount, is pretty much CBS for young adults, and uses almost the same hour clock. Telemundo, under the NBC Universal umbrella, is basically NBC en Espanol. MyNetwork TV is owned by the same guy who owns 20 Century Fox (hence the Fox network) and about 2 to 5% of the world and up until last year, used to run some Fox reruns.

ION, Univision and Telefutura would be "Division I independents" because they are not connected in any way to the "Big Four", although ION was kind of with NBC in its late PAX/early I days. Even though Univision owns Telefutura, both networks are one in the same when it comes to programming.

Then there's America One, the Retro Television Network, This TV, and any other commercial networks left over. These would be what I call "Division II networks". These networks have to resort to being subchannels (most of the time .2) in behind the regular network on a local station when watching TV on a converter box or being on low power stations.

As far as the non profits PBS, TBN, CTN, Daystar, EWTN, etc...These are "Division III networks" because they can't afford to put on commercials (even though PBS does allow semi-ads before a show) just like NCAA's Division III doesn't offer scholarships.

Hopefully that clears it up for you.
Click to expand...

You explained this much better than I could have. The Division II networks can include a network currently only on ABC O&O stations. That would be Livewell HD. While it's run by ABC, their plan is to run this separate from ABC and be included on non ABC affiliate stations along with ABC affiliates. Being part of what you call Division II was planned by ABC intentionally.

As for PBS; most PBS affiliates hold non-commercial licenses which prevents them from running commercials. Even if a PBS affiliate holds a commercial license, I'm not sure if they can run commercials. I know in Chicagoland, all 3 PBS stations hold non-commercial licenses. While this is for another thread, but I wonder if for markets that don't have their own PBS station, if a commercial station could carry PBS on a subchannel. PBS also has Create & PBS World made specifically for subchannels. While this isn't run by PBS, it's mainly PBS stations that carry MHZ Worldwide (also carried on subchannels).
 
soundsandsports said:
I consider ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox the "Big Four" aka the "TV BCS (Broadcast Championship Series)". Even though Fox doesn't have network nightly news, they do nave a news department that covers breaking news. These networks have been always at the top of the ratings books since the mid 1990s, and go head to head in primetime during the week and on the weekends with sports programming. In theory, Fox is the replacement for the old Dumont network even though it was about 40 years after Dumont went kaput before Fox came around.

The CW, Telemundo and MyNetwork TV would be "Division I mid-majors" (for those of us still stuck in March Madness) mainly because these are offshoots of the big Four. The CW, part owned by CBS/Paramount, is pretty much CBS for young adults, and uses almost the same hour clock. Telemundo, under the NBC Universal umbrella, is basically NBC en Espanol. MyNetwork TV is owned by the same guy who owns 20 Century Fox (hence the Fox network) and about 2 to 5% of the world and up until last year, used to run some Fox reruns.

ION, Univision and Telefutura would be "Division I independents" because they are not connected in any way to the "Big Four", although ION was kind of with NBC in its late PAX/early I days. Even though Univision owns Telefutura, both networks are one in the same when it comes to programming.

Then there's America One, the Retro Television Network, This TV, and any other commercial networks left over. These would be what I call "Division II networks". These networks have to resort to being subchannels (most of the time .2) in behind the regular network on a local station when watching TV on a converter box or being on low power stations.

As far as the non profits PBS, TBN, CTN, Daystar, EWTN, etc...These are "Division III networks" because they can't afford to put on commercials (even though PBS does allow semi-ads before a show) just like NCAA's Division III doesn't offer scholarships.

Hopefully that clears it up for you.
Click to expand...

You explained this much better than I could have. The Division II networks can include a network currently only on ABC O&O stations. That would be Livewell HD. While it's run by ABC, their plan is to run this separate from ABC and be included on non ABC affiliate stations along with ABC affiliates. Being part of what you call Division II was planned by ABC intentionally.

As for PBS; most PBS affiliates hold non-commercial licenses which prevents them from running commercials. Even if a PBS affiliate holds a commercial license, I'm not sure if they can run commercials. I know in Chicagoland, all 3 PBS stations hold non-commercial licenses. While this is for another thread, but I wonder if for markets that don't have their own PBS station, if a commercial station could carry PBS on a subchannel. PBS also has Create & PBS World made specifically for subchannels. While this isn't run by PBS, it's mainly PBS stations that carry MHZ Worldwide (also carried on subchannels).
 
Dave said:
soundsandsports said:
I consider ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox the "Big Four" aka the "TV BCS (Broadcast Championship Series)". Even though Fox doesn't have network nightly news, they do nave a news department that covers breaking news. These networks have been always at the top of the ratings books since the mid 1990s, and go head to head in primetime during the week and on the weekends with sports programming. In theory, Fox is the replacement for the old Dumont network even though it was about 40 years after Dumont went kaput before Fox came around.

The CW, Telemundo and MyNetwork TV would be "Division I mid-majors" (for those of us still stuck in March Madness) mainly because these are offshoots of the big Four. The CW, part owned by CBS/Paramount, is pretty much CBS for young adults, and uses almost the same hour clock. Telemundo, under the NBC Universal umbrella, is basically NBC en Espanol. MyNetwork TV is owned by the same guy who owns 20 Century Fox (hence the Fox network) and about 2 to 5% of the world and up until last year, used to run some Fox reruns.

ION, Univision and Telefutura would be "Division I independents" because they are not connected in any way to the "Big Four", although ION was kind of with NBC in its late PAX/early I days. Even though Univision owns Telefutura, both networks are one in the same when it comes to programming.

Then there's America One, the Retro Television Network, This TV, and any other commercial networks left over. These would be what I call "Division II networks". These networks have to resort to being subchannels (most of the time .2) in behind the regular network on a local station when watching TV on a converter box or being on low power stations.

As far as the non profits PBS, TBN, CTN, Daystar, EWTN, etc...These are "Division III networks" because they can't afford to put on commercials (even though PBS does allow semi-ads before a show) just like NCAA's Division III doesn't offer scholarships.

Hopefully that clears it up for you.
Click to expand...

You explained this much better than I could have. The Division II networks can include a network currently only on ABC O&O stations. That would be Livewell HD. While it's run by ABC, their plan is to run this separate from ABC and be included on non ABC affiliate stations along with ABC affiliates. Being part of what you call Division II was planned by ABC intentionally.

As for PBS; most PBS affiliates hold non-commercial licenses which prevents them from running commercials. Even if a PBS affiliate holds a commercial license, I'm not sure if they can run commercials. I know in Chicagoland, all 3 PBS stations hold non-commercial licenses. While this is for another thread, but I wonder if for markets that don't have their own PBS station, if a commercial station could carry PBS on a subchannel. PBS also has Create & PBS World made specifically for subchannels. While this isn't run by PBS, it's mainly PBS stations that carry MHZ Worldwide (also carried on subchannels).
Click to expand...

What about Universal Sports HD isn't that under the NBC Flag.
 
This definition may no longer apply, but at one point, I believe the FCC only declared you to be a broadcast network if you programmed 20 hours or more of programming during "primetime"- defined as 7pm to 11pm by Eastern/Pacific Time Zone standards. Therefore, Fox has never been classified as a broadcast network by the FCC, as they program 15 hours a week of primetime programming.

I seem to recall learning this rule during a Communications class in college, and also recall that Rupert Murdoch avoided programming over the 20 hour a week floor to avoid some of the other regulations that came along with the FCC classifying a broadcast network versus a netlet.
 
recto101 said:
What about Universal Sports HD isn't that under the NBC Flag.
Click to expand...

NBC owns a portion Universal Sports with Intermedia Partners owning the other part. Also, is Universal Sports in HD? I know WMAQ in Chicago doesn't have the bandwidth to run a second channel in HD, since the main channel is 1080i. Universal Sports looks crappy on WMAQ 5.3, due to most of the bandwidth being used for the main channel. WLS-TV can barely run the main channel and Livewell HD in 720p each.
 
Universal Sports is not available in HD, though I've heard rumors they may at least make it available on cable in HD.

- Trip
 
justpassingthough said:
This definition may no longer apply, but at one point, I believe the FCC only declared you to be a broadcast network if you programmed 20 hours or more of programming during "primetime"- defined as 7pm to 11pm by Eastern/Pacific Time Zone standards. Therefore, Fox has never been classified as a broadcast network by the FCC, as they program 15 hours a week of primetime programming.

I seem to recall learning this rule during a Communications class in college, and also recall that Rupert Murdoch avoided programming over the 20 hour a week floor to avoid some of the other regulations that came along with the FCC classifying a broadcast network versus a netlet.
Click to expand...

I think you are close... To be a television network you have to broadcast 17 1/2 hours in prime time to 15 or more stations in 10 or more states..
 
I'm afraid I'm away from my copy of the rules but...

The definition of a "network" depends... within the FCC rules there is one definition for whether you're subject to the Prime Time Access Rule (which limits how many hours you can program during prime time) and different definitions for different purposes.

The PTAR definition involves having some number of "interconnected" affiliates and programming some minimum number of hours. At least initially, Fox was not a network under this definition. (since I don't have the rules handy I don't know if they are now covered)
 
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