When Independent stations picked up network shows that weren't cleared or pre-empted by a local affiliate years ago (ABC, CBS, NBC, etc), did they have to get permission from the networks to broadcast the pre-empted programs?
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Question about Independent stations picking up pre-empted network shows
- Thread starter spencerkarter85
- Start date
Surely they had to get some sort of permission to carry those shows; I've read in many cases, certain pre-empted shows had to air during certain times of the day (such as daytime shows had to air before 5pm local time or earlier). Also, it also comes down to compensation issues...the business model was (and still is, in some cases) that the networks paid the affiliates to carry their programming. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense to pay an affiliate when they don't carry certain programs.
Another factor to look at is that the networks want to make sure (depending on the market) that they could find a dependable station or two to make sure that those programs are cleared in that area. Of course on the other hand, it's the choice of the independent station of whether or not they want to (or can) clear the pre-empted network program. Take Philadelphia as an example...during the 60s and 70s, they had only one O&O station (CBS owning WCAU at the time), and the other two network stations were owned by different companies (KYW owned by Group W, WFIL/WPVI by CapCities). However, they had three independent stations (WPHL, WTAF [now WTXF], and WKBS [now defunct]), and being that Philly is a large and an important market, NBC and ABC at least made sure that most (if not, all) of their shows were seen there.
Take in constrast down the road in Washington, D.C., another large and important market, again with one network-owned station (WRC) and two network affiliates (WMAL/WJLA and WTOP/WDVM/WUSA), but with one less independent station (WFTY [now WDCW] didn't come on the air until the early 80s). By reading many of the DC-area schedules here through the years, whatever shows Channels 7 and 9 didn't clear from their respective networks went largely unseen in our Nation's Capital.
Another factor to look at is that the networks want to make sure (depending on the market) that they could find a dependable station or two to make sure that those programs are cleared in that area. Of course on the other hand, it's the choice of the independent station of whether or not they want to (or can) clear the pre-empted network program. Take Philadelphia as an example...during the 60s and 70s, they had only one O&O station (CBS owning WCAU at the time), and the other two network stations were owned by different companies (KYW owned by Group W, WFIL/WPVI by CapCities). However, they had three independent stations (WPHL, WTAF [now WTXF], and WKBS [now defunct]), and being that Philly is a large and an important market, NBC and ABC at least made sure that most (if not, all) of their shows were seen there.
Take in constrast down the road in Washington, D.C., another large and important market, again with one network-owned station (WRC) and two network affiliates (WMAL/WJLA and WTOP/WDVM/WUSA), but with one less independent station (WFTY [now WDCW] didn't come on the air until the early 80s). By reading many of the DC-area schedules here through the years, whatever shows Channels 7 and 9 didn't clear from their respective networks went largely unseen in our Nation's Capital.
ShawnHill1 said:
The main exception here is many DC-area viewers were also able to get stations from Baltimore, only 25 miles from the Nation's Capital -- what the DC stations don't carry, the Baltimore stations usually did.
There were also some cases of channel 7 carrying another show that channel 9 passes over, or vice versa -- I read somewhere that 7 carried some CBS game shows (including TPIR) that 9 passed over during the 1970s and 1980s.
azumanga said:
The first part of your explanation pretty much explains why the Baltimore stations were somewhat pre-emption happy. Another part of the network pre-emption situation was that at least you had a near-by market or two to find those missing shows, especially if you didn't have an independent station in your market. Using examples, Philadelphia (again
) had Baltimore to the south, New York City to the northeast, and Scranton/Wilkes-Barre to the northwest; Milwaukee had Chicago, Sacramento had San Francisco, and San Diego had Los Angeles.ShawnHill1 said:
For example in Washington, DC in the late 1980s. The now-defunct ABC soap opera Ryan's Hope was pre-empted for the noon news by WJLA-TV 7. Same story for Asheville, NC's ABC station WLOS-TV 13.
I actually read on Wikipedia that Group W stations were always known for pre-empting network programming. I know that in the 70s, KPIX-5 did not air Price is Right, I think it was on one of the Independents, but I'm not sure which one. WBZ in Boston was known for this, too. I know that a lot of daytime NBC programming that was normally seen in the morning (such as the old daytime Wheel of Fortune) was on in the afternoon instead. And I know that then-WQTV (now WBPX, the local ion affiliate) used to pick up a lot of network game shows not wanted by the local affiliates. They even took CBS This Morning from WHDH for a brief period of time in 1994.
We all know about the hot water Ted Turner got into in Atlanta
when he picked off five NBC shows pre-empted by WSB in the
early '70s, then put up billboards announcing that "The NBC Network
Moves to Channel 17." In later years Channels 14, 36, and 69 picked
up a number of shows pre-empted on 2, 5, and 11. If you'll go back
to some of my Atlanta threads from the early '60s you'll find 11 (ABC)
picking up some CBS shows, including the "CBS Evening News With
Walter Cronkite," "Calendar" with Harry Reasoner, and daytime reruns
of "I Love Lucy."
During the interim between the time WSB signed its affiliation agreement
with ABC and the actual changeover, there was some question as to
whether WXIA could accept NBC programs; it did pick up four daytime
shows in the summer of 1980: "Another World," "The Doctors," David
Letterman's morning show, and the new soap "Texas." Meantime, WSB
got "General Hospital," "One Life To Live," "Edge Of Night," "Family Feud,"
and "Love Boat" reruns, all on ABC. No primetime, early-morning, or latenight
shows were affected until the actual switch on Sept. 1.
when he picked off five NBC shows pre-empted by WSB in the
early '70s, then put up billboards announcing that "The NBC Network
Moves to Channel 17." In later years Channels 14, 36, and 69 picked
up a number of shows pre-empted on 2, 5, and 11. If you'll go back
to some of my Atlanta threads from the early '60s you'll find 11 (ABC)
picking up some CBS shows, including the "CBS Evening News With
Walter Cronkite," "Calendar" with Harry Reasoner, and daytime reruns
of "I Love Lucy."
During the interim between the time WSB signed its affiliation agreement
with ABC and the actual changeover, there was some question as to
whether WXIA could accept NBC programs; it did pick up four daytime
shows in the summer of 1980: "Another World," "The Doctors," David
Letterman's morning show, and the new soap "Texas." Meantime, WSB
got "General Hospital," "One Life To Live," "Edge Of Night," "Family Feud,"
and "Love Boat" reruns, all on ABC. No primetime, early-morning, or latenight
shows were affected until the actual switch on Sept. 1.
M
Marckd
Guest
Yes Baltimore's WMAR 2 as a CBS and later an NBC affiliate preempted quite a few shows daily as did 11 WBAL TV as both an NBC affiliate and later a CBS AFfiliate. IORNICALLY - 13 WJZ even as a Westinghouse station was not bad with preempting ABC shows. Pert of that reason may have been that ABC had an hour less a weekday of programming leaving more room on WJZ for their locally produced shows. Still Baltimore people with WBAL's and then WMAR's preemptions still had WRC TV 4 in DC which was an O & O to fall back on. Unfortunataely north of Baltimore you had KYW or WGAL so at times some NBC shows aired on niether station heading north or northeast.
With CBS programs you had Channel 10 northeast in Philly so when the Baltimore station preempted you had an O & O there to fall back on. South though Channel 9 WTOP TV later WDVM and now WUSA was as bad with preemptions as Baltimore. Most preempted shows in Baltimore were usually run on Channel 9 in DC but a few ran on neither station so even with 2 CBS affiliates you were out of luck occasionally.
WIth ABC Channel 7 DC was pretty good running ABC shows. When they did preempt it was usually a different show than WJZ preempted. Both stations ran most every show on ABC with an occasional exception. rarely were you out of luck with ABC shows. North though you had WPVI which preempted more than WJZ back then and in some instances niether station ran an ABC show.
Today though All of the Network stations in Baltimore have no preemptioin agreements as do DC stations so losing a show is far rarer today.
With CBS programs you had Channel 10 northeast in Philly so when the Baltimore station preempted you had an O & O there to fall back on. South though Channel 9 WTOP TV later WDVM and now WUSA was as bad with preemptions as Baltimore. Most preempted shows in Baltimore were usually run on Channel 9 in DC but a few ran on neither station so even with 2 CBS affiliates you were out of luck occasionally.
WIth ABC Channel 7 DC was pretty good running ABC shows. When they did preempt it was usually a different show than WJZ preempted. Both stations ran most every show on ABC with an occasional exception. rarely were you out of luck with ABC shows. North though you had WPVI which preempted more than WJZ back then and in some instances niether station ran an ABC show.
Today though All of the Network stations in Baltimore have no preemptioin agreements as do DC stations so losing a show is far rarer today.
ssetta said:
It was KTZO (later KOFY), channel 20, that aired 'TPIR" and other pre-empted CBS, and later NBC, programming during the '80s and '90s. Prior to about 1978/79, KPIX used to air 'TPIR', when it aired at 9:30 AM PT, but dropped it in favor of a long-running local show, 'People Are Talking', when CBS moved 'TPIR' to 10 PT. KPIX eventually dropped the 9-10 AM PT hour of CBS daytime shows in favor of 'Hour Magazine', and so, when CBS launched 'The $25,000 Pyramid' and 'Press Your Luck' in that slot in the fall of 1982, KTZO picked them up.
newsmark said:
There were, however, regulatory issues involved, as well. In the latter part of the sixties, the FCC put in place a rule requiring that uncleared network programs be offered to any independent stations in a market. The rules didn't preclude the network from placing reasonable restrictions on those programs (ie, the independent station being required to carry the show in the time slot specified by the network, and not delay the show). It also didn't require that the network offer the independent station any compensation for carrying the rejected program.
So, yes, terms of carriage would be negotiated between network and station -- but the network didn't have unlimited control over the terms.
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