Broadcast Syndication - Types of Syndication

Types of Syndication

• First-run syndication refers to programming that is broadcast for the first time as a syndicated show (not any one particular network), or at least first so offered in a given country (programs originally created and broadcast outside of the United States, first presented on a network in their country of origin, have often been syndicated in the U.S. and in some other countries);
• Off-network syndication involves the licensing of a program that was originally run on network television or in some cases first run syndication: a rerun;
• Public broadcasting syndication has arisen in the U.S. as a parallel service to stations in the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and the handful of independent public broadcasting stations.

When syndicating a show, the production company, or a distribution company called a syndicator, attempts to license the show to one station in each media market or area, or to a commonly-owned station group, in the country and around the world. If successful, this can be lucrative; but the syndicator may only be able to license the show in a small percentage of the markets.

Syndication differs from licensing the show to a television network; once a network picks up a show, it is usually guaranteed to run on most or all the network's affiliates on the same day of the week and at the same time (in a given time zone, in countries where this is a concern). Some production companies create their shows and license them to networks at a loss, at least at first, hoping that the series will succeed and that eventual off-network syndication will turn a profit for the show.

A syndicated program is licensed to stations for "cash" (the stations purchase rights to insert some or all of the ads at their level); given to stations for access to airtime (wherein the syndicators get the ad revenue); or the combination of both. The trade of program for airtime is called "barter".

While market penetration can vary widely and revenues can be unreliable, the producers often enjoy more content freedom in the absence of network standards and practices departments; frequently, some innovative ideas are explored by first-run syndicated programming which the networks are leery of giving airtime to. Meanwhile, top-rated syndicated shows in the United States usually have a domestic market reach as high as 98%.

Very often, series that are aired in syndication are cut to time. For example a standard American sitcom runs twenty-two minutes, but in syndication it may be cut back to twenty minutes to make room for more commercials.

Syndication can take the form of either weekly or daily syndication. The game shows, some "tabloid" and entertainment news shows, and stripped talk shows are broadcast daily on weekdays, while most other first-run syndicated shows are broadcast weekly.

Although it is common parlance to refer to the "selling" or "sale" of a show, this is a misnomer. The shows are actually licensed for a specific number of broadcasts on a station or network. The actual ownership of a show does not change hands and generally remains with the producing entity.