What Does it Mean When a Show Gets Syndicated?

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Selling the right to broadcast a television or radio program to independent stations, syndication has enabled the modern system of 24/7 broadcasting by providing producers of content with a consistent revenue stream, and stations with enough programming to satisfy their eager audiences.

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[TodayIFoundOut]

Ready to learn more facts about the business of show? Then check out this video and find out the answer to the question- Is Trial by Combat a Hollywood Invention?:

[promontorium]

This seem like it missed all the meat of syndication and described all the potatoes.

I would have pointed out the logistics and reasons why syndication exists. In radio each station was a different company LA might have a good radio show and Denver wants to air it too, hence station to station syndication. You didn't even explain that TV syndication has 2 ways. Everyone has the networks already, but kind of like radio everyone has local stations. One local station per region will own the rights to a national network. That is NBC doesn't broadcast nationally on its own, it has 1, 000 stations independently broadcasting NBC programs.

What happens is network programs don't have 24/7 content so local networks are free to broadcast other shows in non-network time slots. Sometimes producers of a TV show don't get an offer they like or no offer at all for a show. So they instead make syndication deals in local markets.

Sometimes syndicated shows become so popular a network decides to buy the show. Other times the show lives on entirely in first run syndication. Star Trek The Next Generation is a famous example. One of the most successful shows in history, and it never had a network exclusive, all syndication.

The second kinds of syndication in TV is the one briefly explained in the video this is where re-runs are sold to syndication. Second run shows can be syndicated the same way Next Generation was, that is sold to local stations so it may appear on different networks around the country. Or they can be sold entirely to one channel.

Also not mentioned was classically, though not 100% necessarily, 100 episodes was considered the benchmark for second run syndication. If a first run series got to 100 episodes, they would often then try to sell the reruns in syndication, even while the show was still on air. The Simpsons has seen multiple re-run syndication deals for decades while still airing new episodes.

Syndication is seen as so valuable, that even recently productions have gotten into legal battles with their primary network over that networks rights to show reruns. Too many reruns on the primary network might lower the resale value of the series.

[DorvellTStewart]

My biggest complaint regarding first run syndication on television here in the US…

When the only stations that carry the bulk of syndicated programs these days are Fox, My Network TV and CW stations, thanks to ABC, NBC and CBS stations filling more and more of their available slots with extra, unnecessary newscasts, it’s kind of hard for these shows to build. If more stations got back into the business of syndicated programming, maybe these shows would have a better chance; right now it’s just too many shows, and not enough stations to carry them.

[frenchjr]

'I Love Lucy' brings in roughly $20 million a year to CBS in rerun syndication. This is important since it was the first series to go into reruns.

[dangerouslytalented]

Mash was not a big hit until they syndicated old episodes, some stations played old episodes Monday to Friday while the new episodes played on the network on different channels.

[alansmithy]

I swear to god Simon I could be entertained by you just counting to a thousand.

[Dejoblue]

Suggestion: Why do we use the word "crush" to convey we are infatuated with someone? "Crush" has become extremely popular over the last decade and should make for a popular episode. Cheers!

[Cullenfields]

I wish you would have mentioned The Prime Time Access Rule...That was when first-run syndication took off

[catherineyeung]

Someone please control the thumbnails, i know you trying to make it more interesting and i really appreciate that but can you please also make it more subtle that you are trying to attract viewers... not trying to insult you or anything but trying to provide genuine feedback

[void]

No mention of MASH when talking about longest syndicated in history?

[briandiehl]

Can you do why we call removing dust "dusting"

[tom_something]

Syndication is when the mafia comes in and roughs up the crew, hence the show business phrase "break a leg".

[Sevenigma]

Did he say Easy Acres when it showed Easy Aces?

[richardmiller]

I remember watching 'Thee Whirlybirds' back in the 70's.

[dstudiomike]

Here is a tip: Talking in videos means no background music. Period. Just because there is a field to reference a background music track doesn't mean you have to use it. You have the volume set nice and low, but it is still distracting and annoying. Volume of bg music should be zero. P.S. I love your videos.

[headlibrarian]

For your next video, can you explain why stations and networks that air rerun programming (like TNT and local broadcasters) usually air episodes, and even seasons, out of order?

[JohnRoscoeYT]

These extravagant thumbnails are way too funny.

[EvanRustMakes]

Thank you so much for doing this episode

[marcscordato]

Thanks to syndication Jerry Seinfeld is worth 830 million dollars !

[SkeletalMelodies]

After watching this full video I still don’t know what does it mean when a show get syndicated