2. The most important part of programming is
understanding the audience.
Quite simply, audiences want to be
entertained and they want to be informed.
These two elements comprise the whole of
programming
3. Programming is a unique product in that it is
used to lure the attention of consumers so
advertisers can show those consumers
commercial messages that help sell other
products.
4. Its ease of delivery allows it to be
simultaneously delivered to nearly every
consumer
Television beckons a national audience through
▪ Broadcasting
▪ Cable
▪ Satellite Delivery
The low cost of programming to viewers is key
to creating audiences large enough to sell to
advertisers
10. Target a demographically desirable audience.
Choose appropriate programs for that audience.
Evaluate reasonable costs for program types and time
slots.
Evaluate competition to determine scheduling
strategy.
Make sure a program fits with neighboring programs.
Employ talented performers who are liked by the
public.
Hire producers/directors/writers with a record of
success.
Deal with currently topical subject matter.
Emulate comparable high-rated series.
12. Off-Network Series
Two and a Half Men
King of Queens
Bones
First-run syndicated series and specials
Oprah
Entertainment Tonight
Feature Films
13. Yet, it is possible for some
programmers to start small and
build a national audience.
Say thank you to OprahWinfrey for
giving hope to newcomers.
She started at a small station doing a
local talk show before achieving
national television prominence and
creating her own production company.
Each network will review two
thousand program ideas a year.
About 250 of these will be
judged good enough to go on
into the script form. About
thirty or forty of the scripts will
move along into pilot
production.About ten pilots
will make it into series form.
Perhaps two or three series will
survive a second season or
longer. Each year, program
development costs $50 to $60
million. In other businesses it is
known as Research and
Development. In television it is
called failure, or futility, or a
wasteland.
--Gene Jankowski,
Former president of CBS
15. Situation Comedies (or Sitcoms)
Dramas
Action-Adventures
Dramatic
Talk
Magazine
Reality
Games
Children’s
Animation
Live action
Reality
Theatrical cartoons
Weeklies
Sample of Syndicated
Programming Types
Off-Network: Friends, Frazer,
King of the Hill, Two and a Half
Men, The Office
First-Run: Oprah, Entertainment
Tonight, Jeopardy, Wheel of
Fortune
Feature Films: all theatricals
that leave movie theaters and go
into syndication
16. The Executive Producer
Oversee on-air talent, directors, writers,
technical crew, line producers, production
managers, production assistants, and
researchers.
Deal with talent agents, personal managers,
union officials, the press, and lawyers.
Answerable for everything:
Program concept
Program content
The tone or mood of the program, and
Overall production
Responsible for “fixing” or improving a
program that is not delivering satisfactory
ratings.
Responsible for delivering program on time, on
or under budget, and is directly accountable
for contacts with the production company and
syndicator that finance the program.
The Production Company
Finances and produces television programs
Hires the producer and the staff
May propose program ideas or finance
producers who bring the ideas
Based on a pilot or merely a written
presentation, the production company sells
programs directly to broadcast or cable
networks or, alternatively, strikes a deal with a
syndicator.
Sometimes the production company is the
syndicator itself and distributes the programs
it has created.
17. The Syndicator
All syndicators, also called distributors, supply
programming to local stations on a market-by-
market basis throughout the nation.
Unlike a network, a syndicator does not have a
single “affiliate” in any particular market.
Instead, syndicators sell their programming to
any and all stations in a market.
Depending on the kind of programs offered by
the syndicator, certain stations in a market
may be more frequent customers than other
stations.
Syndicators “sell” or license for a fee, the
telecast rights to a program to the local station
for a certain term and for a set number of
plays.
During the license term, the syndicator grants
the station exclusive rights to broadcast the
program then rights revert back to the
syndicator.
The Rep Programmer
Outside party in the syndication mix or chain.
Works for the national sales representative
firm that sells national advertising time for the
station.
The rep programmer acts as an ally and
consultant to the station.
Reps work for station representatives, or
national sales organizations selling commercial
airtime on behalf of local market television
stations.
Rep also provides additional services to client
stations including marketing support, sales
research, promotion advice, and programming
consultation.
Helps stations improve programming
performance in terms of audience delivery,
increased advertising rates and increased
profitability.
Services are includes in reps sales commissions
19. The program director is the station executive
primarily responsible for developing the
program schedule, establishing a relationship
and conducting business with the syndicator,
managing the station’s program inventory,
dealing with viewers and community interest
groups, and generally implementing and
overseeing the station’s programming policies.
20. For most stations, the money spent annually
to acquire syndicated television shows is their
single largest expense.
The station that buys a syndicated program
that turns out to be a dud, or the station that
overpays for a syndicated show, may be in
financial trouble for years to come.
The station that makes several mistakes (not
uncommon) has serious problems.
21. PROGAMTYPE: Off-network situation comedy
EPISODES: Minimum of 96, maximum of 168 if the
program runs seven years on network
RUNS: 6
YEARS: 3 to 5 (depending on number of episodes
produced)
START DATE: Fall 2010
FORMAT: Cut for 6 ½ minutes
PAYMENT: Cash
DOWN PAYMENT: 10 percent
PAYOUT: 36 equal monthly installments
ASKING PRICE: $12,500 per episode for the first
five network years plus an additional 10 percent
per episode beginning with the sixth production
season with a maximum of eight production years.
Title
Description of the
program
Cast, host, or other
participants
Duration
Number of episodes
Number of runs
Start and end dates
Commercial format
Price
Payment method
Down payment
Payout
22. Determining Need
How well is the station’s current schedule performing?
Has there been audience growth, slippage, or stagnations
since the previous ratings report? Since the same period a
year ago?Two years ago?
Is current programming delivering targeted audience
demographics that advertisers and the reps want?
Are older shows exhibiting signs of age?
What schedule changes has competition made?
What programs are on the shelf and can they be used to
replace weak programming.
Selection Options
Do nothing at all.
Change the batting or programming lineup (swap shows).
Go to the bench. (Use “on the shelf” programming).
Hire a new player. (Buy a new show!)
Each programming
decision is different from any
other. Each show is different;
each deal is different.
Markets and competitive
situations differ; corporate
philosophies and needs not
only differ but may also
change over time.
The personalities and
opinions of the syndicator,
the station general manager
and program director, and
the rep programmer all enter
the decision.
The basics of the
decision-making process
involve an assessment of
need and an analysis of
selection options.
23. The Art of the Deal
Highest purchase price offered
Size of down payment
Length of payout
Ability to make payments
Best time period
Strength of station
Most compatible adjacent programming
26. 6 to 9 a.m.
9 to 12 noon
12 noon to 4 p.m.
4 to 7 p.m.
7 to 8 p.m.
8 to 11 p.m.
11 to 11:35 p.m.
11:35 to 2 a.m.
2 to 6 a.m.
Early morning
Morning
Afternoon
Early fringe
Prime access
Prime time
Late fringe
Late night
Overnight
27. Morning: (9 a.m. to 12 noon)
Talk shows—Live with Regis and Kelly
Game shows—Let’s Make a Deal
Afternoons: (12 noon to 4 p.m.)
Talk shows— Bonnie Hunt, Rachel Ray
Court shows—Judge Joe Brown, People’s Court
Early Fringe: (4 to 7 p.m.)
Strong Shows with popular personalities—Oprah, Ellen, Dr. Phil, Judge Judy
Prime Access: (7 to 8 p.m.)
Game—Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy
Magazine—Entertainment Tonight, Access Hollywood
Late Fringe: (11 to 11:35 p.m.)
Counterprogramming to network newscasts—The George Lopez Show
28. Here is a look at the arguments currently in
vogue when the topic of ethical standards are
discussed:
It’s just entertainment.
If you don’t like it, turn it off.
Parents have the responsibility to monitor
programming.
Censorship, even voluntary censorship, violate First
Amendment rights.
29. Innovative deal structuring
Syndicators and stations will become more creative.
Syndicators will make deals more attractive to stations while still finding ways
to increase their revenues.
Cost control
Syndicators and stations share the common goal: the need for efficiency,
streamlining, mutually beneficial dealing, and utilizing all assets.
Consortiums/coproduction/coventures
Station groups will continue to join forces with one another in noncompeting
markets to develop and launch first-run programs to meet specific station
needs.
Syndicators will join these coventures.
Coproduced shows will get a better chance at succeeding because of
cooperative promotion.
30. Cable
Increased cable penetration by syndicated programs.
Cable and broadcast have created coventures.
Increased role of reps
As costs escalate and programming ventures become riskier, the
programming reps expertise becomes more valuable.
To control costs, many stations have eliminated the program director position
and are using rep programmers instead.
Increasing role of networks
With the demise of the FCC’s financial and syndication rules, the networks
have become actively involved with the production and distribution of
syndicated shows.