Jump to content

2020-21 Syndication News


mrschimpf

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 827
  • Created
  • Last Reply

All the ABC O&O's are pre-empting Wheel of Fortune tonight (but not Jeopardy!, typical) for some special about Holiday Shopping that is also airing about a dozen times over the weekend on their respective Localish subchannels. Some like WABC and WTVD are moving tonight's Wheel to Localish, KABC and presumably KGO are delaying Friday's episode to Saturday night after College Football, the rest are bumping it overnight.

 

WPVI pre-empted Wheel three times this week. Monday for Eagles MNF moving Disney Holiday Singalong an hour early, Wednesday for the Philly holiday festival, and Friday for the shopping special. Monday's ep was moved to Localish (along with Jeopardy! which was also affected, but only on that day). Wednesday's ep was delayed to Thursday night, and the Thu-Fri eps are airing back-to-back at 2:30 and 3:00 AM Friday night. WPVI does not air WOF Weekend during college football season, and they don't air Jeopardy! Weekend at all, despite them pre-empting Wheel far more often than J! on weekdays.

 

KTRK, the only one of the O&O's that has news for the full prime access hour and does not carry Wheel (they do air Jeopardy!, which they took from KHOU in 2015 and its time slot has varied since then), is airing the shopping special at 3:30 PM, pre-empting Inside Edition.

 

I'm fairly confident that Wheel of Fortune suffers from the most pre-emptions among syndicated shows due to it being forced to air in prime access, which is when stations want to air specials, sports pregames, etc. Entertainment Tonight is probably second since it's also a popular prime access choice but at least they offer encore airings and upload their segments online. Wheel only posts one brief clip per show (usually the Bonus Round if it's won, or a random puzzle being solved or clip from a contestant interview otherwise).

 

This is the second time in less than a month that the ABC O&O's replaced Wheel with a special. Apparently ABC needs the extra revenue.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This another very bad time for syndies that air in the prime access hour on FOX... the 7:30 ET slot is pre-empted five times this week and next, and the 7:00 slot three times.

 

This week had an optional NFL game on Monday, a national one on Tuesday (with pregame starting at 7 instead of 7:30), the usual Thursday, then next week has Thursday plus PAC-12 starting at 7 on Friday 12/18.

 

It's interesting that FOX tried to buy Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! off the ABC O&O's recently. If they did get them, do you think they would continue to start NFL and MLB pregames at 7:30? If so, that's a huge blow to Wheel (Wheel airs at 7:30 ET/6:30 CT in most markets). Markets like Kansas City, Baltimore, and New Orleans lose half of the next two week's Wheel episodes, and this is the "Secret Santa" home viewer sweepstakes, usually the highest-rated period for them even though they don't do it in sweeps months anymore.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

39 minutes ago, WheelWarrior said:

This another very bad time for syndies that air in the prime access hour on FOX... the 7:30 ET slot is pre-empted five times this week and next, and the 7:00 slot three times.

 

The thing I'm scared of is if these impromptu Tuesday games keep doing well, you could see the NFL just break it off into a new package in the late fall and spread out the inconvenience further. A big issue is these timeslots are also where NFL coaches shows/'chalk talk' shows get regionally syndicated, so it's not just the Wheels, ETs or TMZs getting affected.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, mrschimpf said:

The thing I'm scared of is if these impromptu Tuesday games keep doing well, you could see the NFL just break it off into a new package in the late fall and spread out the inconvenience further. A big issue is these timeslots are also where NFL coaches shows/'chalk talk' shows get regionally syndicated, so it's not just the Wheels, ETs or TMZs getting affected.

WSOC airs Panthers Huddle at 11:35 Saturday nights and WAXN airs it an hour earlier. I don’t think the Panthers have had an actual coaches show to air in prime access since the Dom Capers Show used to air on WBTV on Monday nights. But a lot of teams do.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, mrschimpf said:

The thing I'm scared of is if these impromptu Tuesday games keep doing well, you could see the NFL just break it off into a new package in the late fall and spread out the inconvenience further. A big issue is these timeslots are also where NFL coaches shows/'chalk talk' shows get regionally syndicated, so it's not just the Wheels, ETs or TMZs getting affected.

 

That's true. WKRN Nashville (ABC) airs The Mike Vrabel Show (AKA "Titans on 2") Tuesdays at 6:30 CT during NFL season, bumping Tuesday eps of Wheel to 12:06 AM. They used to air it at 7:00 back when ABC had ill-fated sitcoms in that slot, but then once people actually started caring for the first primetime hour on ABC again, they got complaints, and so Wheel is now the victim; the show used to air on Mondays until the 2019-20 season, where it moved to Tuesdays. However, when the Titans played in that Tuesday CBS game recently, they did not do the show, so Wheel aired.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/8/2020 at 7:34 PM, WheelWarrior said:

This another very bad time for syndies that air in the prime access hour on FOX... the 7:30 ET slot is pre-empted five times this week and next, and the 7:00 slot three times.

 

This week had an optional NFL game on Monday, a national one on Tuesday (with pregame starting at 7 instead of 7:30), the usual Thursday, then next week has Thursday plus PAC-12 starting at 7 on Friday 12/18.

 

It's interesting that FOX tried to buy Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy! off the ABC O&O's recently. If they did get them, do you think they would continue to start NFL and MLB pregames at 7:30? If so, that's a huge blow to Wheel (Wheel airs at 7:30 ET/6:30 CT in most markets). Markets like Kansas City, Baltimore, and New Orleans lose half of the next two week's Wheel episodes, and this is the "Secret Santa" home viewer sweepstakes, usually the highest-rated period for them even though they don't do it in sweeps months anymore.

 

On 12/4/2020 at 3:04 PM, WheelWarrior said:

All the ABC O&O's are pre-empting Wheel of Fortune tonight (but not Jeopardy!, typical) for some special about Holiday Shopping that is also airing about a dozen times over the weekend on their respective Localish subchannels. Some like WABC and WTVD are moving tonight's Wheel to Localish, KABC and presumably KGO are delaying Friday's episode to Saturday night after College Football, the rest are bumping it overnight.

 

WPVI pre-empted Wheel three times this week. Monday for Eagles MNF moving Disney Holiday Singalong an hour early, Wednesday for the Philly holiday festival, and Friday for the shopping special. Monday's ep was moved to Localish (along with Jeopardy! which was also affected, but only on that day). Wednesday's ep was delayed to Thursday night, and the Thu-Fri eps are airing back-to-back at 2:30 and 3:00 AM Friday night. WPVI does not air WOF Weekend during college football season, and they don't air Jeopardy! Weekend at all, despite them pre-empting Wheel far more often than J! on weekdays.

 

KTRK, the only one of the O&O's that has news for the full prime access hour and does not carry Wheel (they do air Jeopardy!, which they took from KHOU in 2015 and its time slot has varied since then), is airing the shopping special at 3:30 PM, pre-empting Inside Edition.

 

I'm fairly confident that Wheel of Fortune suffers from the most pre-emptions among syndicated shows due to it being forced to air in prime access, which is when stations want to air specials, sports pregames, etc. Entertainment Tonight is probably second since it's also a popular prime access choice but at least they offer encore airings and upload their segments online. Wheel only posts one brief clip per show (usually the Bonus Round if it's won, or a random puzzle being solved or clip from a contestant interview otherwise).

 

This is the second time in less than a month that the ABC O&O's replaced Wheel with a special. Apparently ABC needs the extra revenue.

It seems that no broadcast network wants TNF. https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/thursday-night-football-the-nfls-bicycle-of-television-packages-is-apparently-unwanted-in-future-negotiations.html

With all these Wheel preemptions by ABC O&O’s, if no network gets TNF and if MNF returns to ABC, maybe Wheel and Jeopardy go to the Fox O&O’s in 2023? They would only preempt during the World Series.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, Nelson R. said:

 

It seems that no broadcast network wants TNF. https://awfulannouncing.com/nfl/thursday-night-football-the-nfls-bicycle-of-television-packages-is-apparently-unwanted-in-future-negotiations.html

With all these Wheel preemptions by ABC O&O’s, if no network gets TNF and if MNF returns to ABC, maybe Wheel and Jeopardy go to the Fox O&O’s in 2023? They would only preempt during the World Series.

Hello. Personally, I am totally fine on whether or not Jeopardy! and the Wheel of Fortune would move from ABC O&Os to Fox O&Os in 2023. If that happens, then both shows may move from Seattle's KOMO 4--the ABC affiliate owned by Sinclair--to the Fox-owned KCPQ 13.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks like WBZ finally gave in to all the complaints from Wheel and Jeopardy! fans. Patriots All Access has been moved from Fridays to Saturdays starting this week. It's still at 7:00, so the shows are still pre-empted, but only reruns this time (though unlike the phase where they were airing infomercials at 7:00 earlier this year, neither show is moved overnight; they are simply not airing at all on weekends). No more Friday pre-emptions!

 

Now if only WKRN in Nashville could do the same with their Titans show and have it pre-empt WOF Weekend instead of first-run episodes weekly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

12 minutes ago, WheelWarrior said:

Looks like WBZ finally gave in to all the complaints from Wheel and Jeopardy! fans. Patriots All Access has been moved from Fridays to Saturdays starting this week. It's still at 7:00, so the shows are still pre-empted, but only reruns this time (though unlike the phase where they were airing infomercials at 7:00 earlier this year, neither show is moved overnight; they are simply not airing at all on weekends). No more Friday pre-emptions!

 

Now if only WKRN in Nashville could do the same with their Titans show and have it pre-empt WOF Weekend instead of first-run episodes weekly.

It's only because Christmas Day and New Year's Day are on Friday this year. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

50 minutes ago, Nelson R. said:

The final Alex Trebek episode of Jeopardy has been postponed until January 8. 

Seeing as most of the ABC stations that have the rights will be preempting it on Christmas Day for NBA basketball, a great decision.

 

Agreed. I'm glad Sony changed the finale date.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just saw a Sony Pictures Television logo at the end of People, which means they probably have found themselves a syndicator (which also means expansion to more markets in 2021, especially the biggies like New York, L.A., and Chicago).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, johnnya2k6 said:

Just saw a Sony Pictures Television logo at the end of People, which means they probably have found themselves a syndicator (which also means expansion to more markets in 2021, especially the biggies like New York, L.A., and Chicago).

 

Looks like it'll be a slower rollout for that one. This is in the newest B+C

 

Quote

For example, Meredith and Sony Pictures Television are slowly rolling out a new entertainment magazine, People (the TV Show!). People debuted this fall in Meredith’s 12 markets and SPT plans to have the show cleared nationwide by 2022 — a timetable that used to be unacceptable. 

https://www.nexttv.com/features/what-tv-stations-really-want-from-syndicators-in-2021

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/15/2020 at 4:45 PM, DonDonP1 said:

Hello. Personally, I am totally fine on whether or not Jeopardy! and the Wheel of Fortune would move from ABC O&Os to Fox O&Os in 2023. If that happens, then both shows may move from Seattle's KOMO 4--the ABC affiliate owned by Sinclair--to the Fox-owned KCPQ 13.

It would move in a lot of markets. Would be a huge shakeup.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/26/2020 at 8:13 AM, Nelson R. said:

It would move in a lot of markets. Would be a huge shakeup.

And it would result in Wheel getting pre-empted multiple times by NFL and MLB pregame, if they kept the traditional ABC O&O scheduling of J! at 7:00 and Wheel at 7:30. There would need to be a better solution than what 90% of the FOX's already do with Wheel by putting it late at night after the game.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 12/24/2020 at 7:32 PM, johnnya2k6 said:

Just saw a Sony Pictures Television logo at the end of People, which means they probably have found themselves a syndicator (which also means expansion to more markets in 2021, especially the biggies like New York, L.A., and Chicago).

Yeah I see People The TV Show! Getting a soft launch in fall of 2021 as Sony wants to get it into a few more markets before going national in fall of 2022. Which if I was Sony get Sinclair or Nexstar to soft launch it on some of there TV station which if you get Nexstar you could put it on WGN in Chi & KTLA in LA or you could maybe get an O&O to sign on if they own more than one station in NYC, Philly etc. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How far in advance can stations schedule syndies to air a specific program at an irregular time on a certain day? I ask because I noticed that a lot of stations over these past two weeks have still been giving Jeopardy! higher priority than Wheel of Fortune despite the former being in reruns, with regards to the latter still getting pre-empted by local specials (such as Buffalo Kickoff Live on WIVB and WROC; Wheel was bumped on both three times over the past four weeks including tonight) and the former getting better makegood slots on ABC affiliates from the Christmas NBA pre-emptions. I'm sure J!'s ratings will skyrocket next week for Alex's last shows, but I doubt these classic late 2000's reruns are outperforming first-run Wheels.

 

WPVI in Philadelphia moved Friday's Wheel to its Localish subchannel, but moved Friday's Jeopardy! (originally Alex's final episode, but changed to a rerun) to Saturday at 7:30, usually WOF Weekend's slot. WABC did the exact opposite (although the Saturday at 7:30 slot would have meant JIP if College Football ran long, which it managed not to). Another O&O, WTVD, moved J! Weekend to 7:30 due to local news at 7:00 and didn't air Friday or Saturday's Wheel at all (they don't air WOF Weekend during CFB season but do air J! Weekend around 1:00 AM).

 

Also, KABC in LA opted to broadcast Wheel before Jeopardy! on Friday night instead of the usual other way around, which resulted in Wheel getting JIP'd because of NBA running over. KOMO in Seattle moved Wheel from 7:00 to 7:30 and J! to 9:00 or 9:30 (forget which), and that too got JIP'd. I feel like some of these stations may have scheduled the 12/25 airing of J! back when it was still slated to be Alex's final show.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Are there any current examples of one station airing a syndicated program at the exact same time as its network primetime version or a primetime spinoff of said program on a competing station? When Celebrity Wheel of Fortune premieres on Thursday, it will be on at the same time as the regular Wheel of Fortune in the Phoenix market: CWOF on KNXV, WOF on KTVK, both at 7:00 MST. KTVK is the only station in the US that doesn't air Wheel in prime access, but prime itself.

 

Similarly, I'm sure there must have been some markets where the syndicated Family Feud was airing on a My, CW, or indie at the same time as Celebrity Family Feud on ABC. Probably the same when Judge Judy had its primetime special as well. It's much rarer with Wheel since no My's or CW's carry it regularly, and only two indies carry it: KTVK and KJZZ in Salt Lake City, and it doesn't have a second run that some may relegate to those stations, like with Feud, Judy, and even Jeopardy!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry to kind of go off-topic, and not to be a douchebag or anything, but is there a reason why WFMY moved from 4pm to 9AM, when I think it should’ve been moved to 3pm, instead. I mean if you’re not going to change whatever is in the 3-5 pm portion of your weekday schedule, at Least think about your audience by giving it to another station to carry it in the afternoon for you. IMO, Ellen belongs in the afternoon, Not Morning. My apologies for being gone deaf toward all the bad publicity this show has gotten, I’m just making an opinion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 hours ago, nbc4ne said:

Sorry to kind of go off-topic, and not to be a douchebag or anything, but is there a reason why WFMY moved from 4pm to 9AM, when I think it should’ve been moved to 3pm, instead. I mean if you’re not going to change whatever is in the 3-5 pm portion of your weekday schedule, at Least think about your audience by giving it to another station to carry it in the afternoon for you. IMO, Ellen belongs in the afternoon, Not Morning. My apologies for being gone deaf toward all the bad publicity this show has gotten, I’m just making an opinion.

Something had to go at 9am because when CBS reupped their affiliation agreement, part of the agreement was that CBS This Morning had to move to 7-9 am in pattern. At least I think that was the case. WFMY delayed whatever the CBS morning show was to 8-10am for years to air an extra hour of The Good Morning Show. That lasted until December of 2019 I believe. You can definitely make the argument that something else should be airing at 9am though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue. By using TVNewsTalk you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.