What is syndication and why did tv shows used to pump out so many episodes trying to get it?
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As I understand it, and I’m sure I’m wrong, some networks would require so many episodes or seasons before a show could be released to syndication. This kind of prevented the production company of double dipping or diluting the audience. If a show went into syndication after one season there would be people watching the new episodes on one channel and another watching reruns on another channel so dividing the audience and the important advertising dollars.
As an example, Star Trek the next generation was produced as a syndicated show. A production company paid for the whole show and sold the episodes to a network. I want to say it aired on CBS but it might have been Fox, but the reruns started on what would be considered the UHF channels, for a lack of a better term, after the first season. The production company did this by selling the episodes below cost knowing the would make it up on syndication. Towards the end of its run it cost over a million an episode which was outrageous at the time. It was selling the episodes for about $800,000 to the network and the $400,000 per episode in syndication making more money overall.
Star Trek:Enterprise was produced by Paramount and aired exclusively on UPN, a network channel owned by Paramount, but was co-produced by another production company. Their contract required 4 seasons before syndication and Star Trek shows made a ton of money in syndication. The business model for this show pretty much counted on hitting syndication. The UPN canceled the show at the end of the 2nd season or midway through the 3rd season. The production company lowered the cost per episode, essentially paying UPN to air the show so they could stay on for a 4th season to hit syndication
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