What is syndication and why did tv shows used to pump out so many episodes trying to get it?
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A long time ago, in the 90s, there was no streaming. Networks needed to fill their daytime slots, so they put “old” episodes of a series there.
A series needed about 100 episodes to air 5-10 episodes per week without airing a duplicate episode every other month.
Also television exploded in the 1980s with satellite TV and cable. The networks needed more content.
Baywatch was briefly the biggest series on earth.
The way TV worked was that there were a small number of networks who had contracts with the local affiliates. Every city had an ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX but those designations only really told you what would be on TV during *primetime* (8pm to ~midnight). For the rest of the day those stations were mostly free to air whatever they wanted. To fill that time they bought the rights to show reruns of older shows.
Unlike the primetime broadcasts which aired on a specific night once a week shows in syndication would typically run every weekday. Because they were running episodes so often the longer the shows run was the more weeks they could get from it without cycling back around to the first episode.
Most affiliates wouldn’t touch a show unless it had 100 episodes because shorter shows were not worth reworking their lineups. In response to this demand some shows ran longer in primetime than they otherwise would have to get past that threshold because syndication was highly profitable for the shows producers.
The way TV worked was that there were a small number of networks who had contracts with the local affiliates. Every city had an ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX but those designations only really told you what would be on TV during *primetime* (8pm to ~midnight). For the rest of the day those stations were mostly free to air whatever they wanted. To fill that time they bought the rights to show reruns of older shows.
Unlike the primetime broadcasts which aired on a specific night once a week shows in syndication would typically run every weekday. Because they were running episodes so often the longer the shows run was the more weeks they could get from it without cycling back around to the first episode.
Most affiliates wouldn’t touch a show unless it had 100 episodes because shorter shows were not worth reworking their lineups. In response to this demand some shows ran longer in primetime than they otherwise would have to get past that threshold because syndication was highly profitable for the shows producers.
The way TV worked was that there were a small number of networks who had contracts with the local affiliates. Every city had an ABC, CBS, NBC, and FOX but those designations only really told you what would be on TV during *primetime* (8pm to ~midnight). For the rest of the day those stations were mostly free to air whatever they wanted. To fill that time they bought the rights to show reruns of older shows.
Unlike the primetime broadcasts which aired on a specific night once a week shows in syndication would typically run every weekday. Because they were running episodes so often the longer the shows run was the more weeks they could get from it without cycling back around to the first episode.
Most affiliates wouldn’t touch a show unless it had 100 episodes because shorter shows were not worth reworking their lineups. In response to this demand some shows ran longer in primetime than they otherwise would have to get past that threshold because syndication was highly profitable for the shows producers.
When you make a TV show you have a contract with one network. However after you reach a certain number of episodes, usually 100, your show can then be shown on other networks, which is called syndication. So for example Law & Order ran on NBC, but because it entered syndication reruns are shown on a bunch of channels.
The reason that people want a show to reach syndication is because you can make a lot of money. In fact there are a number of shows where actors make more money from syndication than they did from the show. There’s two ways this happens. The first is that the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has what is called a “residuals schedule,” basically an agreement about how much actors get paid for reruns. This is around 6% of your salary per episode. So, for example, the principal cast of Law & Order each make around $200,000 a year from residuals, which is good money.
The second way is that you can have part of your contract say that you are entitled to royalties, which is even more money based on the success of the show. For example the six principal stars of Friends each make around $20 million a year just from reruns and Jerry Seinfeld has made more than $400 million from Seinfeld reruns.
When you make a TV show you have a contract with one network. However after you reach a certain number of episodes, usually 100, your show can then be shown on other networks, which is called syndication. So for example Law & Order ran on NBC, but because it entered syndication reruns are shown on a bunch of channels.
The reason that people want a show to reach syndication is because you can make a lot of money. In fact there are a number of shows where actors make more money from syndication than they did from the show. There’s two ways this happens. The first is that the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) has what is called a “residuals schedule,” basically an agreement about how much actors get paid for reruns. This is around 6% of your salary per episode. So, for example, the principal cast of Law & Order each make around $200,000 a year from residuals, which is good money.
The second way is that you can have part of your contract say that you are entitled to royalties, which is even more money based on the success of the show. For example the six principal stars of Friends each make around $20 million a year just from reruns and Jerry Seinfeld has made more than $400 million from Seinfeld reruns.
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