Supposed rules of syndication

With hope it is a moot point now that FG is on the Cartoon Network, but here is further proof that there is no rule about how many episodes must be aired before a show can be syndicated. Syndication is simply a distribution method that can be employed at any time parties mutually agree to terms.

Recent news: A&E Network has snapped up rerun rights to "CSI: Miami" just as it wraps its freshman year on CBS. It has secured a syndication sale before the end of its first season, in other words. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the terms of the deal call for A&E to begin airing a weekly rerun of the "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation" spin-off outside of primetime starting in the fall.

The mandatory 4 year time limit before syndication rights can be exploited has definatley bit the dust. A & E is has been running "3rd Watch" for a year now, even though the show is only 3 years old. Episodes of Law & Order and ER appear on TNT only months after their original air date.

"I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me" - General George S. Patton.

I believe that rule only applies to local broadcast station syndication, and not to non-exclusive cable television syndication. What's nice about cable TV syndication is the episodes are visual/audio high quality, and aren't required to be cut or compressed for time. Although they do get the syndication logo (like how Family Guy on CN has the "20th Television" logo at the very end).

• CMiB

What rule? Where is/was this rule published? Who passed this rule? What members of congress? The only rules are the ones that the respective parties agree to. The way it is now and really how it has always been unless someone can show me a law. It would be a very silly law, wouldn't it?

check FCC guidelines

• CMiB

[email] (Corey M. Barnes) wrote:

I'm not going to try to straighten out this entire thread, but the FCC doesn't give a rat's ass about these syndication issues.

""Chris�"" wrote

What could it have ever meant? "Mandatory" -- how? Like a law passed by Congress?

The 100 episodes thing is for local channel sydie mostly. (for animated and kids shows, it's between 39 and 65). Distributors are trying to sell a show to dozens of channels and the ones that can be repeated a lot are easier sells.

But cable channels will pick up anything that they think can get enough viewers (short or long term) to justify getting the rights. That's why you see networks like cartoon network, comedy central, and tv land obtain a lot of shorter series.

The new thing that's come up in recent years(csi, dragnet, 24, etc repeating on cable almost right after starting on broadcast) is called 'repurposing.' Cable channels are trying to cash in on a show's current popularity right away with quick repeats rather than wait 4/5 years.

Plus they can avoid making their own series. =P

Season 13 episodes of "The Simpsons" have already been repeated in syndication on broadcast channels, less than 6 months after their original air dates. Maybe the rules don't apply to network affiliates repeating the shows of it's own network.

"I would rather have a German division in front of me than a French one behind me" - General George S. Patton.

Cartoon Network currently can't air season 5 of Futurama.

• CMiB

And why is that, exactly?

FOX hasn't finished it yet.

• CMiB

""Chris�"" wrote

Why debate rules when no one can produce evidence of said rules?

"Bao H. Lammy" wrote in message news:[email]...

It's definitely 100...as per Alex MacNeill's "Total Television", case in point: when Too Close for Comfort attempted to enter the syndie market after its cancellation, they were told that the 63 eps produced during the initial 80-83 run on ABC weren't enough to guarantee a substantial run, so another 42 eps were produced between 84-86 exclusively for syndication.

Chuck

<grrr> This is beside the point. They were told that because that's what the buyer wanted. It's not a freakin' rule. It's a demand made by a buyer to a seller. The way people talk about here makes it sound like it's a law or something. Someone else even insisted there was an FCC rule about this. No. It's just a business agreement describing a distribution method. All terms are settled between the parties. Just because it is often 100 doesn't mean it's a rule.

*that* was obviously a joke, lol. calm the hell down! it's on tv, it's on dvd, we all win. it's not a rule, we get it...

no wait....it is a rule!...now go nuts on us again!

:P

Actually, in the context of the the thread and what was written, it was clear to me that it was not a joke. Check again.

Well, I'm glad that one person gets it. Sorry about getting hysterical there, but ever know something but are surrounded by those who insist otherwise? It's surreal, like you're going crazy, until one person finally confirms that you're not. Imagine living somewhere else and being told by *everyone* else that the earth is flat. ;-)

Time to get the straitjacket again...

"Bao H. Lammy" wrote in message news:[email]...

LOL...when I said 100 eps were normally needed to guarantee a substantial syndie run, I meant as a general guideline, not by law or anything. Sorry for any inadvertent contribution to the ruckus. :-)

Chuck

trust me, it was a joke. the guy who wrote it was trying to get you riled up. he knows it's not an fcc rule. he was being a goofball.

i bet you're fun at parties...

[snip]

"The 100 episodes thing..." **What** 100 episodes thing?! Can you prove it ever existed as a general rule?

No, but if you look at when primetime shows *usually* go into syndication, it's about 100 or so episodes(or if the show is very likely to get that many). it's not a strict *rule*, i never said it was. If fox wanted to, they could try to sell Family Guy's approx. 50 episodes to local stations. But it would be much harder to sell than a show like say...Malcolm in the Middle.

But there was never any doubt(at least to me) that Family Guy wouldn't pop up on a cable channel. Afterall, Clerks got there...

I'm sorry if I conveyed that you, specifically, claimed there was a rule. There are multiple thread participants, and different people use varying terms to describe similar concepts. I did not keep track of who wrote, "rules" (in particular "the rules"), "mandatory," etc. It certainly seemed that all of you were talking about the same thing -- some supposed rule(s). There are no rules! What you are saying holds, but why nail it to a number like 100 or 50 or whatever when there are so many exceptions? Of course the syndicator and the buyers have to come to an agreement; you can't force someone to buy your series of just 15 episodes, but then again there are no rules saying they can't either. They buy/don't buy based on what they feel is smart fiscal sense -- not based on any "rules." It is something that every business ponders in any fiscal decision: "Is this something that makes me enough money to warrant doing it?"

AGAIN: Syndication is simply a distribution method in which the terms are not set by any rules whatsoever besides the terms that the respective parties agree to. This is true of any business relationship or contract and is not special to syndication. It's a standard business agreement.

100 is what it usually is, there aren't a lot of exceptions(i'm talking local channels).

calm down, k pal? go watch some family guy dvds....

"Cybersonic81" wrote in message news:[email]...

it's

it's

to

much

Yes, it's usually more-or-less 100 eps...shows like Full House, The Simpsons, Seinfeld, etc. didn't turn up in syndie reruns until after their 4th seasons (which wasn't long after The Simpsons aired its 100th ep, in fact).

Chuck