One of the invisible things about the TV industry is the source of some programming on local TV stations.
Local news is obviously local (most of the time). But some viewers may wrongly believe that all of the other programming comes from the network.
In fact, affiliates of ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC mix network programming with syndicated shows that are sold directly to stations or station ownership groups rather than airing on the network. To make it even more confusing, some syndicated shows are produced by network studios but air on affiliates of multiple networks.
Some of the best-known syndicated programs include “Wheel of Fortune,” “Jeopardy!,” “Entertainment Tonight,” and “Live with Kelly and Ryan.” Daily reruns of current and former prime time shows are also syndicated.
Meanwhile, the traditional “big three” broadcast networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) all provide morning news programs, midday soap operas and talk shows, a half-hour evening newscast, three hours of prime time, and late-night talk shows. But FOX, CW (large markets), and MyNetwork TV only offer a few hours of programming per day, leaving most of the schedule for the affiliates to fill.
On “big three” affiliates, syndicated programming fills the timeslots not occupied by local news or network programming. The most common timeslots for syndicated shows in Central time zone markets are 3 to 5 p.m. and 6:30 to 7 p.m., though it varies by station and network.
So, how many hours of programming does each network provide to affiliates on a typical weekday? The number is a bit squishy because ABC, CBS, and NBC give affiliates the option of carrying overnight/early morning news programming for various lengths. But here’s what appears to be the amount per network:
| Network | Hours per weekday | Timeslots |
| ABC | 9.5-15 | Morning (2.5), daytime (2), early news (.5), prime time (3), late night (1.5), overnight (0-5.5) |
| CBS | 12.5-17 | Morning (2.5), daytime (4.5), early news (.5), prime time (3), late night (2), overnight (0-5.5) |
| CW (large markets) | 2 | Prime time (2 hours) |
| CW+ (small markets) | 24 | Continuous mix of CW network and syndicated shows; affiliates can choose to run their own programming in some timeslots |
| FOX | 2 | Prime time (2 hours) |
| ION | 24 | Continuous |
| MyNetworkTV | 2 | Prime time (2 hours) |
| NBC | 11.5-17 | Morning (2.5), daytime (3), early news (0.5), prime time (3), late night (2.5), overnight (0-5.5) |
A big footnote is that this chart does not include weekend sports programming. FOX became considered a major network when it acquired the rights to NFL football in 1994 and also runs MLB, NASCAR, and other live sports.
Subchannel networks such as MeTV, Antenna TV, H&I, and others offer a 24-hour program schedule. In some cases, affiliates pre-empt a small amount of programming on these network channels, but most just pass them through continuously.