In an environment where content is available everywhere and all the time, station groups are picking up shows from places and platforms that were previously considered off-limits. Rules such as number of episodes, national clearance and exclusivity are no longer in play. Instead, groups are looking at factors such as economics and versatility, as well as what they can produce themselves when it comes to programming.
Producers have been placing first-run shows on streaming channels for several years to create secondary revenue streams. But it’s been only recently that TV stations have begun to acquire shows off of streamers. That’s largely because streaming channels had not aired the types of day-and-date programs that stations need, but with the arrival of FAST (free ad-supported television) channels, that is changing. The proliferation of platforms has also rendered exclusivity almost moot.
