Network Preemptions Bumped to Sub-channels

When Group W owned channel 3 (an NBC affiliate) and Triangle or Cap Cities owned channel 6 (an ABC affiliate), preemption of network shows were fairly common. Now it seems to happen only for sports or some big local-live event. In the recent past, the preempted network shows usually ended up being shown in the middle of the night or on the weekend. Now, that Comcast owns NBC, which owns and operates channel 10, and Comcast also has the TV rights to Phillies games, some Phillies games are being shown on NBC10. (First time the Phils have been on a major network affiliate in more than 40 years, when channel 6 carried Phillies games). Instead of delaying the shows on NBC, they are being shown without delay on 10.2 (preempting Cozi).

One problem with this is when preempted shows were bumped to the middle of the night or dead time on the weekend, Tivos and other DVRs would still record them if you had a "season pass" for the show. Not now. Season passes only record showings on the designated channel (and a sub-channel is considered a different channel).

I wonder if this will make O&Os more willing (and able) to preempt network shows. I wonder how network advertisers will feel about their spots ending up on a sub-channel.

Back in the day, when network shows were preempted they were usually picked up without delay on channels 48, 29, 57 or 17. Seems like that is still a better arrangement all around, for the network, the viewer and the advertiser.

Virtually only things that got picked up by independents were ongoing series not cleared. Further, TiVo et al could only catch those middle-of-the-night programs if the change was prw-scheduled in enough time for guide data to update. And digital channels or not, duopoly situations allowed for moves as well. So there's really nothing all that new going on, all things considered. And we're talking about soap operas, game shows and daytime talk in most cases.

Perfect opportunity tonight for channel 6 to bump Jeopardy, Wheel and ABC programming to LiveWell tonight. Anyone who has Xfinity or FiOS has this channel both in SD and HD. They didn't do it. Channel 3 bumps programming to channel 57 and channel 10 bumps it to Cozi which is also carried by both providers as well.

FredLeonard said:

One problem with this is when preempted shows were bumped to the middle of the night or dead time on the weekend, Tivos and other DVRs would still record them if you had a "season pass" for the show. Not now. Season passes only record showings on the designated channel (and a sub-channel is considered a different channel).

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Back in the day, when network shows were preempted they were usually picked up without delay on channels 48, 29, 57 or 17. Seems like that is still a better arrangement all around, for the network, the viewer and the advertiser.

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Of course, you realize that TiVo still wouldn't record the pre-empted shows if they cleared on another primary channel, as you suggest.

Not what I said. When pre-empted shows were bumped to over night or weekends on the same channel Tivo records them. Any different channel, it does not. What part of that wasn't clear?

FredLeonard said:

Not what I said. When pre-empted shows were bumped to over night or weekends on the same channel Tivo records them. Any different channel, it does not. What part of that wasn't clear?

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Probably the part where you combined so many thoughts that misinterpretation was inevitable. Sorry.

FredLeonard said:

Not what I said. When pre-empted shows were bumped to over night or weekends on the same channel Tivo records them. Any different channel, it does not. What part of that wasn't clear?

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Not if they're bumped to the same-day overnight for breaking news.