Network affiliate

As an affiliate, local channels are referred to in the North American media system, under contract with one of the major networks connected (eg, ABC, NBC, CBS).

Unlike German television stations, which provide for even the appearance of their program, the networks in the United States spread their program mostly about affiliates. The major networks are each several hundred affiliates across the country, but themselves have only a few individual channels, as a result of state requirements no society with their own transmitters may cover more than one third of the potential recipients.

In the radio sector there is the system of affiliates, such as NPR, Air America Radio, CBS Radio Network, Pacifica Radio Network, ESPN Radio.

An affiliate sends at fixed times the delivered from its Network mantle program ( eg serial, world news, talk shows ) and fills the remaining airtime with original programming (such as local news, local sports, and the like with a local reference ) or so-called syndicated programs.

Are to be distinguished from the Affiliates - strictly speaking - the O & O ( owned and operated ) stations, so city stations that are owned and operated by one of the networks. Apart from a trend towards higher adoption rate, but they work basically the same as the actual affiliates. Well-known examples are WABC, WCBS, WNBC and WPBS in New York and KABC, KCBS, KNBC and KPBS in Los Angeles.

• TV (United States)