Block programming
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Block programming (also known as a strand in British broadcasting) is the arrangement of programs on radio or television so that those of a particular genre, theme, or target audience are united.
Overview
Block programming involves scheduling a series of related shows which are likely to attract and hold a given audience for a long period of time.
Block programming in radio also refers to programming content that appeals to various demographics in time blocks, usually corresponding to the top or bottom of the hour or the quarter-hour periods. For example, various musical genres might be featured, such as a country music hour, a three-hour afternoon block of jazz, or a four-hour Saturday night '70s disco show.
Generally speaking, block programming is anathema to modern competitive commercial radio, which traditionally uses uniform formats, other than a handful of speciality shows in off-peak hours such as weekends (for instance, the infamous
) and in multicultural radio serving broad ethnic and cultural audiences, although even in this realm the idea of block programming is declining due to competition for donations.Some programming blocks have become so popular that they have been transformed to full-fledged 24-hour channels. Current channels which started as program blocks include Disney Junior (which is still a program block on Disney Channel); the Nick Jr. Channel (based on the Nick Jr. block that still airs on Nickelodeon);[2] Boomerang (which was once a program block on Cartoon Network); and PBS Kids (which is still a program block on PBS).[3] In addition, TV Land airs older shows that were once aired on sister channel Nickelodeon's Nick at Nite program block. Adult Swim is also a Cartoon Network Programming Block.
However, since the 2010s, new programming blocks have become rare due to airing programming in a regular format or with little or no brand reference within the programming block.[4]
See also
- Audience flow
- Lists of programming blocks
- Strip programming
- Broadcast programming
- Dayparting
- Marathon (television)
References
- ^ "Programming". www.museum.tv. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
- ^ "Oops! Clarification for Kidscreen's September 2013 issue".
- ^ "PBS KIDS widens access with 24/7 channel offerings". Kidscreen. 2016-02-23. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
- ^ SOAPnet Will Go Dark to Make Way for Disney Junior Archived 2010-05-27 at the Wayback Machine, Entertainment Weekly, May 26, 2010