The Syndication Scorecard

With upfront season upon us, the focus this week is on first-run syndication and the categories of talk, court, game and magazine. Unlike the broadcast networks and cable, which battle for eyeballs against the rise of mobile devices and streaming services (like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu), the inherent advantage in syndication is the stability. Advertisers can more easily target their buys in daytime, and the added advantage is that most of the target females still prefer to watch their favorite shows live.

Naturally, the shortage of available time periods in recent years has inhibited the launch of new strips. Only “Harry” from NBCUniveral, hosted by Harry Connick Jr., debuted nationally in first-run syndication this season and the ratings are modest. With more stations producing shows locally (including upcoming panel talker “Sister Circle” and weekly competition “Sing Like a Star,” both from Tegna), the majority of occupants in syndication remain the established entries.

Of course, no show can last forever, not even in syndication. “The Insider” from CBS Television Distribution (CTD) has been canceled, marking the first over decade-old strip to exit in years, and other veterans are beginning to look questionable.

For a look at the current status of each genre, click here