I always heard the word but have no clue what it means. Thanks

It means that the sitcom is in reruns. "Step By Step" is in syndication. Any show that is currently airing and is in reruns is in syndication.

Syndication is just a marketing term. Networks require a show to produce a minimum amount of epidsodes (generally 100) before it can qualify for syndication.

The producers of the show can then 'sell' the rerun episodes to other networks (mainly, cable networks or FOX) as long as its not in direct ratings competition with the prime network that airs the new shows.

Shows like Malcolm in the Middle who just filmed their 100th episode and probably will be seen on a daily basis once it sells its syndication.

Actually, I haven't seen "Step by Step" in syndication lately, just on ABC Family. I might want to check my local listings on that.

Originally posted by Brent88
It means that the sitcom is in reruns. "Step By Step" is in syndication. Any show that is currently airing and is in reruns is in syndication.

Not necessarily. ABC Family is a national channel, so it airs the same time, same channel everywhere. A good example of a syndicated show would be Seinfeld. It's on Fox in my area at 7:00 PM, but elsewhere it might be on UPN at say 5:00. Basically, a syndicated show airs on different channels at different times, in all different markets. -Jim

Originally, syndicating a show meant selling it on a market-by-market, station-by-station basis. So, if you had a show you wanted to distribute in syndication, you'd sell it to a station in Boston, a station in New York, a station in L.A., etc. The Boston station might be an NBC affiliate, the New York station might be ABC, and the L.A. station might be independent. The show would then wind up airing at different times, in different cities, on different channels. The flip side of this is selling the show directly to a network, such as ABC, which then distributes the show to its affiliates, which all generally air it at the same time. Ultimately, syndicating a show involves bypassing the network and distributing the show directly to the local stations.

Syndication has been used primarily to sell less expensive, unscripted shows (talk shows, game shows, newsmagazines, etc.) and reruns of network programs. But there are some examples of original scripted dramas and comedies being produced especially for syndication such as "Baywatch" and "Mama's Family" (both of these originally ran a season or two on network television). With the advent of Fox, UPN, and WB, there has been less development of programming produced specifically for syndication.

Lately, the trade papers like Variety and Hollywood Reporter have even begun referring to reruns of broadcast network series on cable as being "in syndication". This is wrong, IMO, because the very act of syndicating something means selling it on a station-by-station basis, not to a single entity like a cable network. But it seems like it's becoming an accepted use of the term.

Frasier, Friends & Cheers all air on different channels & times. Frasier is on Tuesday @ 8 central time on NBC, Friends is on NBC on Thursday @ 7 (& also on TBS Superstation @ 6:30 p.m. central time) & Cheers is on NBC (the channel it actually aired on on Saturdays & Sundays @ 5 or 6).

Tiff7