Prime time

Prime time is the block of programming on television during the middle of the evening.

Definition

In North America, television networks broadcast their prime time programming in two blocks: one for the Eastern, Central, and Mountain time zones, and one for the Pacific, Alaskan, and Hawaiian time zones. In Atlantic Canada (including Newfoundland) as well as Alaska and Hawaii there is no change in the interpretation or usage of "prime time"—as the concept is not attached to time zones in any way.

When is prime time exactly?

The generally accepted times considered to be traditional prime time are 8:00pm to 11:00pm Eastern and Pacific and 7:00pm to 10:00pm Central and Mountain Monday–Saturday.

Sundays extend an hour earlier to begin at 7:00pm Eastern and Pacific and 6:00pm Central and Mountain.
With the addition of newer networks such as the FOX Network, The WB, and UPN, there now is considered a common prime separate from traditional prime.
Common prime is 8:00pm to 10:00pm Eastern and Pacific and 7:00pm to 9:00pm Central and Mountain Monday–Saturday with the same hour extension on Sundays.

Timeslot's relationship to radio & TV revenue

Prime time is the block of time with the most viewers and is generally where television networks and local stations reap much of their advertising revenues. The Nielsen Ratings system is explicitly designed for the optimum measurement of prime time viewing.

The existence of prime time in the United States is largely an artifact of now repealed regulations of the Federal Communications Commission which limited the number of hours that a network can require its affiliates to broadcast. It is also the time when the competition for ratings between shows in different networks is the fiercest.

Other blocks of programming include the daytime, early fringe, early news, early access, evening news, late news, late fringe and overnight dayparts.

Typically these dayparts describe the 24 hours of broadcasting Monday–Friday, but are applicable to the weekend as well.

Additionally, networks may also choose to provide local affiliates the opportunity to air sporting events which may fall outside of standard designated network broadcast times.

Prime Time & international broadcasting

Outside North America "Prime Time" is used in international broacasting to refer to when the most audience is available to an international broadcaster in a particular time zone (Australian Eastern Standard Time, for example) or block of contiguous time zones (Eastern North America, as in EST + CST).

In the case of the Pacific Time Zone (Americans) prime time is from 03:00 UTC to 0700 UTC.
GMT prime time is exactly 12 hours from NZT prime time.

Gourt Home::Gourt :: Prime time

Definition

When is prime time exactly?

Timeslot's relationship to radio & TV revenue

Prime Time & international broadcasting

See also