Per the subject line, what I mean is, what became of the concept of in-house productions (those series that were, IAT being broadcast by a network, also produced and packaged by that same network [either solo or with other people])? Series like this have included:
Gunsmoke, Perry Mason, the original Five-O, et al. (CBS)
Little House, Bonanza, et al. (NBC)
Moonlighting (ABC)
Actually it is extremely common for Networks to own the shows they air. For a long time it was illegal as it was (rightly in my opinion) seen as a potential conflict of interest but this was changed either in the late eights or early 90s, I forget. Watch the production credits at the end of shows and you will often see the Network’s production company show up, sometimes with another company as well.
For awhile, if a network produced a show, they had to sell it to someone else to syndicate it. Since syndication is where the money is, the networks didn’t do. However, that rule was repealed and you’ll see network-owned shows like Castle on the air. ABC also produces Scandal and Revenge, among other shows. NBC, CBS, and Fox (as well as smaller networks) do the same thing.
Could you expand on this a little? I’ve never really thought of it in terms of a conflict of interest, and since I don’t remember when it was illegal for a network to own a show, I’m not familiar with the original thought process.
A darn good point there! I have 9 seasons’ worth of the original Five-O on DVD (albeit not in order; I have nos. 1-8 and #12); the first 7 have “A Leonard Freeman Production in association with The CBS Television Network,” #8 has “A CBS Television Network Production,” and #12 was one of the two (the other was #11) to have “A CBS Entertainment Production” (8-12 also had a card that said “Developed by Leonard Freeman Productions,” IIRC).
If the network were given the choice of two shows, one they produced (and could get syndication money) and another produced by someone else (where they could not get syndication money), they would have chosen their own production. This vertical monopoly means that other producers can’t sell their product.
It was a bigger issue when there were only three networks. Now that there are dozens, there are more places to sell it to.
ABC (owned by Disney) also produces shows for other networks: Army Wives for Lifetime, Criminal Minds for CBS, and Perception for TNT.
Ah, I see now. I was missing the “only two other networks” part of the problem.