Other than the "Big Three" television networks, there were also some independent TV station networks within the United States since the late 1940s and 1950s. If a program premiered on any of these networks, they were considered first-run syndication programs, and reruns of any shows on these independent stations were broadcast on off-network syndication.
Children's programming[]
Children's programming has usually aired during daytime hours since the 1970s, especially on independent TV stations. One example was one of DiC Entertainment's first animated TV series, Inspector Gadget, which debuted on first-run syndication in 1983.
Game shows[]
In 1983, Merv Griffin Enterprises and KingWorld Productions produced a daily syndicated version of Wheel of Fortune, and the show premiered in different stations across the United States since then. One year later, in 1984, Jeopardy! premiered on those same networks, with Alex Trebek as host until 2020, when he died.
Dissolution of independent stations[]
In 1986, some independent stations in the United States relaunched as the Fox Network. In January 1995, more independent stations in every U.S. state relaunched either as the WB Network or UPN.
Today's independent stations[]
Today, there are not that many still-independent television stations across the United States, as most of them are now affiliated with other networks like the CW Network, MyNetworkTV and Ion Television. KCAL-TV from Los Angeles is one example of the independent stations that are currently not affiliated with any major television broadcasting network (although it is owned by CBS Studios), and that TV station launched on August 25, 1948.
Programming[]
| Title | Premiere date (first known) |
Ended (or last aired) |
|---|---|---|
| Wheel of Fortune | September 19, 1983 | present |
| My Little Pony | April 9, 1984 | March 7 ,1986 |
| Jeopardy! | September 10, 1984 | present |
| My Little Pony: Escape from Catrina | March 24, 1985 | March 1, 1986 |
| My Little Pony 'n Friends | September 15, 1986 | August 25, 1989 |
| The Kidsongs TV Show | September 19, 1987 | September 2, 1989 |
| Super Mario Bros. Super Show | September 4, 1989 | September 11, 1991 |
| Full House | September 23, 1991 | September 17, 1999 |
| Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog | September 6, 1993 | November 10, 1996 |
| The Cat in the Hat | December 4, 1994 | December 23, 1995 |
| The Hoober-Bloob Highway | December 4, 1994 | December 23, 1995 |
| The Grinch Grinches the Cat in the Hat | December 4, 1994 | December 23, 1995 |
| Pontoffel Pock and His Magic Piano | December 4, 1994 | |
| Dr. Seuss on the Loose | December 18, 1994 | December 23, 1995 |
| Mary Poppins | May 18, 1997 | February 11, 2001 |
| Sonic the Hedgehog | September 1997 | September 4, 1998 |
| Pokémon | September 7, 1998 | January 1999 |
| Sonic Underground | August 30, 1999 | August 27, 2000 |
| Television networks | ||
|---|---|---|
| NBC Universal | Over-the-air | NBC |
| Cable | USA Network • Syfy • Universal Kids | |
| Streaming | Peacock | |
| ViacomCBS | Over-the-air | CBS • UPN |
| Cable | Nickelodeon • TeenNick | |
| Streaming | Paramount+ | |
| Warner Bros. | Over-the-air | The WB • CW Network |
| Cable | HBO • Cinemax • TBS • TNT • Cartoon Network | |
| Streaming | HBO Max | |
| Walt Disney | Over-the-air | ABC • FOX |
| Cable | Disney Channel • FX Networks • Toon Disney (1998-2009) • Freeform • Disney XD | |
| Streaming | Disney+ | |
| Other | Over-the-air | Broadcast syndication • PBS • PBS Kids |
| Cable | Hub Network (2010-2014) • Discovery Family | |
| Streaming | Netflix • Hulu • HBO Max • Paramount+ | |