APPENDIX 1
PRIME TIME SCHEDULES: 1946-2007

On the following pages are complete prime time network schedules for each season from 1946-1947 through 2006-2007. Television programming changes constantly, and schedules such as these can only offer an approximation of what was on during any given week. However, the industry has long had a custom of introducing new series in September or October of each year, and it is these introductory “fall schedules” that are shown here.

During the 1950s and 1960s most of the series introduced in the fall of each year lasted for at least three months, and often for a full year, even when they were unsuccessful. Industry practice was to contract in advance for at least 13 original episodes of a series. In later years, however, intense network competition led to the dropping of unsuccessful series as soon as three or four weeks after their premieres, and occasionally a TV dud, like a Broadway flop, will even close on its opening night. The principal fall programs are shown here, no matter how short their actual runs.

Times given are those at which the programs were seen in most cities. Newscasts will be found in the main body of the book under News , feature film series under Movies , sports events under the name of the sport, etc. (Miscellaneous collections of film shorts, used to fill time, are included on the schedules but are not in the book.) A blank indicates that there was no network programming in the time slot. This does not necessarily mean there was nothing on TV—individual stations usually filled in with their own local or syndicated shows— although in the earliest days there sometimes was only a test pattern to watch.

Abbreviations

A = ABC

C = CBS

CW = The CW

D = DuMont

F = Fox

M = MyNetworkTV

N = NBC

U = UPN

W = WB