Editing Broadcast programming (section)

===Counterprogramming===
{{Main article|Counterprogramming (television)}}

'''Counterprogramming''' is the practice of deliberately scheduling programming to attract viewers away from another, major program. Counterprogramming efforts often involve scheduling a contrasting program of a different genre or demographic, targeting viewers who may not be interested in the major program (such as a sporting event, which typically draws a predominantly-male audience, against an awards show that attracts a predominantly-female audience).<ref name=ut-headtohead>{{cite web |title= NASCAR going head-to-head with Oscars|url=http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2009/Feb/20/1s20mediacol223519-nascar-going-head-head-oscars/|work=U-T San Diego |access-date= 12 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com:443/en/Daily/Issues/2012/02/28/Media/NBA%20ASG.aspx|title=NBA All-Star Game's 7.1 Million Viewers Down 22% From Telecast In '11|date=February 28, 2012|website=Sports Business Daily|language=en|access-date=2019-09-29}}</ref> Despite frequently being among the top U.S. television broadcasts of all time, the [[Super Bowl]] has had a prominent history of being [[Super Bowl counterprogramming|counterprogrammed]] in this manner. One of the most prominent examples of this practice was [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]]'s [[Super Bowl XXVI|1992]] airing of a special live episode of ''[[In Living Color]]'' against the game's [[List of Super Bowl halftime shows|halftime show]].<ref name=trib-goalofspectacle>{{cite news|title=Goal of spectacle colors NFL's thinking about Super Bowl halftime show|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/2011/02/06/goal-of-spectacle-colors-nfls-thinking-about-super-bowl-halftime-show/|work=Chicago Tribune|access-date=January 30, 2013|date=February 6, 2011}}</ref><ref name="lat-tacklessuperbowl">{{cite news|last1=Weinstien|first1=Steve|title=Fox Tackles Super Bowl With Sly Plan : Television: The 'rebel network' hopes to siphon off viewers from CBS with a halftime show of its own featuring the gang from 'In Living Color.'|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-25-ca-724-story.html|website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=|date =25 January 1992 }}</ref>

Programs can also be counterprogrammed by a direct competitor in the same time slot, often resulting in the two programs attempting to attract viewers away from each other through [[publicity stunt]]s and other tactics; these tactics have most notably been seen in counterprogramming efforts surrounding [[professional wrestling]], including the [[Monday Night War|Monday]] and [[Wednesday Night Wars]] of the 1990s and 2020s respectively.<ref name="bg-popsnonational">{{cite news |last1=Powers |first1=Martine |last2=Moskowitz |first2=Eric |date=June 15, 2013 |title=July 4 fireworks gala loses its national pop |newspaper=[[The Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2013/06/15/national-spot-for-boston-pops-fireworks-show-not-airing-nationally-this-year/IVDJVRnru6Acdd5Hxl8gUP/story.html |access-date=June 16, 2013}}</ref><ref name=":02">{{Cite web |last=Holland |first=Jesse |date=2012-01-04 |title=On this date in WCW history: Tony Schiavone and the Finger Poke of Doom |url=https://www.cagesideseats.com/2012/1/4/2679983/wcw-tony-schiavone-raw-finger-poke-of-doom-mick-foley-kevin-nash-hulk-hogan-nwo |access-date=2019-09-29 |website=Cageside Seats |language=en}}</ref><ref name="Variety">{{Cite web |last=Littleton |first=Cynthia |date=2019-08-20 |title=WWE's 'NXT' Moves to USA Network as Wrestling Competition Heats Up |url=https://variety.com/2019/tv/news/wwe-nxt-usa-network-deal-1203307413/ |access-date=2019-10-04 |website=Variety |language=en}}</ref>

In some cases, broadcasters may attempt to adjust their schedules in order to avert attempts at counterprogramming, such as getting a slightly earlier time slot (in the hope that once viewers have become committed to a show they will not switch channels),<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> scheduling the competing program on a different night, or moving it to a different portion of the television season to avoid competition altogether.<ref name=":1">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2013/apr/03/the-voice-britains-got-talent-sheduling-wars|title=The Voice v Britain's Got Talent: scheduling wars recommence|last=Plunkett|first=John|date=April 3, 2013|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]|access-date=November 13, 2017}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2012/sep/23/bbc-itv-costume-drama-battle|title=BBC pilots Tuesday night slot as it takes on ITV in the battle of the costume dramas|last=Brown|first=Maggie|date=September 23, 2012|newspaper=[[The Guardian]]/[[The Observer]]|access-date=November 13, 2017}}</ref>