The Program Exchange

The Program Exchange was a syndicator of television programs. It was founded as DFS Program Exchange in 1979, which became elongated to the DFS-Dorland Program Exchange from 1986 to 1987. From 1986 to 2008, it was a division of Saatchi & Saatchi, an advertising agency (which acquired Dancer Fitzgerald Sample, the original owners), while merging with Dorland Advertising in 1986,[1] and would later be acquired by Publicis in 2000. In January 2008, Publicis transferred The Program Exchange from the Saatchi & Saatchi subsidiary to its ZenithOptimedia subsidiary, the logo was then changed to reflect this move. In early 2016, the programexchange.com website was shut down; the shutdown coincided with NBCUniversal's purchase of one of its most prominent clients, DreamWorks Classics.[2]

The Program Exchange
Formerly
  • DFS Program Exchange (1979-1986)
  • DFS-Dorland Program Exchange (1986-1987)
TypeSubsidiary
IndustryTelevision syndication
Founded
  • 1979 (as DFS Program Exchange)
FounderHill Blackett and John Glen Sample
Defunct2016
FateDefunct
HeadquartersNew York, United States
Key people
TBA
OwnerPublicis
ParentZenithOptimedia
WebsiteThe Program Exchange

The Program Exchange was a "barter syndicator," distributing programming on behalf of the shows' producers, many of them having their own cash distribution services. Instead of paying a cash fee, television stations who ran those programs agreed to a barter exchange (hence the syndicator name), wherein the station agreed to air a certain number of commercials for various General Mills products per program. This arrangement allowed for the programs to air on stations that may not have large budgets to acquire them. The Program Exchange typically distributed older programming that was no longer widely distributed in syndication, as well as programming designed to meet federal educational/information mandates. The Program Exchange continued to hold distribution rights to the Jay Ward Productions and Total Television archives throughout the exchange's existence; both of those companies' programs were produced at the DFS-owned Gamma Productions studios in Mexico until that studio shut down in 1968.

The Program Exchange handled distribution for all titles listed below. The dates listed are the dates that they were distributed, not the dates they originally aired.

History

From the company's beginnings as DFS Program Exchange, which was originally headquartered in Dallas, the company's initial product was to syndicate several shows that were abandoned by other syndicators, such as Hanna-Barbera and Gamma Productions archives, who had made them more successful, such as Scooby-Doo and The Jetsons.[3] The company grew with Olympic Champions, which starred Bruce Jenner, as its first ever live-action outing distributed by DFS themselves.[4] In 1983, it purchased the exclusive syndication rights of Bewitched from Columbia Pictures Television.[5] It also acquired the rights from CPT, the exclusive syndication rights to two other Screen Gems shows I Dream of Jeannie and The Partridge Family.[6] These shows eventually grew into success that they wanted to came back to popularity.[7]

In 1985, DFS Program Exchange made its first bold move by syndicating their own straight barter strip Dennis the Menace, as well as U.S. syndicated rights to Woody Woodpecker and Friends, which came after the final MCA TV commitment expired in January 1988.[8] In 1986, DFS was bought out by Saatchi & Saatchi, which was then merged with Dorland Advertising, another Saatchi & Saatchi subsidiary, and to reflect the organization, it was renamed to DFS-Dorland Program Exchange.[9] In 1987, it was renamed shortly after to The Program Exchange. On March 14, 1988, it was moved to Hudson Street, New York.[10] In 1990, Susan Radden was appointed vice president at the subsidiary.[11] In 1993, the company made its major breakout hit when it picked up the off-net syndicated rights to the cartoon Garfield and Friends, which was announced on January 20, 1992, and be available on a barter basis.[12] In 1997, The Program Exchange secured the syndication rights to the first 65 episodes of the original English dub of Sailor Moon. A year later, it helped DiC broadcast the remaining 17 episodes on Cartoon Network's programming block Toonami.

Children's programs

Sitcoms

Dramas

Reality/Lifestyles
  • B. Smith: Simply Style (2008-2016)
  • Funniest Pets & People (2008-2016)
  • That Teen Show (1986-1987)
  • The Greats of the Game (1985-1989)
  • Sale of the Century (1973-1974)
  • Olympic Champions (1979-1980)

Short-form
  • B. Smith Cooking Vignettes
  • Cartoon Network Short Cartoons
  • Dr. Bob Arnot: Eat Better America
  • Healthy Break by Jake
  • Medical Minute
  • Nutrition Minute

References
  1. Dougherty, Philip H. (1986-02-25). "ADVERTISING; S.&S. UNIT AND D.F.S. DEAL SEEN". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
  2. Dave McNary (2016-08-22). "Comcast Completes $3.8 Billion DreamWorks Animation Purchase". Variety. Retrieved 2016-08-27.
  3. "DFS Program Exchange" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1979-01-29. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  4. "Olympic Champions" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1979-03-05. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  5. "Bewitched" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1983-04-04. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  6. "Let our stars shine in the market" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1984-02-13. Retrieved 2021-11-10.
  7. "New life in old TV shows" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1985-03-18. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  8. "Programming with NATPE in mind" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1985-12-09. Retrieved 2021-11-11.
  9. "Bottom Line" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1986-03-10. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  10. "Moving" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1988-02-29. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  11. "Fates & Fortunes" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1990-12-03. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  12. "TPE gets 'Garfield'" (PDF). Broadcasting. 1992-01-20. Retrieved 2021-11-13.
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