NBCUniversal Shifts Away from First-Run Syndication: What to Know About the End of ‘Access Hollywood,’ ‘Steve Wilkos,’ ‘Karamo,’ and ‘Access Live’
The future of first-run syndication has taken a significant hit as NBCUniversal announces its withdrawal from the space, marking a crucial shift in the industry. This decision casts doubt on the viability of the syndication model amid a declining market.
The timing of this announcement aligns with the conclusion of NBCU’s flagship first-run program, The Kelly Clarkson Show, which is set to end this season.
NBCUniversal’s exit will also affect several other first-run syndicated shows, including the long-running entertainment newsmagazine Access Hollywood and its spin-off Access Live, both of which will conclude at the end of summer. Additionally, The Steve Wilkos Show and Karamo, which have completed production for their current seasons, will continue airing through the summer.
It remains uncertain whether Access Hollywood and Access Live will persist as digital brands after their linear broadcasts conclude. Established for 30 years, Access Hollywood has long been a staple in entertainment news, while Access Live launched in 2010.
The transition is expected to result in layoffs among both the production teams of the affected shows and NBCU’s first-run executives.
“NBCUniversal is making changes to our first-run syndication division to better align with the programming preferences of local stations,” stated Frances Berwick, Chairman of Bravo & Peacock Unscripted. “The company will remain active in the distribution of our existing program library and other off-network titles while winding down production of our first-run shows. These shows have provided audiences with great talk and entertainment content for many years, and we’re very proud of the teams behind them.”
What was once a lucrative sector, buoyed by mega-hits like The Oprah Winfrey Show, has faced challenges as linear viewership continues to decline in the streaming era. Local stations, which purchase syndicated content, have increasingly opted for local news or only acquire first-run programs under barter agreements, shunning traditional license fee models.
This shift has rendered the conventional syndication studio model unsustainable.
Despite these challenges, there remains a demand for library and off-network titles. NBCU will continue its distribution efforts for programs such as Dateline, Law & Order, Chicago P.D., Maury, Jerry Springer, Steve Wilkos, and Karamo.
