Counterprogramming:
In broadcasting, counterprogramming is the practice of offering programs to attract an audience from another station airing a major event.
[edit] Television
The main events counterprogrammed are the Super Bowl and the Oscars.
[edit] Super Bowl
The Super Bowl is amongst the most-viewed programs on American television. Thus, counterprogramming focuses on the pre-game period and the halftime show.
NBC counterprogrammed the Super Bowl XXXVIII and Super Bowl XXXIX pregame shows with the World Poker Tour Tournament of Champions.
In 1992, FOX counterprogrammed the Super Bowl XXVI halftime show with a special episode of In Living Color. This episode, which, through the "Men On Football" skit, adlibed that actor Richard Gere and track and field star Carl Lewis were gay. This was a fairly successful counterprogram; an estimated 20-25 million switched from CBS' Super Bowl broadcast.
In 1999, the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) counterprogrammed the Super Bowl halftime show with Halftime Heat '99, including a match in which Mankind fought The Rock in the first ever Empty Arena Match. This match was also successful, with over 20 million viewers switching to this event.
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