Daypart definition
/What is a Daypart?
A daypart is a division of the broadcast day into segments. For example, a television broadcaster may separate its schedule into the morning, daytime, early fringe, prime time, late news, late fringe, and late night time slots.
The type of content provided to audiences will vary, depending on the daypart within which they are scheduled. This concept is also applied to radio airings. Broadcasters typically sell advertising slots to advertisers based on dayparts.
Examples of Dayparts
Here are several real-life examples of dayparts commonly used by television broadcasters:
Morning (6 AM – 10 AM)
Example: The “Today” show on NBC, which airs weekday mornings, featuring news, interviews, weather updates, and lifestyle segments.Prime Time (8 PM – 11 PM)
Example: Popular TV shows like “Grey’s Anatomy” on ABC, which airs during prime time to capture the largest audience when most people are home from work.Late Night (11:30 PM – 2 AM)
Example: “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” on NBC, which airs in the late-night slot, targeting viewers who stay up for comedy and celebrity interviews.
These dayparts help networks optimize programming to match audience habits.
Accounting Using Dayparts
A broadcaster typically evaluates the net realizable value of programs and program licenses for impairment using a daypart methodology, whereby programs broadcast during a particular time period, such as prime time, are evaluated on an aggregate basis.