television program
Scheduled screen content
A television program is a distinct piece of content broadcast or streamed on television—a show, series, documentary, or special.
Programs range from sitcoms and dramas to news broadcasts and sporting events.
What's your favorite television program?
The term is slightly more formal than TV show, often appearing in industry contexts and program guides.
Episodic TV comedy series
- dramaTheatrical art or turmoil
- comedyWork meant to amuse
- thrillerSuspense-driven narrative genre
- soap operaSerialized melodramatic broadcast drama
game show · talk show · variety show · animation · sketch comedy · reality · musical · fantasy
Serialized content unit
- seasonYearly division or series
- pilotOne who steers aircraft
- finaleConcluding part of performance
- seriesOrdered set of related items
cast · script · writer · showrunner · producer · director · set design · costume
Passage for transmission
- networkInterconnected system
- airtimeScheduled transmission period
- schedulePlan of timed events
- prime timeEvening TV's busiest window
syndication · cable · satellite · streaming · livestream · ratings · viewer · antenna
Not pre-written
- contestantsCompetition participants
- eliminationAct of removing entirely
- challengesDifficulties requiring effort
- votingFormally registering a choice
host · confessionals · reunion · makeover · dating · survival · competition · audition
Storyline or land parcel
- storylineSequence of fictional events
- characterNature, symbol, or role
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
- arcCurved line segment
subplot · cliffhanger · twist · protagonist · antagonist · ensemble · backstory · foreshadowing
Secures ships to seabed
- reporterOne who gathers news
- correspondentJournalist covering distant events
- headlineNews article title
- breakingComing apart suddenly
bulletin · coverage · update · current affairs · broadcast · live · editorial · weather
Verbal account delivery
- footageRecorded video material
- archiveStored historical records
- interviewsFormal evaluative conversations
- investigativeDevoted to examination
informative · educational · cinematography · filmmaking · nature · wildlife · history · biography
sitcom
Episodic TV comedy series
soap opera · game show · talk show · variety show · animation · sketch comedy · reality · musical · fantasy · science fiction
episode
Serialized content unit
series · cast · script · writer · showrunner · producer · director · set design · costume · props
channel
Passage for transmission
prime time · syndication · cable · satellite · streaming · livestream · ratings · viewer · antenna · frequency
unscripted
Not pre-written
- contestantsCompetition participants
- eliminationAct of removing entirely
- challengesDifficulties requiring effort
voting · host · confessionals · reunion · makeover · dating · survival · competition · audition · judges
plot
Storyline or land parcel
- storylineSequence of fictional events
- characterNature, symbol, or role
- dialogueSpoken exchange between parties
arc · subplot · cliffhanger · twist · protagonist · antagonist · ensemble · backstory · foreshadowing · flashback
anchor
Secures ships to seabed
- reporterOne who gathers news
- correspondentJournalist covering distant events
- headlineNews article title
breaking · bulletin · coverage · update · current affairs · broadcast · live · editorial · weather · sports
narration
Verbal account delivery
- footageRecorded video material
- archiveStored historical records
- interviewsFormal evaluative conversations
investigative · informative · educational · cinematography · filmmaking · nature · wildlife · history · biography · culture
television programfilm
Movie or coating
feature film · movie · theatrical release · cinema · podcast
television programlive performance
Unrecorded staged entertainment
live concert · theater · live event · stage show · live broadcast
television programreal life
Existence beyond imagination
reality · lived experience · live performance · live event · everyday life
program, television, televisions, telecast, programmer, programming, reprogram, programmable, preprogrammed