The Affiliate Model is Obsolete
By Bright Green• Published
The network-affiliate system was built for the broadcast era, when national networks needed local stations to reach households. That time has passed.
Why it matters
Gatekeepers like Sinclair and Nexstar exploit this broken model to silence voices and block national programming. Even as Disney recently reinstated Jimmy Kimmel, his show was still blocked in major markets across the country including Portland, Seattle, and Washington DC.
A model in decline
- The “benefits” of affiliates have collapsed or inverted. What once offered reach, credibility, and resilience now produces censorship, brand fracture, and inefficiency.
- Viewers are moving to streaming. Advertisers are moving to digital targeting. Affiliates are left with debt and shrinking audiences, while networks remain tied to outdated obligations.
Time to move on
We raise this issue now because it is both timely and structural. The trend is clear. Affiliates will collapse under their own weight, and the public will be better served when networks move on.
Our stance
Bright Green stands for innovation, preservation, and fairness. Ending the affiliate chokehold on American media advances all three.